Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah start a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fighting
JERUSALEM (AP) — The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants has begun as a region on edge wonders whether it will hold. The ceasefire that began early Wednesday is a major step toward ending nearly 14 months of fighting sparked by the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Israel has said it will attack if Hezbollah breaks the ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire calls for an initial two-month halt to fighting and requires Hezbollah to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops are to return to their side of the border. There were no immediate reports of alleged violations of the truce, and there were signs of celebration in Beirut.
Middle East latest: Displaced people return to south Lebanon as ceasefire appears to hold
Long-displaced residents of south Lebanon started returning to their homes amid celebrations hours after a ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group took effect early Wednesday morning. The ceasefire has brought relief across the tiny Mediterranean nation, coming after days of some of the most intense airstrikes and clashes since the war began, though many wondered if the agreement to stop fighting would hold. Israel has said it will attack if Hezbollah breaks the ceasefire agreement, which was announced Tuesday. The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire marks the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but it does not address the devastating war in Gaza.
What both sides are saying about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah
A ceasefire deal that could end more than a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group won backing from Israeli leaders. The truce that is set to take effect early Wednesday raised hopes and renewed difficult questions in a region gripped by conflict. Hezbollah leaders also signaled tentative backing for the U.S.-brokered deal, which offers both sides an off-ramp from hostilities But the deal does little directly to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since Hamas militants attacked southern Israel last October.
Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crime
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is threatening tariffs on Mexico and Canada as he seeks to portray them as responsible for illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Over its tenure, the Biden administration has struggled with growing numbers of migrants arriving at the southern border. But this year, the number of people crossing the border without documents has actually been falling. That’s due in part to stricter enforcement by Mexican authorities as well as asylum restrictions announced earlier this year by the Biden administration. When it comes to fentanyl smuggling, much of the deadly supply comes from Mexico though statistics show more than 86% of those sentenced for fentanyl trafficking crimes in the 12 months ending September 2023 were U.S. citizens.
Pakistani authorities start clearing Imran Khan supporters from the capital after deadly clashes
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani security forces are clearing the capital of Imran Khan supporters who gathered in their thousands to demand his release from prison. The operation comes hours after people breached a city-wide lockdown and entered a high-security zone in Islamabad. Tuesday night’s development follows days of clashes between Khan supporters and the government. Six people have died in the violence. Authorities say the wife of Khan Bushra Bibi, who was leading the rally, has fled the protest site. Khan has been in jail for over a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases that his party says are politically motivated.
How Trump’s bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes
WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith move to abandon two federal cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats Trump was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump’s political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry.
Trump promised mass deportations. Educators worry fear will keep immigrants’ kids from school
Regardless of whether President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his pledge to deport millions of immigrants, educators around the U.S. are bracing for upheaval. Even if he only talks about it, educators and legal observers say children of immigrants may avoid school out of fear. Since 2011, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has operated under a policy that immigration agents should not arrest or conduct other enforcement actions near “sensitive locations” including schools, hospitals and places of worship. Some schools are training staff not to allow immigration agents inside in case schools are no longer off-limits.
Long-sought court ruling restores Oregon tribe’s hunting and fishing rights
LINCOLN CITY, Ore. (AP) — The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in Oregon have just celebrated newly lifted restrictions on their rights to hunt, fish and gather. The celebration came as the tribe marked 47 years of regaining federal recognition. The tribe was among the dozens that lost federal recognition in the 1950s and ‘60s under a policy of assimilation known as “termination.” Congress voted to re-recognize the tribe in 1977. But to have their land restored, the tribe had to agree to a federal court order that limited their hunting, fishing and gathering rights. A new court order issued late last month has now lifted those restrictions.
Australia’s House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social media
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s House of Representatives has passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years from social media. That leaves it to the Senate to take the next step in finalizing the world-first law. The major parties on Wednesday backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to $33 million for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced.
SEC losses are big gains for SMU and Indiana in latest College Football Playoff rankings
The Southeastern Conference’s losses were almost everyone else’s gain in the College Football Playoff rankings, with SMU nudging its way into the top 12 and Indiana staying in the mix at No. 10 despite a lopsided loss of its own. The latest 12-team bracket placed undefeated Oregon on top for the fourth straight week. It did not include Alabama or Mississippi of the SEC, both of which suffered their third losses of the season last week. That helped place SMU in the ninth spot, joining No. 6 Miami to give the Atlantic Coast Conference two teams in the 12-team bracket.