Russell Brand is sentenced to 10 1/2 years in British prison for rape and sexual assault
LONDON (AP) — Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. The assaults occurred during a time when his comedy career was taking off. A jury found him guilty of attacking four of six accusers, with allegations dating back to 2004. Prosecutors said Brand abused his fame to access women. Brand maintained his innocence, claiming all encounters were consensual. His accusers spoke about the lasting impact of his actions. Brand, known for his outrageous routines and battles with addiction, has recently focused on online content and religious discussions.
Trump says FBI is looking at Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's affair with alleged Chinese agent
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says the FBI is investigating Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s affair with an alleged Chinese government agent. But Trump says he doesn’t think the executive who has helped to develop artificial intelligence has a reason to worry. “I know the FBI is looking into it in terms of something else, and I think that he’ll be in good shape,” Trump said Monday at a White House briefing. The president called Huang a “very honorable man.” He said Huang told him “he had absolutely no idea that the person in question was a spy,” Trump said.
Hegseth is set for his first Pentagon news briefing since May as he faces possible impeachment
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to give his first news conference from the Pentagon in six months. It comes a day after a Republican lawmaker launched an effort to impeach him over his handling of the unpopular war against Iran and other actions. Tuesday's briefing will be Hegseth's first since May even as the U.S. military has kept up intermittent operations against the Islamic Republic. The impeachment resolution was filed by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who lost his primary to a Trump-backed opponent. A vote in the House could come by mid-week, but next steps are highly uncertain.
US-brokered talks are set to start in Abu Dhabi to discuss Ukraine-Russia peace deal
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Three-way talks between Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. are set to start in the United Arab Emirates, renewing a push for peace after several rounds of negotiations earlier this year. The two-day talks in Abu Dhabi mark the first such encounter since February and will focus on security guarantees. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner said on X that he and another Washington envoy, Steve Witkoff, were working on a solution that "can deliver lasting peace and create the conditions for a sovereign, secure, and prosperous Ukraine within a more stable European security environment.” Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on key elements of a prospective peace deal.
Past talks involving Russia and Ukraine have yielded little progress toward peace
Negotiators from Moscow, Kyiv and Washington are scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday and Wednesday for talks aimed at trying to end Russia's 4 1/2-year-old full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since Russian President Vladimir Putin poured troops into Ukraine in February 2022, talks have been held in various countries to seek an end to Europe’s most devastating conflict since World War II. President Donald Trump also has met separately with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Little progress has emerged from the series of negotiations.
Here are some of the House seats that Democrats didn't expect to win this year
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, who led the National Republican Congressional Committee, lost his seat this year. Republicans struggled in the state after pulling support from their U.S. Senate candidate, Michael Whatley. Hudson lost to Richard Ojeda, a former Army major and liberal social media figure. Ojeda is one of several Democrats who pulled off upset victories as the party retook control of Congress. Other wins took place in Colorado, Texas, Nevada, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana and New Jersey.
Democrats have gained control in more states. That could change the way the US elects its president
WASHINGTON (AP) — Last week's big Democratic wins could change the way the U.S. elects its president. That's because Democrats picked up unified control of six more states. Eighteen states run by Democrats have already joined an interstate compact to award their Electoral College votes to whichever presidential candidate wins the national popular vote. Just a few more states would push that number above the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. There will likely be legal challenges that could only be settled by the Supreme Court, and it's unclear whether the governors in all the states newly under Democratic control are on board with the compact.
Exclusive: AP joins EU naval patrol as piracy rebounds amid regional conflicts
AT SEA IN THE GULF OF ADEN (AP) — Piracy is rising in the Gulf of Aden, threatening vital shipping lanes. Spanish special forces are conducting exercises to combat this threat. The European Union's Operation Atalanta leads maritime security efforts in the region. Vice Adm. Ignacio Villanueva says instability in nearby areas like Yemen and Iran fuels piracy. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is crucial for global trade, with 12% of the world's trade passing through. Since November 2023, there have been 79 pirate attacks. Pirates exploit regional turmoil, capturing vessels and demanding ransoms. Shipping companies are increasing security and rerouting vessels to avoid capture.
China's trade surplus surpasses $1 trillion for a 2nd straight year, as exports surge 35%
HONG KONG (AP) — China says its trade surplus exceeded $1 trillion for a 2nd straight year. Customs figures released Tuesday showed exports in October surged 35% from a year earlier, driven by strong demand for high-tech goods like computer chips and autos. Imports also rose year-on-year. Between January and October, China logged a $1.04 trillion trade surplus. For the month of October, the trade surplus was $105.3 billion, narrowing from $133.5 billion in September. Experts say Chinese exports are expected to remain strong, but growth may slow next year. Strong exports have helped to offset weak consumer demand in China’s own huge market, but they have led some countries to raise tariffs or impose other protective measures.
Brazil to present plan for moving economies toward renewable energies at UN climate talks
ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) — Brazil will launch a road map to help countries transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies. This initiative, unveiled during the COP31 climate talks in Turkey, aims to guide nations in shifting from coal, oil and gas to wind and solar power. The road map is differentiated so nations can transition based on their unique needs. Two of the levers being suggested are ending fossil fuel subsidies and stopping new fossil fuel plants and infrastructure. The world agreed at last year's climate talks to transition away from fossil fuels but didn't say how. Brazil's road map aims to provide that guidance.
