Russia Considers $232B Lawsuit Against Euroclear Over Seized Assets

MOSCOW (AP) – A court in Moscow on Friday began considering a lawsuit filed by the central bank against Euroclear, the Brussels-based clearing house that holds the bulk of Russian assets frozen by the European Union. The lawsuit seeks to recover 18.2 trillion rubles ($232 billion) in damages when Russia was barred from managing its Euroclear funds and securities.

South Korea Sentences Yoon to 5 Years in Prison Over Martial Law Decree

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison Friday in the first verdict from eight criminal trials over the martial law debacle that forced him out of office and other allegations.

Trump isn't waiting for future generations to name things after him

WASHINGTON (AP) – Most American presidents aspire to the kind of greatness that prompts future generations to name important things in their honor. Donald Trump isn’t leaving it to future generations. His administration and allies have put his name on the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Kennedy Center performing arts venue and a new class of battleships that’s yet to be built.

Are Trump's supporters getting what they want from his second term?

NEW YORK (AP) – Nearly a year into his second term, President Donald Trump’s work on the economy hasn’t lived up to the expectations of many people in his own party, according to a new AP-NORC survey.

Mummified cheetahs found in Saudi caves shed light on lost populations

NEW YORK (AP) – Scientists have uncovered the mummified remains of cheetahs from caves in northern Saudi Arabia. The remains range from 130 years old to over 1,800 years old. Researchers excavated seven mummies along with the bones of 54 other cheetahs from a site near the city of Arar.

Julio Iglesias calls sexual abuse allegations against him 'absolutely untrue'

MADRID (AP) – Grammy-winning singer Julio Iglesias on Friday denied allegations that he sexually assaulted two former employees, calling the accusations “absolutely untrue.” Media reports from earlier this week alleged Iglesias had sexually and physically assaulted two women who worked at his residences in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas between January and October 2021.

The Trump Justice Department: 'A great deal of fear'

WASHINGTON (AP) – Michael Ben’Ary was driving one of his children to soccer practice on an October evening last year when he paused at a red light to check his work phone. He was in the middle of a counterterrorism prosecution so important that President Donald Trump highlighted it in his State of the Union address.

Kurdish separatist group mounted 'armed operations' in Iran to defend protesters

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) – An Iranian Kurdish separatist group in Iraq said it has launched attacks on Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in recent days in retaliation for Tehran’s violent crackdown on protests. Members of the National Army of Kurdistan have “played a role in the protests through both financial support and armed operations to defend protesters when needed”.

Thailand's deadly construction accidents are sparking outrage and scrutiny

BANGKOK (AP) – Thailand’s construction industry is under intense scrutiny following a series of high-profile deadly accidents. These include a crane falling onto a moving passenger train this past week and the collapse of an office tower a year ago that killed nearly 100 workers.