Prosecutor Fani Willis tossed from Trump election interference case over affair
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified Thursday from the Georgia election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump over an affair with her top lieutenant.
Dominique Pelicot and 50 others guilty in French mass rape trial
Dominique Pelicot has been given a 20-year prison sentence after being found guilty of the aggravated rape of his ex-wife Gisèle Pelicot by a court in the French city Avignon on Thursday, in a trial that horrified France and the world.
US single-family housing starts rebound; tariffs an obstacle
U.S. single-family homebuilding rebounded in November as the drag from hurricanes faded, but the threat of tariffs on imported goods and potential labor shortages from mass deportations of immigrants could hamper new construction next year.
US deportations rose to decade high in fiscal 2024, outpacing Trump years
U.S. deportations of immigrants rose in the past year to the highest level since 2014, according to a U.S. government report released on Thursday, part of a broader push by outgoing President Joe Biden to reduce illegal immigration.
Amazon workers strike at seven US facilities ahead of Christmas rush
Amazon.com workers at seven U.S. facilities walked off the job early on Thursday during the holiday shopping rush as workers protest what they say is the retailing giant’s unfair treatment of its employees.
Gaza mediators intensify ceasefire efforts, Israeli strikes kill 20 people
The United States, joined by Arab mediators, sought to conclude an agreement between Israel and Hamas to halt the 14-month-old war in the Gaza Strip, where medics said Israeli strikes killed at least 20 Palestinians on Wednesday.
Trump rejects bipartisan US spending bill, raising government shutdown risk
President-elect Donald Trump Wednesday disrupted bipartisan efforts to avert a government shutdown as he pressured his fellow Republicans in Congress to reject a stopgap bill to keep the government funded past the end of the week.
Gun violence at schools has risen since the pandemic
Gun violence on school grounds has seen a notable uptick in the last four years, according to a review of data collected by the K-12 School Shooting Database.
Amazon workers to strike at multiple US warehouses during busy holiday season
Thousands of Amazon.com workers will walk off the job on Thursday morning, in the crucial final days of the holiday season, after union officials said the retailer failed to come to the bargaining table to negotiate contracts. The strike is a challenge to Amazon’s operations as it races to fulfill orders during its busiest season of the year, although union-represented facilities represent only about 1% of Amazon’s hourly workforce. In the New York City area, for example, the company has multiple warehouses and smaller delivery depots. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters said unionized workers at facilities in New York City; Skokie, Illinois; Atlanta, San Francisco and southern California will join the picket line to seek contracts guaranteeing better wages and work conditions. The Teamsters union has said it represents about 10,000 workers at 10 of the company’s U.S. facilities. Workers at seven of those facilities will walk out on Thursday, the Teamsters said. An Amazon spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
New battles threaten Kurdish-Turkish truce in northern Syria
Battles between Kurdish and Turkish-backed fighters in northern Syria threatened on Wednesday to upend already shaky ceasefire agreements and stymie U.S. attempts to contain escalating violence just as the country’s 13-year civil war is ending.
US Supreme Court to consider TikTok bid to halt ban
The U.S. Supreme Court decided on Wednesday to hear a bid by TikTok and its China-based parent company, ByteDance, to block a law intended to force the sale of the short-video app by Jan. 19 or face a ban on national security grounds. The justices did not immediately act on an emergency request by TikTok and ByteDance, as well as by some of its users who post content on the social media platform, for an injunction to halt the looming ban, opting instead to hear arguments on the matter on Jan. 10. The challengers are appealing a lower court’s ruling that upheld the law. TikTok is used by about 170 million Americans.
California declares an emergency over bird flu in cattle
In a stark acknowledgment of the increasing seriousness of bird flu’s spread, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared on Wednesday that the outbreak of infections among the state’s dairy cattle constituted an emergency.
US alarmed Russia close to accepting nuclear-armed North Korea
The United States voiced alarm at the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday that Russia was close to accepting a nuclear-armed North Korea, as Moscow and Pyongyang defended their growing cooperation.
Vanuatu earthquake death toll rises to 14 as rescuers continue search
Rescuers in Vanuatu on Wednesday searched for people still trapped after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific nation’s capital Port Vila on Tuesday, killing 14 people, and damaging reservoirs, commercial buildings, embassies and a hospital.
Israel sees signs of breakthrough in talks over Gaza ceasefire
Israeli officials say a ceasefire in Gaza is a more realistic prospect than at any time in the past year, suggesting a long-awaited deal to free hostages and boost aid to the beleaguered territory could be close.
‘Manifesto’ under investigation after teen shooter kills 2 at Wisconsin Christian school
Authorities are investigating a possible “manifesto,” linked to the 15-year-old girl who opened fire inside her Wisconsin school, killing two people and wounding several others before turning the firearm on herself.
Mangione faces first-degree murder charge that brands him a terrorist
NEW YORK — Luigi Mangione on Tuesday was formally accused of first-degree murder, a charge that branded him a terrorist and aimed directly at the idea that the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO was a legitimate political act.
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Trump sues Des Moines register, escalating threats against the media
Ukraine kills Russian chemical weapons chief Igor Kirillov in Moscow
A top Russian general accused by Ukraine of being responsible for the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops was assassinated in Moscow by Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service on Tuesday morning in the most high-profile killing of its kind.
Some Republican senators reluctant on Gabbard for spy chief
Eight Republican senators are unsure about supporting former Democratic member of congress Tulsi Gabbard to become America’s top spy, according to a Trump transition source and a second source with knowledge of the issue, increasing doubts about whether her nomination will secure Senate confirmation.
