Amen Thompson scored 26 points and Kevin Durant added 24 to lead the Houston Rockets in a 119-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Japan's Cabinet has approved a record defense budget plan exceeding 9 trillion yen for the coming year.

Imprisoned former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been convicted in a corruption trial tied to a multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state investment fund.

Dak Prescott threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns, and the Dallas Cowboys blew most of an 18-point lead before squeezing past the Washington Commanders 30-23.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense says the analysis of black boxes from a jet crash that killed eight people, including Libya's military chief, has begun.

De'Aaron Fox scored 29 points and the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-102 on Thursday.

The Detroit Lions have gifted the division rival Green Bay Packers a spot in the playoffs. With six turnovers in a 23-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, Detroit was eliminated from postseason contention.

Stephen Curry scored 23 points and knocked down a key 3-pointer with 3:45 left to help seal it; Jimmy Butler added 14 points, nine assists and nine rebounds; and the Golden State Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 126-116.

Here are some of the most compelling images worldwide published by The Associated Press in the past week.

The family of Palestinian director and actor Mohammad Bakri says he has died at 72.

BREAKING: Trump says the U.S. struck Islamic State targets in Nigeria after he said the group had targeted Christians in the country.

Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel takes aim at U.S. President Donald Trump in a message to U.K. viewers.

John Robertson, a former Scotland winger who won the European Cup twice with Nottingham Forest and scored the only goal in the 1980 final, has died.

The past year wasn't all doom and gloom; there was plenty to smile about, too.

In a year of pop culture moments, some things were old and some things were very new.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's family says he's underwent double hernia surgery at a hospital in the country's capital.

New research shows how some animals in the wild manage to sleep in risky environments. From thousands of 4-second “microsleeps” to half-brain naps midair, scientists can now reveal some unusual animal sleep habits. Learn more: bit.ly/4qnGCMZ

King Charles III has urged people to focus on kindness instead of conflict in his annual Christmas address.

Mikaela Shiffrin has plenty to celebrate this Christmas.

Pope Leo XIV during his first Christmas Day homily remembered the people of Gaza “exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold” and said the world’s many conflicts can only be silenced through dialogue. Leo led the Christmas Day Mass from the central altar beneath the balustrade of St. Peter’s Basilica.

From department stores to grocers, many companies across the U.S. close early on Christmas Eve and shut their doors entirely on Christmas Day — while others opt to cut back hours.

County police in Maryland say federal immigration agents shot at a moving vehicle on Christmas Eve during an enforcement and removal action.

A federal judge’s ruling has cleared the way for Hawaii to include cruise ship passengers in a new tourist tax to help cope with climate change, a levy set to go into effect at the start of 2026.

Rain from a powerful winter storm that swept across Southern California has begun to taper off, but another storm system was on the horizon for Christmas Day with showers and possible thunderstorms.

Saudi Arabia formally called on Emirati-backed separatists in Yemen to withdraw from two governorates their forces now control in the country, a move that threatens sparking a confrontation within a fragile coalition battling the Houthi rebels.

The son of a former prime minister of Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman, returned home after more than 17 years in self-imposed exile as a frontrunner to become the nation's next leader in upcoming elections.

Telluride, one of the best-known ski resorts in the Western U.S., plans to close in the coming days due to a labor dispute between its owner and the ski patrol union.

French prosecutors say a pro-Russian hacking group has claimed responsibility for a major cyberattack on France's national postal service.

BREAKING: A Powerball player in Arkansas won a $1.817 billion jackpot on the heels of the Christmas holiday, ending the lottery game’s three-month stretch without a top-prize winner.

Ten teams are in the NFL playoffs. Eight more are battling for the final four spots. The playoff picture will become more clear in Week 17. Pro Picks aims to continue a hot streak:

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans for a national bravery award to recognize civilians and first responders who confronted “the worst of evil” during an antisemitic terror attack that left 15 dead and has cast a heavy shadow over the nation’s holiday season.

Police say five people have been killed and 35 injured after a bomb exploded during prayer at a mosque in Nigeria's northeastern Maiduguri on Wednesday night. Preliminary investigations suggest the incident may have been a suicide bombing, a police statement says.

The San Antonio Spurs are the hottest team in the NBA just a year removed from two of the worst seasons in franchise history.

North Korea displayed apparent progress in the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine, with state media photos showing a largely completed hull, as leader Kim Jong Un condemned rival South Korea’s push to acquire the technology.

Heavy rain and gusty winds from a powerful winter storm system are bringing flash floods and mudslides to parts of Southern California.

Families in north-central Nigeria have joyfully reunited with schoolchildren held for a month after a mass abduction.

Winter is a great time to experiment with new food preparations and flavors to keep your meals nutritious and interesting.

Doctors say just 1 in 30,000 pregnancies occur in the abdomen instead of the uterus. And Ryu Lopez is among the rare cases.

Christian music is growing in popularity while other genres struggle to grow new listenership. Experts and artists say there are a variety of reasons why this religious music is connecting.

A federal judge is halting the enforcement of a March presidential memorandum that revoked the security clearance of a Washington attorney who has represented a number of prominent government whistleblowers.

A 16-year-old boy being investigated in the death of his stepsister on a Carnival cruise ship last month has no recollection of the incident.

BREAKING: The DOJ says it may need a "few more weeks" to finish the release of the Epstein files despite the Dec. 19 deadline set by Congress.

Crews are using construction equipment to clear the rubble of a Pennsylvania nursing home after an explosion killed two people and hospitalized 20 others.

Search teams on Wednesday recovered the cockpit voice and flight data recorders from the jet that crashed and killed Libya’s military chief and other senior officers, while efforts to retrieve the victim’s remains were still underway, Turkey’s interior minister said.

After two years of subdued Christmas celebrations due to war in Gaza, thousands of people have flocked to Bethlehem's Manger Square on Christmas Eve.

Before the lights go down at "Liberation" on Broadway, the audience is talking.

Travis Kelce has played 96 regular-season home games for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Left-hander Sean Newcomb and the Chicago White Sox have agreed to a $4.5 million, one-year contract.

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week and remain at historically healthy levels despite some signs that the labor market is weakening.

The University of Oklahoma has removed an instructor who was accused by a student of religious discrimination.