World

Human heads found hanging on a beach in southwestern Ecuador

Associated Press, The Associated Press 2 minute read 4:55 PM CST

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Five human heads were found hanging from ropes on a beach in southwestern Ecuador, police said on Sunday, as the country reels from a wave of violence related to drug trafficking.

Images published by Ecuadorian media outlets showed the bloody scene. Next to the heads was a warning sign directed at alleged extortionists of fishermen in the small fishing port of Puerto Lopez. The ropes were fixed to wooden poles on the beach.

A police report attributed the incident to a conflict between criminal groups.

Drug-trafficking networks with links to transnational cartels are active in the area and have used fishermen and their small boats for their illicit activities, according to authorities.

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With Cuban ally Maduro ousted, Trump warns Havana to make a ‘deal’ before it’s too late

Seung Min Kim, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

With Cuban ally Maduro ousted, Trump warns Havana to make a ‘deal’ before it’s too late

Seung Min Kim, The Associated Press 3 minute read Updated: 11:17 AM CST

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday fired off another warning to the government of Cuba as the close ally of Venezuela braces for potential widespread unrest after Nicolás Maduro was deposed as Venezuela's leader.

Cuba, a major beneficiary of Venezuelan oil, has now been cut off from those shipments as U.S. forces continue to seize tankers in an effort to control the production, refining and global distribution of the country's oil products.

Trump said on social media that Cuba long lived off Venezuelan oil and money and had offered security in return, “BUT NOT ANYMORE!”

“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO!” Trump said in the post as he spent the weekend at his home in southern Florida. “I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.” He did not explain what kind of deal.

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Updated: 11:17 AM CST

President Donald Trump attends a meeting with oil executives in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Guard at Winter Olympic construction site dies in nighttime subfreezing temperatures

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Guard at Winter Olympic construction site dies in nighttime subfreezing temperatures

The Associated Press 2 minute read Updated: 12:34 PM CST

MILAN (AP) — A guard at a construction site near a 2026 Winter Olympic venue in the mountain resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo died during a frigid overnight shift, authorities confirmed on Saturday.

Italy’s Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini called for a full investigation into the circumstances of the 55-year-old worker’s death.

Italian media reported that the death occurred on Thursday while the worker was on duty at a construction site near Cortina’s ice arena. Temperatures that night plunged to minus 12 degrees Celsius (10.4 degrees Fahrenheit.)

Milan Cortina organizers said that the worker died of a heart attack.

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Updated: 12:34 PM CST

FILE - People take photos in front of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics rings, in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)

Iranian protests are growing. Israel is watching closely

Melanie Lidman, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Iranian protests are growing. Israel is watching closely

Melanie Lidman, The Associated Press 5 minute read Updated: 9:35 AM CST

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel is “closely monitoring” the fallout from widespread Iranian protests, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to attack Iran could escalate the protests within the borders of the Islamic Republic into a regional war.

“The people of Israel, the entire world, are in awe of the tremendous heroism of the citizens of Iran,” Netanyahu said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting. He condemned the killing of civilians and said he hoped to rebuild relations between Israel and Iran once the country was “freed from the yoke of tyranny.”

Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke overnight Saturday about a number of issues, including Iran, according to an Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

But Israel’s military said there are no new guidelines for civilians to stay close to bomb shelters due to concerns about an attack of Iranian missiles, as there have been in the past when there were concrete threats.

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Updated: 9:35 AM CST

FILE - Iranian protestors burn representations of the Israeli and U.S. flags during a protest to condemn Israeli attacks on multiple cities across Iran, after the Friday prayers ceremony in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi), File)

Husband charged in double homicide after having affair with au pair is going on trial in Virginia

Olivia Diaz, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Husband charged in double homicide after having affair with au pair is going on trial in Virginia

Olivia Diaz, The Associated Press 4 minute read 7:19 AM CST

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A Virginia man who had a relationship with a Brazilian au pair is going to trial Monday in what prosecutors say was an elaborate double-murder scheme to frame another man in the stabbing of his wife.

Brendan Banfield is charged with aggravated murder in the February 2023 killings of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan at the Banfields' home in northern Virginia. He has pleaded not guilty in the case.

Banfield and Juliana Peres Magalhães, the family’s au pair, were with the wife and Ryan on the morning the victims were killed in the primary bedroom of the Banfield home, court records say. Authorities have said on that day, Banfield and Magalhães told officials they saw Ryan, a stranger, stabbing the wife after he entered the house. Then they each shot the intruder, Banfield and Magalhães said at the time.

Prosecutors have painted a different picture, arguing that Brendan Banfield and Magalhães lured Ryan to the house and staged it to look like he and the au pair shot a predator in defense. Officials have said Banfield and Magalhães had a romantic affair beginning the year before the killings.

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7:19 AM CST

FILE - This image provided by the Fairfax County Police Department and taken on Oct. 13, 2023, was submitted as evidence in the murder case against Brendan Banfield shows a framed photo of Banfield and Juliana Peres Magalhães on his bedside table in Herndon, Va. (Fairfax County Police Department via AP, File)

Celebrities wear pins protesting ICE on the Golden Globes red carpet

James Pollard And Sarah Raza, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Celebrities wear pins protesting ICE on the Golden Globes red carpet

James Pollard And Sarah Raza, The Associated Press 4 minute read 5:29 PM CST

Some celebrities donned anti-ICE pins at the Golden Globes on Sunday in tribute to Renee Good, who was shot and killed in her car by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer this week in Minneapolis.

The black-and-white pins displayed slogans like “BE GOOD” and “ICE OUT,” introducing a political angle into the awards show after last year’s relatively apolitical ceremony.

Mark Ruffalo wore one such pin on the red carpet, and other celebrities were expected to have them on display as well.

Since the shooting Wednesday, protests have broken out across the country, calling for accountability for Good's death as well as a separate shooting in Portland where Border Patrol agents wounded two people. Some protests have resulted in clashes with law enforcement, especially in Minneapolis, where ICE is carrying out its largest immigration enforcement operation to date.

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5:29 PM CST

A South Carolina police officer is shot and wounded and a suspect is killed

The Associated Press 2 minute read 4:53 PM CST

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina police officer was shot and wounded while sitting in his patrol car Sunday in what one official called an “ambush-style attack,” and local sheriff's deputies later shot and killed a suspect in a shootout, authorities said.

The Greenville police officer was repeatedly shot early Sunday, the city of Greenville said in a statement. The officer was treated at a hospital and was released, the city said.

Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis described the shooting as an “ambush-style attack” in a video from the scene posted on Facebook. Lewis said that authorities identified a suspect and pursued his vehicle, leading to “an exchange of gunfire.”

The suspect received “at least one fatal gunshot wound,” the Greenville County Coroner's Office said in a statement. It identified the person as David William Lane, 42, of Greenville.

Germany sharply rejects RFK Jr.’s claims that it prosecutes doctors for vaccine exemptions

Kirsten Grieshaber, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Germany sharply rejects RFK Jr.’s claims that it prosecutes doctors for vaccine exemptions

Kirsten Grieshaber, The Associated Press 3 minute read Updated: 6:17 AM CST

BERLIN (AP) — The German government has sharply rejected accusations by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claiming that it has been sidelining patient autonomy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The statements made by the US Secretary of Health are completely unfounded, factually incorrect, and must be rejected,” German Health Minister Nina Warken said in a statement late Saturday.

Kennedy said in a video post earlier on Saturday that he had sent the German minister a letter based on reports coming out of Germany that the government was “limiting people’s abilities to act on their own convictions when they face medical decisions.”

The American health secretary said that “I've learned that more than a thousand German physicians and thousands of their patients now face prosecution and punishment for issuing exemptions from wearing masks or getting COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic."

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Updated: 6:17 AM CST

FILE - Robert Kennedy Jr., center, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department, walks between meetings with senators on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

The Golden Globes are tonight. Here’s what to look for and how to watch and stream the show

Jake Coyle, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

The Golden Globes are tonight. Here’s what to look for and how to watch and stream the show

Jake Coyle, The Associated Press 6 minute read Updated: 4:34 PM CST

The Golden Globes bill themselves as Hollywood’s booziest bash. This year, is anyone ready to party?

Political tension and industrywide uncertainty are the prevailing moods heading into Sunday night's 83rd Golden Globe Awards. Hollywood is coming off a disappointing box-office year and now anxiously awaits the fate of one of its most storied studios, Warner Bros.

A celebratory mood might be even more elusive given that the wide majority of the performers and filmmakers congregating at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, oppose the policies of President Donald Trump. Likely to be on the minds of many attendees: the recent U.S. involvement in Venezuela and the fatal shooting of 37-year-old mother Renee Good in Minneapolis by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

But through their ups and downs, the Globes have always tried to put pomp over politics. Host Nikki Glaser has vowed as much.

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Updated: 4:34 PM CST

Nikki Glaser rolls out the red carpet during the 83rd Golden Globes press preview on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

A Minneapolis church holds a service of ‘Lament and Hope’ amid fears over immigration crackdown

Rebecca Santana, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

A Minneapolis church holds a service of ‘Lament and Hope’ amid fears over immigration crackdown

Rebecca Santana, The Associated Press 5 minute read Updated: 6:00 PM CST

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minneapolis church opened its doors for a special Sunday service — called a service of ‘Lament and Hope’ — in recognition of the tumultuous week in a city on edge after the fatal shooting of a woman by an immigration officer.

“Thank you for being here this morning. Gathering is such a critical, critical thing to do, especially in these times. It’s been a difficult week," the Rev. Hierald Osorto, pastor at St. Paul's-San Pablo Lutheran Church, told a crowd seated on wooden benches.

The service comes as Minneapolis has the spotlight as the latest flashpoint in President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. The Department of Homeland Security has sent roughly 2,000 agents and officers to the region in a show of force, sparking fear in the city's immigrant communities and strong opposition among activists who are pushing back loudly against enforcement.

The church, which actively ministers to a largely immigrant congregation, is located in a neighborhood that has seen heavy immigration enforcement activities since Homeland Security targeted the city. It's also just 1 1/2 miles (2.4 kilometers) from the block where Renee Good was shot Wednesday by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, sending tensions even higher.

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Updated: 6:00 PM CST

Rev. Hierald Osorto speaks to congregants after services at the St. Paul's-San Pablo Lutheran Church, in Minneapolis, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Santana)

Buddhist monks and their dog captivate Americans while walking for peace

Deepa Bharath, The Associated Press 7 minute read Preview

Buddhist monks and their dog captivate Americans while walking for peace

Deepa Bharath, The Associated Press 7 minute read 7:57 AM CST

A group of Buddhist monks and their rescue dog are striding single file down country roads and highways across the South, captivating Americans nationwide and inspiring droves of locals to greet them along their route.

In their flowing saffron and ocher robes, the men are walking for peace. It's a meditative tradition more common in South Asian countries, and it's resonating now in the U.S., seemingly as a welcome respite from the conflict, trauma and politics dividing the nation.

Their journey began Oct. 26, 2025, at a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Texas, and is scheduled to end in mid-February in Washington, D.C., where they will ask Congress to recognize Buddha’s day of birth and enlightenment as a federal holiday. Beyond promoting peace, their highest priority is connecting with people along the way.

“My hope is, when this walk ends, the people we met will continue practicing mindfulness and find peace,” said the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, the group’s soft-spoken leader who is making the trek barefoot. He teaches about mindfulness, forgiveness and healing at every stop.

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7:57 AM CST

Buddhist monks who are participating in the,

Wildfires in south Argentina rip through nearly 12,000 hectares of forest, threatening communities

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Wildfires in south Argentina rip through nearly 12,000 hectares of forest, threatening communities

The Associated Press 3 minute read 2:56 PM CST

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Raging wildfires in the Argentine Patagonia have blazed through nearly 12,000 hectares of scrubland and planted and native forests, threatening local communities, according to firefighting authorities in a report published Sunday.

The fires started almost a week ago in the Andean region of the Argentine province of Chubut and are putting a power plant and a school at risk as well as affecting rural properties.

The causes of the fires have not yet been established, but Chubut Gov. Ignacio Torres told journalists on Thursday there are indications that one of the biggest active fires was deliberately set.

“The wretches who started the fire are going to end up in jail,” Torres said, while announcing a reward of 50 million pesos (approximately $34,000) for anyone who provides information about the incident.

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2:56 PM CST

Firefighters stand on a truck as wildfires blaze in El Hoyo, Patagonia, Argentina, late Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Maxi Jonas)

Former New Jersey acting governor Richard Codey dies at 79

Bruce Shipkowski, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Former New Jersey acting governor Richard Codey dies at 79

Bruce Shipkowski, The Associated Press 3 minute read Updated: 1:53 PM CST

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

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Updated: 1:53 PM CST

January 11, 2026

Human heads found hanging on a beach in southwestern Ecuador

Weather

With Cuban ally Maduro ousted, Trump warns Havana to make a ‘deal’ before it’s too late

With Cuban ally Maduro ousted, Trump warns Havana to make a ‘deal’ before it’s too late

Guard at Winter Olympic construction site dies in nighttime subfreezing temperatures

Guard at Winter Olympic construction site dies in nighttime subfreezing temperatures

Iranian protests are growing. Israel is watching closely

Iranian protests are growing. Israel is watching closely

Husband charged in double homicide after having affair with au pair is going on trial in Virginia

Husband charged in double homicide after having affair with au pair is going on trial in Virginia

Celebrities wear pins protesting ICE on the Golden Globes red carpet

Celebrities wear pins protesting ICE on the Golden Globes red carpet

A South Carolina police officer is shot and wounded and a suspect is killed

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Germany sharply rejects RFK Jr.’s claims that it prosecutes doctors for vaccine exemptions

Germany sharply rejects RFK Jr.’s claims that it prosecutes doctors for vaccine exemptions

The Golden Globes are tonight. Here’s what to look for and how to watch and stream the show

The Golden Globes are tonight. Here’s what to look for and how to watch and stream the show

A Minneapolis church holds a service of ‘Lament and Hope’ amid fears over immigration crackdown

A Minneapolis church holds a service of ‘Lament and Hope’ amid fears over immigration crackdown

Buddhist monks and their dog captivate Americans while walking for peace

Buddhist monks and their dog captivate Americans while walking for peace

Wildfires in south Argentina rip through nearly 12,000 hectares of forest, threatening communities

Wildfires in south Argentina rip through nearly 12,000 hectares of forest, threatening communities

Former New Jersey acting governor Richard Codey dies at 79

Former New Jersey acting governor Richard Codey dies at 79

January 11, 2026

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