Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday hailed the annexation of Ukrainian territories as a major achievement and said his country’s nuclear weapons serve as a tool of deterrence in the war that the Kremlin calls a “special military operation.” Speaking with members of the presidential Human Rights Council, Putin described...
Germany: 25 Arrested on Suspicion of Planning Armed Coup
Thousands of police officers carried out raids across much of Germany on Wednesday against suspected far-right extremists who allegedly sought to overthrow the government in an armed coup. Officials said 25 people were detained. Federal prosecutors said some 3,000 officers conducted searches at 130 sites in 11 of Germany's 16...
FBI: Polygamous Leader Had 20 Wives, Many of Them Minors
The leader of a small polygamous group near the Arizona-Utah border had taken at least 20 wives, most of them minors, and punished followers who did not treat him as a prophet, newly filed federal court documents allege. Samuel Bateman was a former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus...
US Jews Fear Collision With Expected Israeli Government
Israel’s ties to the Jewish American community, one of its closest and most important allies, are about to be put to the test, with Israel’s emerging far-right government on a collision course with Jews in the United States. Major Jewish American organizations, traditionally a bedrock of support for Israel, have...
Judge’s Verdict: He’ll Stick With Yankees for $360 Million
Aaron Judge has issued his ruling: Court remains in session in the Bronx. The former Fresno State standout is staying with the New York Yankees on a $360 million, nine-year contract, according to a person familiar with baseball's biggest free agent deal ever. The person spoke to The Associated Press...
Democratic Sen. Warnock Wins Georgia Runoff Against Walker
Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Georgia runoff election Tuesday, ensuring Democrats an outright majority in the Senate for the rest of President Joe Biden’s term and helping cap an underwhelming midterm cycle for the GOP in the last major vote of the year. With Warnock’s second...
Trump Organization Convicted in Executive Tax Dodge Scheme
Donald Trump’s company was convicted of tax fraud Tuesday for helping executives dodge taxes on lavish perks such as Manhattan apartments and luxury cars, in a significant repudiation of financial practices at the former president’s business. A jury found two corporate entities at the Trump Organization guilty on all 17...
Warnock or Walker? Georgia Voters Settle Last Senate Seat
Georgia voters on Tuesday are deciding the country's final Senate contest, choosing between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican football legend Herschel Walker after a four-week runoff blitz that has drawn a flood of outside spending to an increasingly personal fight. This year's runoff has lower stakes than the two in...
Indonesia’s Parliament Votes to Ban Sex Outside of Marriage
Indonesia’s Parliament unanimously passed a long-awaited revision of the country's penal code on Tuesday that criminalizes sex outside of marriage for citizens as well as foreigners, prohibits promotion of contraception and bans defamation of the president and state institutions. The amended code also expands an existing blasphemy law and maintains...
Ukraine Leader Defiant as Drone Strikes Hit Russia Again
Drones struck inside Russia’s border with Ukraine Tuesday in the second day of attacks exposing the vulnerability of some of Moscow’s most important military sites, observers said. Ukrainian officials did not formally confirm carrying out drone strikes inside Russia, and they have maintained ambiguity over previous high-profile attacks. But Ukrainian...