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At Trump’s Urging, Bondi Says US Will Investigate Epstein’s Ties to Clinton and Other Political Foes
NEW YORK (AP) — Acceding to President Donald Trump’s demands, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi says she has ordered a top federal prosecutor to investigate sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to Trump political foes, including former President Bill Clinton. Bondi said Friday that she was assigning Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to lead the probe. This week, congressional Republicans released nearly 23,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate and House Democrats seized on emails mentioning Trump. The president, who was friends with Epstein for years, didn’t explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men he mentioned in demanding the probe have been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
US Military’s 20th Strike on Alleged Drug-Running Boat Kills 4 in the Caribbean
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military says its 20th strike on a boat accused of transporting drugs has killed four people in the Caribbean Sea. The latest attack happened Monday, the same day Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced two strikes had been carried out the day before. The U.S. Southern Command announced Monday’s boat strike in a social media post on Friday. The Trump administration has insisted that American warships are focused on stopping the flow of drugs into the U.S. But the impending arrival of an aircraft carrier has fueled speculation that the U.S. also wants to pressure Venezuelan President NicolౠMaduro to step down.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Future Data Centers Are Driving Up Forecasts for Energy Demand
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Utilities are producing eye-popping forecasts about the amount of electricity they’ll need to power massive new data centers that are feeding the fast-growing AI economy. But the forecasts are setting off alarm bells about whether they can be trusted. One question is whether utilities are counting speculative data center projects that may never get built. Some worry regular ratepayers could be stuck with paying for unnecessary power plants. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission wants to know how grid operators determine that a project is viable, while states are trying to find out what’s in utilities’ forecasts and weed out speculative projects.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Russian Drone and Missile Attack on Kyiv Kills 6 People and Injures at Least 35
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has launched a major missile and drone attack on Kyiv, killing six people and wounding at least 35, including a pregnant woman. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday’s assault targeted high-rise apartment blocks and was intended to harm civilians. The attack, which also hit Odesa and Kharkiv, is the biggest on Kyiv in almost three weeks. Ukraine used American-made Patriot air defense systems to shoot down 14 missiles. In response, Ukraine has launched its own drones and missiles against Russian targets. Moscow officials deny targeting civilian areas, claiming they hit military facilities.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Disney Reaches New Deal With YouTube TV, Ending a Blackout That Lasted Over Two Weeks
NEW YORK (AP) — Disney and YouTube TV have reached a new deal to bring channels like ABC and ESPN back to the Google-owned livestreaming platform. The agreement ends a blackout for customers that dragged on for about two weeks. Both sides say that restoration has already begun. Disney content went dark on YouTube TV the night of Oct. 30 after the two sides failed to reach a new licensing deal. YouTube TV subscribers were left without Disney channels on the platform — notably disrupting coverage of top college football matchups and professional sports games, among other news and entertainment offerings. Other Disney-owned content removed from YouTube TV included channels like NatGeo, FX, Freeform, SEC Network, ACC Network and more.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Trump Scraps Tariffs on Beef, Coffee and Tropical Fruit in a Push to Lower Grocery Store Prices
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has announced the removal of U.S. tariffs on beef, coffee, tropical fruits and other commodities. This move comes amid pressure to address high consumer prices. Trump had focused on tariffs to boost domestic production and the U.S. economy. However, recent off-year elections showed economic concerns as a top issue, with Democrats gaining wins. Inflation remains a challenge despite Trump’s claims to have vanquished it. The administration insists tariffs weren’t a major factor in rising grocery prices. Democrats and industry groups argue this move acknowledges the impact of Trump’s tariffs on consumers. “We just did a little bit of a rollback on some foods like coffee,” Trump said later Friday night.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
FAA Takes First Steps to Restore Flights After Shutdown Strain, but Some Limits Remain
The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it is rolling back some of its restrictions on commercial flights at 40 major U.S. airports that have been in place since Nov. 7. The agency says the mandatory 6% flight cuts are being downgraded to 3% beginning Saturday morning. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said restrictions would remain until staffing at air traffic control facilities stabilizes and safety metrics improve. The unprecedented order has already affected thousands of flights. The FAA says it was necessary to ease pressure on the aviation system and help manage staffing shortages as more unpaid controllers began calling out of work as the shutdown entered its second month.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Wal-Mart CEO Doug Mcmillon Announces His Surprise Retirement at Age 59
NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is planning to retire early next year and his successor has been named. The company made the surprise announcement on Friday about McMillion stepping down on Jan. 31. John Furner, the head of Walmart’s U.S. operations, will take over the next day. Walmart shares fell 3% immediately in premarket trading after the news of the unexpected leadership change. Unlike Amazon’s Jeff Bezos or Tesla’s Elon Musk, McMillon isn’t a household name. But he played a key role in the U.S. economy. Walmart’s performance is a barometer of consumer spending given its size. The company maintains that more than 150 million customers shop on its website or in its stores every week.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
London Judge Finds Global Mining Company BHP Group Liable in Brazil’s Worst Environmental Disaster
LONDON (AP) — A London judge has ruled that BHP Group is liable for Brazil’s worst environmental disaster. The disaster occurred when a dam collapsed 10 years ago and released toxic waste into a major river. The collapse killed 19 people and devastated villages downstream. High Court Justice Finola O’Farrell said Friday that BHP was responsible even though it didn’t own the dam at the time. BHP owns 50% of Samarco which is the company that was operating the mine where the dam ruptured. Around 600,000 Brazilians are seeking compensation. But the ruling only addressed liability. Damages will be determined in a second trial phase.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
USDA Data Casts Doubt on China’s Soybean Purchase Promises Touted by Trump
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — New data the Agriculture Department released Friday created serious doubts about whether China will really buy millions of bushels of American soybeans like the Trump administration touted last month. The USDA report released after the government reopened showed only two Chinese purchases of American soybeans since the summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. The 332,000 metric tons fell well short of the 12 million metric tons that Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said China agreed to purchase by January and nowhere near the 25 million metric tons she said they would buy in each of the next three years.
(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)