Month: December 2025

By JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press PARIS (AP) — France’s first lady has defended her use of a sexist slur to denounce feminist protesters, saying the comments were “clumsy” but made in private when “I didn’t see that someone behind me was filming.” Speaking to online media outlet Brut, Brigitte Macron acknowledged in a video interview

By LORNE COOK Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union envoys worked on Tuesday to narrow gaps on a plan to use billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets as collateral for a massive loan to cover Ukraine’s economic and military needs over the next two years, ahead of a crunch summit of EU leaders

By ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says proposals being negotiated with U.S. officials for a deal to end the fighting in Russia’s nearly 4-year-old invasion of his country could be finalized within days, after which American envoys will present them to the Kremlin before possible further meetings in

By MOLLY QUELL Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and 34 other countries formally approved plans Tuesday to create a compensation body to pay for damages to Ukraine caused by the Russian invasion, but questions remain about where the money will come from. Zelenskyy told leaders gathered in the Dutch

By KRISTEN GELINEAU Associated Press SYDNEY (AP) — Before the bloodshed and broken hearts, there was a little girl with a gentle soul, a loving grandmother who delivered meals to the needy and a young man dubbed a “golden person” for his kindness. And there was an 87-year-old grandfather who sought solace in Australia after

By LORNE COOK Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — Over the course of 2025, a new reality has sunk in for Europe. The United States, long its strongest ally, has chipped away at the European Union’s unity, economies, security and even its democracies, setting the backdrop for an EU summit this week at the end of