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Nigerian Villagers Are Rattled by US Airstrikes That Made Their Homes Shake and the Sky Glow Red
JABO, Nigeria (AP) — A U.S. airstrike that targeted an alleged Islamic State camp in Nigeria has caused panic in the village of Jabo. On Thursday, residents witnessed the sky glowing red from the attack. U.S. President Donald Trump announced the strike. The Nigerian government has since confirmed that it cooperated with the U.S government in its strike. Jabo residents were confused and scared. They say the village had never been attacked by armed gangs as part of the violence the U.S. says is widespread, though such attacks regularly occur in neighboring villages. The Nigerian government has not disclosed details about the militants targeted. Locals remain anxious, fearing further attacks and uncertainty.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Caliornia’s Intense Winter Storms Turned Some Roads Into Rivers of Mud
WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Powerful winter storms brought the wettest Christmas season to Southern California this week. Relentless winds and rain also triggered widespread debris flows and left homes halfway filled with mud. Rains were expected to ease Friday afternoon but there’s still a risk of flash flooding near Los Angeles. Officials say firefighters rescued over 100 people Thursday night in Los Angeles county. Homes and cars in a mountain town were covered in rocks, debris and thick mud, and roads were washed out. The storms were the result of atmospheric rivers and were blamed for several deaths this week.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
At Least 15 Injured in a Knife and Chemical Attack at a Factory in Japan
TOKYO (AP) — A man has been arrested after stabbing eight people and injuring seven others with a chemical believed to be bleach at a tire factory in central Japan. The attack happened Friday at the Yokohama Rubber Co. in Mishima, Shizuoka prefecture. Eight people were taken to hospitals with stab wounds, and five are in serious condition. The Fujisan Nanto Fire Department provided these details but did not have further information. The attacker’s identity and motive remain unknown. Seven additional people were injured by a substance believed to be bleach thrown during the attack. Police arrested the suspect at the factory.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Amid a Battery Boom, Graphite Mining Gets a Fresh Look in the US
GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. (AP) — Graphite mines in the United States are seeing renewed interest after being largely closed for decades. Graphite is crucial for lithium-ion batteries and demand is surging amid trade tensions with China. Several companies, including Titan Mining Corp. in New York, have plans to mine graphite. Titan aims for commercial sales by 2028, believing geopolitical factors favor their efforts. The U.S. government has fast-tracked permits and offered financial support to boost domestic graphite production. Titan expects to produce about 40,000 metric tons of graphite concentrate annually.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Trump-Zelenskyy Talks Will Address Security Guarantees and Reconstruction, Ukraine Leader Says
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that he will meet on Sunday with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida. Zelenskyy told journalists on Friday that the two leaders will discuss security guarantees for Ukraine during Sunday’s talks, and that the 20-point plan under discussion “is about 90% ready.” The announced meeting is the latest development in an extensive U.S.-led diplomatic push to end the nearly four-year Russia-Ukraine war. But efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands by Moscow and Kyiv.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Stocks Close Slightly Lower in Quiet Post-Christmas Trading
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed slightly lower as investors returned from the Christmas holiday. The S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq all fell less than 0.1% Friday. Trading was light with institutional investors largely closed out for the year. With three trading days left, the S&P 500 has climbed nearly 18% this year. Gold and silver prices continued to rise, with silver up nearly 8% due to supply constraints. Shares of Target rose after news of an activist investor stake. U.S. crude oil fell 2.8%, while Treasury yields held steady. Markets in several countries remained closed.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Former Malaysian Leader Najib Razak Sentenced to 15 Years and Hefty Fine in 1MDB Corruption Trial
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) — Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been sentenced to 15 years in prison and must pay 13.5 billion ringgit ($3.3 billion) for his role in the 1MDB corruption scandal. On Friday, the High Court found him guilty of abuse of power and money laundering, linked to over $700 million channeled into his accounts. The new sentence will run after his current term ends. Najib denied wrongdoing, claiming the funds were a Saudi donation. The judge rejected this, citing evidence of Najib’s ties to financier Low Taek Jho. Najib’s lawyer plans to appeal. The scandal has been one of the world’s largest financial frauds.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
EU Warns of Possible Action After the US Bars 5 Europeans Accused of Censorship
BRUSSELS (AP) — France, Germany, the European Union and the United Kingdom are hitting out at a U.S. decision to impose travel bans on five Europeans the Trump administration accuses of pressuring tech firms to censor or suppress American views. The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, which supervises tech regulation in Europe, is warning that it will take action against any “unjustified measures.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the five “radical” activists. They include Thierry Breton, who is the former EU commissioner responsible for supervising social media rules. The move is part of a Trump administration campaign against foreign influence over online speech.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Resilient US Consumers Drive Strongest Economic Expansion in 2 Years
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy economy expanded at a strong 4.3% annual rate from July through September as consumer spending, exports and government spending all grew. Tuesday’s report from the Commerce Department said U.S. gross domestic product — the economy’s total output of goods and services — up from its 3.8% growth rate in the April-June quarter. Analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet forecast growth of 3% in the period. However, inflation remains higher than the Federal Reserve would like. The Fed’s favored inflation gauge — called the personal consumption expenditures index, or PCE — climbed to a 2.8% annual pace last quarter, up from 2.1% in the second quarter.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
US Unemployment Claims Fall Again Last Week, Remain at Historically Healthy Level
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week and remain at historically healthy levels despite some signs that the labor market is weakening. U.S. applications for jobless claims for the week ending Dec. 20 fell by 10,000 to 214,000 from the previous week’s 224,000, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. That’s below the 232,000 new applications forecast of analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet. The weekly report was released a day early due to the Christmas holiday. Applications for unemployment aid are viewed as a proxy for layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)