Rome has opened two subway stations.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual list of the biggest charitable donations from individuals or their foundations totals $5 billion in 2025.

Sales at U.S. retailers and restaurants were unchanged in October from September as consumers moderated their spending amid worries about higher prices and other economic uncertainties after splurging over the summer.

European Union envoys are fine-tuning a plan to use frozen Russian assets as collateral for a massive loan to support Ukraine over the next two years.

China says it will begin imposing anti-dumping duties of up to 19.8% on imports of pork products from the European Union, after a review that could have resulted in tariffs of up to 62.4%.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says peace proposals for U.S. officials to present to Russia could be finalized within days.

The U.S. stock market is drifting following mixed data on the economy’s strength.

A trade association says new U.S. tariffs increased artificial Christmas tree prices by 10% to 15% this year as tree companies reduced their orders and raised prices to cover the higher import taxes.

The United States gained a decent 64,000 jobs in November but lost 105,000 in October as federal workers departed after cutbacks by the Trump administration, the government said in delayed reports.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to four top retail stores for failing to promptly pull contaminated infant formula tied to a dangerous outbreak from their shelves.

Ford Motor Co. is pivoting away from its once-ambitious electric vehicle plans amid financial losses and waning consumer demand for the vehicles.

In a story published Dec. 15, 2025, about aviation safety, The Associated Press erroneously reported that Sen. Ted Cruz was threatening another federal government shutdown if new restrictions on military flights are not approved by the end of January.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit accusing UPS of stealing tens of millions of dollars in pay from seasonal workers who help deliver packages during the busy holiday season.

The Colombian government’s delegation in peace talks with the National Liberation Army or ELN has rejected an “armed strike” that the Marxist rebel group is conducting this week in response to the U.S. military’s naval buildup in the Caribbean.

U.S. health officials have expanded approval of a drug that boosts libido in women who report stress due to a low sex drive.

Tom Freston could tell endless stories about the formative days of MTV and late nights with rock stars.

An Austrian appeals court has rejected a request to extradite Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash to the United States.

France is creating a last-minute hurdle for a major trade deal between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc.

Spain's government has fined Airbnb 64 million euros or $75 million for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals.

Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but says that it doesn’t expect any disruptions to devices as the more than 30-year-old company is taken private under a restructuring process.

Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime has charged a government minister and three others with abuse of position and falsifying of documents related to a luxury real estate project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Iran’s rial currency has hit a new record low of over 1.3 million to the U.S. dollar, deepening its collapse amid sanctions and regional tensions.

Workers at the Louvre Museum have voted to strike over working conditions and other complaints.

Wall Street drifted through a quiet day of trading, ahead of economic reports this week that could drive where interest rates go.

Many U.S. consumers say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for holiday gifts in recent months, according to a a December poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

A leading candidate to be President Donald Trump’s choice for Federal Reserve chair says he would present the president’s views to Fed officials for their consideration but they could reject them if they chose when making decisions on interest rates.

“Zootopia 2” has regained the No. 1 spot at the box office with $26.3 million in its third weekend of release.

Chinese demand for foreign luxury cars is waning as customers opt for more affordable Chinese brand models.

The warm scents of gingerbread and pine are holiday favorites, but experts warn they can affect indoor air quality.

A Los Angeles jury has awarded $40 million to two women who claim Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder caused their ovarian cancer.

A French supermarket's Christmas advert has captured hearts worldwide without using generative AI.

Americans are feeling the strain already with less than three weeks to go until the expiration of COVID-era tax credits that have helped many people pay for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to spend money on gifts, parties, and travel this holiday season, you're not alone.

Belarusian authorities have released Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and key opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova from prison.

Iran has introduced a new pricing tier for its subsidized gasoline, marking the first price adjustment since 2019.

The federal government’s crackdown on commercial driver’s licenses for immigrants has now found problems in eight states in the wake of several deadly crashes.

The Transportation Security Administration is renewing efforts to end a collective bargaining agreement with airport screening officers.

The commercial boom in artificial intelligence has sparked interest in humanoid robots.

The Treasury Department is targeting businesses used to send money abroad as President Donald Trump's administration ramps up investigations into fraud within Minnesota's Somali community.

The federal government continues to find states improperly issuing commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants that remain valid after their authorization to be in the country expires, putting millions of dollars of funding at risk.

The Atlantic hurricane season may be over.

The holiday season means time with family and new memories, but it can also mean lots of spending — sometimes too much.

Russia’s Central Bank says it has filed a lawsuit against Belgian financial institution Euroclear.

A new AP-NORC poll finds this holiday season isn’t quite so merry for American shoppers as large shares of them are dipping into savings, scouring for bargains and feeling like the overall economy is stuck in a rut under President Donald Trump.

An official says Germany has summoned the Russian ambassador following accusations of sabotage, cyberattacks and election interference.

Ford Motor Co. has stepped up technology in its popular F-150 pickup to combat ever-evolving techniques car thieves have at their disposal.

The European Union has indefinitely frozen Russia’s assets in Europe to ensure that Hungary and Slovakia, both with Moscow-friendly governments, can’t prevent the billions of euros from being used to support Ukraine.

More drops for superstar AI stocks knocked Wall Street off its record heights.

International Criminal Court judges and prosecutors are trying to live and work under the same financial and travel restrictions brought against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Osama bin Laden.

The first two episodes of Taylor Swift's six-episode docuseries “The End of an Era” will premiere on Disney+ Friday.

Global online forum Reddit has filed a court challenge to Australia’s world-first law that bans Australian children younger than 16 from holding accounts on the world’s most popular social media platforms.

A federal appeals court on Thursday backed a ruling that held Apple in civil contempt for brazenly defying an order designed to open its iPhone app store to other payment systems besides its own, but the decision also reopened a door for the company to collect commission from the rival options.

China will soon start collecting a value-added tax on contraceptive drugs and products for the first time in over 30 years.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to block states from regulating artificial intelligence.

A Democratic Senator says the head of the Federal Aviation Administration has not sold off his multimillion-dollar stake in the airline he led since 1999 despite a promise to do so as part of his ethics agreement.

A new lawsuit seeks to overturn the recent approval of an exploratory drilling program in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

A Hollywood director has been convicted on charges that he scammed Netflix out of $11 million for a show that never materialized, while he instead used the cash for lavish purchases that included several Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari and about $1 million in mattresses and luxury bedding.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued new guidance stating airlines don't have to cover passenger expenses like meals or lodging when a flight is canceled or significantly delayed by an aircraft recall.

The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is facing a court hearing to determine whether he’s competent to stand trial for alleged sex trafficking after being hospitalized for dementia and Alzheimer’s symptoms.

The U.S. has imposed sanctions on three nephews of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is proposing changes to the Financial Stability Oversight Council.

Senators from both parties are pushing to change a defense bill after crash investigators and victims' families warned it could undo key safety reforms.

The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage edged higher this week, though it remains relatively near its low point so far this year.

Disney is investing $1 billion in OpenAI to bring characters like Mickey Mouse and Luke Skywalker to the AI company's Sora video tool.

A rare magnum of Dom Pérignon Vintage 1961 champagne that was specially produced for the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana has failed to sell during an auction.

Chase Sui Wonders always thought she was “kind of funny,” but it was officially confirmed after booking “The Studio” after just one audition.

Navigating holiday parties can be tough for introverts and people who are shy or have social anxiety.

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits jumped last week, but remain in the same historically healthy range of the past few years despite growing concern over the health of the labor market.

Bulgaria’s government has resigned as mass protests gripped the country just weeks before it’s due to join the eurozone.

The heirs of an 83-year-old Connecticut woman are suing ChatGPT maker OpenAI and its business partner Microsoft for wrongful death.

A strike called by Portugal’s two main trade union confederations has caused severe travel disruption and forced the cancellation of many medical appointments and school classes.

Wall Street set records, even as a sell-off for Oracle and worries about a potential bubble in artificial-intelligence technology weighed on the market.

Onetime cryptocurrency mogul Do Kwon has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after a $40 billion crash revealed his crypto ecosystem to be a fraud.

American farmers are feeling the strain from trade disputes under President Donald Trump, particularly with China.

Coca-Cola said Wednesday that its chief operating officer will become its next CEO in the first quarter of 2026.

Federal prison officials say the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is fit to stand trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

Sweeping taxes on imports have cost the average American household nearly $1,200 since Donald Trump returned to the White House this year, according to calculations by Democrats on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee.

President Donald Trump has announced the long-awaited launch of a "gold card" program offering legal status and a pathway to U.S. citizenship.

The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point Wednesday for the third time since September, bringing its key rate to about 3.6%, the lowest in nearly three years.

The New York Times and President Donald Trump are fighting again.

Travelers who are now able to come to the United States without a visa might soon need to provide social media, email, and family history details to the Department of Homeland Security.

Oil companies have offered $300 million for drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico in the first offshore lease sale for the region since 2023.

The billionaire and author MacKenzie Scott revealed $7.1 billion in donations to nonprofits Tuesday, bringing her overall giving since 2019 to $26.3 billion.

Waymo's self-driving taxis have been in the spotlight for both negative and positive reasons.

USA Today's editor in chief, Caren Bohan, is out of the job she's held for a little more than a year.

Mega billionaire Elon Musk said his efforts leading the Department of Government Efficiency were only “somewhat successful” and he would not do it over again.

CBS says Tony Dokoupil will take over at the beginning of next year as anchor of its flagship “CBS Evening News” broadcast.

Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 says it has taken control of the strategic city of Uvira in eastern Congo.

If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, the remaining weeks of December could be a great time to buy.

Paramount Skydance says that the Chinese gaming and social media giant Tencent Holdings withdrew from its bid to buy Warner Bros Discovery to avert a national security review.

President Donald Trump’s push for the largest mass deportation in history has had an outsized impact on the child care field, which is heavily reliant on immigrants and already strained by a worker shortage.

Southeast Asia is embracing the embattled offshore wind industry as it reels from U.S. President Donald Trump’s rejection of renewable energy.

The U.S. stock market neared its all-time high after the Federal Reserve cut its main interest rate to bolster the job market, and hopes strengthened for more cuts to come in 2026.

The Federal Reserve reduced its key interest rate for the third time in a row Wednesday but signaled that it may leave rates unchanged in the coming months.

A to-do list and travel plans found during Luigi Mangione’s arrest and revealed in court this week shed new light on the steps he may have taken — or planned to take — to avoid capture after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killing last year.

Cracker Barrel posted lower-than-expected sales in its fiscal first quarter and lowered its revenue forecast for the year as it continued to feel the fallout from a botched plan to revamp its logo and restaurants.

The Environmental Protection Agency has removed references to fossil fuels from its online page about climate change causes.

Rejoice, New Year’s dieters: Oreos are getting a sugar-free option.

The author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott revealed $7.1 billion in donations to nonprofits in 2025 Tuesday, marking a significant increase in her annual giving from recent years.

OpenAI has appointed Slack CEO Denise Dresser as its first chief of revenue.