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AP National News

Harmful gas billowing from Texas and New Mexico comes mostly from smaller leaks, researchers say

The Associated Press Huge quantities of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, are being emitting by oil and gas operators in the 75,000-square-mile Permian Basin straddling Texas and New Mexico. So far, most efforts to reduce the flow of the gas have focused on so-called super emitters. But researchers say it’s also important to address smaller

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The Latest: Trump-backed plan on government shutdown fails in House vote

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a government shutdown, instead telling House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate — days before a deadline when federal funding runs out. The sudden, new demands have sent Congress spiraling even as lawmakers are trying to wrap up work

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A power grab by Republicans in North Carolina becomes a referendum on democracy in the states

Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Democrats in North Carolina were celebrating big wins in the swing state after the November election, including victories for governor and other top statewide offices. But the political high didn’t last long. Republican lawmakers are stripping away these newly elected officials’ powers through a series of wide-ranging changes while

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US applications for unemployment benefits come back down after last week’s big rise

AP Business Writer The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell markedly last week following a big increase the week before. Jobless claim applications declined by 22,000 to 220,000 for the week of Dec. 14, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s fewer than the 229,000 analysts were forecasting. Continuing claims, the total number of

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German lawmakers back plan to protect supreme court against meddling by authoritarians, extremists

BERLIN (AP) — German lawmakers have approved legislation designed to protect the country’s highest court against possible future manipulation or obstruction by authoritarian or extremist politicians. Officials have cited experiences in Poland, Hungary and elsewhere as illustrating the need to bolster the Federal Constitutional Court. The measure was drawn up by the three parties in

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EU leaders insist no decisions can be taken about Ukraine without Ukraine, or behind their backs

Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders insist no decisions can be taken about the future of Ukraine without its consent or behind their backs. Demonstrations of solidarity with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are mounting barely a month before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Zelenskyy attended an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday. Ukraine’s position

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Italy’s Salvini faces verdict for blocking migrants at sea. Case weighs limits of stemming migration

Associated Press MILAN (AP) — Italy’s deputy premier, Matteo Salvini, is sounding defiant as he awaits a verdict in Sicily for preventing some 100 migrants from disembarking a rescue boat in 2019 when he was interior minister. Salvini, who leads the Euroskeptic, anti-migrant League, told a rally last week that “defending the borders, the dignity,

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Romania’s political tumult continues as leftist party leaves talks to form pro-European coalition

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s leftist Social Democratic Party has withdrawn from negotiations to form a pro-European coalition government, extending political turmoil that has gripped the European Union country after a top court annulled a presidential election. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the PSD, said Thursday that his party was abandoning negotiations with three traditional

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