Putin says Russia won't oust US diplomats in hacking flap

 President Vladimir Putin has condemned a new round of U.S. sanctions against Russia but said Moscow will not retaliate by expelling American diplomats.

PHOTO: Dog enters food coma after family's Christmas dinner

Dogs are always trying to get their paws on the scraps of their family's meals. But forget scraps! One dog in England preferred the entire meal!

Russian President Putin says a Syrian cease-fire agreement has been reached with Turkey

BEIRUT (AP) ��� The Latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local): 2:30 p.m. A main Syrian opposition group says it supports a nationwide cease-fire set to go into effect at midnight and that moderate rebel factions will abide by it, but defend themselves if attacked. Ahmad Ramadan of the Syrian National Coalition said the truce reached Thursday includes a halt to airstrikes and shelling.

Turkey, Russia discussing Syria cease-fire plan

Turkish and Russian officials are discussing the contours of a cease-fire for Syria, Syrian opposition factions said, building on cooperation between the two countries following a deal they brokered for the evacuation of opposition fighters from the northern city of Aleppo earlier this month. Several rebel groups said, however, that they are withholding their approval of any agreement until...

Judge indicts former Argentine president in corruption case

An Argentine judge has indicted former President Cristina Fernandez in a corruption case involving public works.

Russian plane carrying 92 crashes in Black Sea; 10 dead seen

A Russian plane carrying 92 people to an air base in Syria crashed Sunday into the Black Sea minutes after taking off from the city of Sochi, Russia's Defense Ministry said.

After nearly a year detained in North Korea, little progress made to free American student

On the second day of 2016, Otto Warmbier was minutes away from boarding a plane back to America when armed security officers reportedly dragged him out of Pyongyang airport and into a yearlong nightmare that has left his loved ones and even the U.S. government powerless to save him.

AP EXPLAINS: What is Boxing Day and how did it get its name?

LONDON (AP In Britain and other countries like Australia and Canada, the day after Christmas is a secular national holiday known as Boxing Day. Here's a brief look at some theories about how the holiday got its name and how people celebrate it: NO NEED FOR BOXING GLOVES

FULL TEXT - Pope Francis Christmas message

Pope Francis used his Christmas Day homily to call for peace for people "scarred by war and harsh conflicts".  

Investigators seek Tunisian in Berlin market truck attack

Investigators hunted Wednesday for a Tunisian man whose documents were found in the truck that plowed into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people and injuring 48 others, German media reported. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for Monday's attack on the market next to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in the center of the capital.

Rescue workers search for more survivors in Deadly Mexico explosion

Rescue workers have been combing through the ash and charred metal left after a massive explosion destroyed an open-air fireworks market near Mexico City. Officials say 29 people were killed and scores were injured. The blast leveled stalls, burned cars and damaged nearby homes. There have been two previous explosions at the same market. 

Villagers kidnap drug lord's mother in Mexico

Drug trafficking is one thing, but kidnapping a drug-lord's mother is a risk very few people are willing to take.

Tsunami watch canceled after 7.7 quake off of Solomon Islands

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake has struck near the Pacific's Solomon Islands, prompting the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to warn that tsunami waves were possible in several South Pacific islands.

Saudi-Iran rivalries could scuttle tentative OPEC deal

VIENNA (AP) — Up to this week, chances that OPEC countries would agree to their first cut in output in eight years were looking good. Now, not so much. Saud Arabia is questioning an informal agreement made in September to trim production. And the desert kingdom, which accounts for about a third of OPEC's output, normally prevails at ministerial meetings.

Former Cuban president Fidel Castro has died at age 90

Former Cuban President Fidel Castro has died at age 90, his brother, President Raul Castro announced late Friday on state television.

Late-season hurricane Otto makes landfall on coast of Nicaragua

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the unusually strong late-season hurricane hit land just north of the Costa Rican border near the town of San Juan de Nicaragua with winds of 110 mph (175 kph).