AP VoteCast: The economy ranked as a top issue, but concerns over democracy drove many voters to the polls

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — AP VoteCast: The economy ranked as a top issue, but concerns over democracy drove many voters to the polls.

Latest stories

  • Syrian rebel leader’s victory speech holds a message for Iran – and for Trump and Israel too

    Abu Mohammad al-Jolani’s road to Damascus has been long. He has talked openly about his change along the way. From young al Qaeda fighter two decades ago, to rebel commander espousing sectarian tolerance.

  • ‘Thank you, Malaysia’: Immigration offices see surge of foreign nationals seeking voluntary repatriation with RM300-RM500 fines ahead of Dec 31 cutoff (VIDEO)

    KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — Hundreds of foreign nationals have been crowding the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department to apply...

  • Trump calls for immediate Ukraine ceasefire, Kyiv and Moscow cite conditions

    PARIS (Reuters) -U.S. President-elect Donald Trump called on Sunday for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end "the madness", prompting Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy and the Kremlin to list their conditions. Trump made his comments just hours after meeting Zelenskiy in Paris for their first face-to-face talks since Trump won last month's U.S. election. Trump has vowed to bring about a negotiated end to the conflict, but so far has not provided details.

  • What now for Asma al-Assad – the former British public schoolgirl turned international pariah

    What must Asma al-Assad be thinking right now? Bright, beautiful and British-born, she could be living an affluent life in England, with friends, family and a fine career, had she not sold her soul to the devil. As it is, she is an international pariah, the wife of a monster responsible for more than half a million deaths, and she faces – along with her three children – the very real prospect of spending the rest of her days in joyless exile in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

  • How Oct 7 led to the fall of Syria – and the retreat of Iran

    They must be cursing the memory of Yahya Sinwar in Tehran’s corridors of power.

  • Who are the Syrian rebels who have captured Damascus – explained in 30 seconds

    The rebels are led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, along with an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army

  • Jubilant Syrians Loot Assad’s Louis Vuitton-Stuffed Palace

    Extraordinary footage has emerged on social media of jubilant and outraged Syrians looting deposed President Bashar al-Assad’s palace, carting off Louis Vuitton-branded boxes and other luxury goods after the regime’s stunning collapse. The shocking scenes come hours after rebel forces Saturday reached Damascus, declaring the capital city “liberated” as Assad fled the country. Footage posted online, which appeared to have been taken inside the palace, showed looters rifling through bed linens, cl

  • Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible

    Donald Trump on Sunday pushed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine, describing it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. “Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness," Trump wrote on social media, referring to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a television interview that aired Sunday, Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO.

  • South Korea President Yoon banned from foreign travel as leadership crisis deepens

    SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been banned from leaving the country over a failed attempt at imposing martial law, a justice ministry official said on Monday, amid growing calls for him to step down and a deepening leadership crisis. Yoon has apologised for the botched attempt and said he was leaving his political and legal fate to his ruling People Power Party (PPP) but has not resigned. On Monday, the defence ministry said Yoon was still legally commander in chief, but growing dissent among senior military officers against the president has thrown into question his grip on power.

  • Fact check: Trump, repeating old lies on ‘Meet the Press,’ falsely claims US is the only country with birthright citizenship

    President-elect Donald Trump repeated numerous false claims during an interview that aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” – including his old lie that the US is the world’s only country with birthright citizenship.

  • Dewan Rakyat narrowly passes controversial Communications and Multimedia Act amendments after Opposition bloc vote

    KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — Government lawmakers got away with a narrow majority to give the Communication and Multimedia Act...

  • Donald Trump, On ‘Meet The Press,’ Again Pledges To Pardon January 6th Rioters, Says Liz Cheney And Other Committee Members “Should Go To Jail”

    In his first sit-down interview since winning the presidential election, Donald Trump told NBC News’ Meet the Press that he still plans to pardon those convicted for their role in storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021, while he said that the members of committee tasked with investigating it “should go to jail.” “Honestly, they …

  • Lara Trump Ditches RNC as Bigger Political Future Beckons

    Lara Trump, the wife of Donald Trump’s third child, Eric, announced her resignation as co-chair of the Republican National Committee Sunday night—prompting a new round of speculation over her political future. The 42-year-old posted on X Sunday night that “serving as the @GOP co-chair throughout the course of the most consequential election in American history has truly been the honor of my life.” The news was initially reported by the Associated Press, which noted the former television producer

  • Trudeau says Americans are realizing that Trump's tariffs on Canada make life a lot more expensive

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday said Americans “are beginning to wake up to the real reality that tariffs on everything from Canada would make life a lot more expensive" and said he will retaliate if Donald Trump goes ahead with them. Speaking at an event put on by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, Trudeau also said dealing with Trump will be “a little more challenging” than the last time because Trump’s team is coming in with a much clearer set of ideas of what they want to do right away than after his first election win in 2016. The U.S. president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico unless they stem the flow of migrants and drugs.

  • ‘Lamest of the Lame Ducks’: Democrats Slam Disappearing Biden

    Disaffected Democrats, including some from within his own administration, are furious with President Joe Biden for shrinking into a political non-entity since his party was walloped in last month’s election, according to multiple reports. “He’s been so cavalier and selfish about how he approaches the final weeks of the job,” a former White House official told Politico. The outlet—which spoke to nearly two dozen officials, including current and former White House staffers—reported that, since the

  • Italy’s Meloni Pals Around With Trump and Their Mutual Friend Musk in Paris

    Giorgia Meloni’s friendship with Elon Musk is paying off. The far-right Italian premiere continued her charm offensive of the MAGA universe, using the opening of Notre Dame as an opportunity to pal around with Donald Trump and their mutual friend Musk. “I was with her a lot,” Trump told the New York Post after dining with Meloni during a reception for world leaders. “We got along great,” he added, saying Meloni was a “real live wire” with “a lot of energy.”

  • How the Assad regime fell – and who rules Syria now

    On Wednesday last week, rebel fighters led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Turkish-backed Syrian National army burst out of their enclave around Idlib in northwestern Syria.

  • Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump calls for immediate ceasefire as Zelensky reveals frontline casualties

    US president-elect Trump meets with Zelensky at reopening of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris

  • Syrians explore ousted Assad's Damascus home

    Roaming the opulent Damascus home of ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, Abu Omar felt a sense of giddy defiance being in the residence of the man he said had long oppressed him.They oppressed us in incredible ways," Abu Omar added from the compound of three six-storey buildings in the upscale al-Maliki neighbourhood.

  • South Korean opposition plans new impeachment push

    South Korea's main opposition party said Sunday it will try again to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol after his declaration of martial law."The power of the president is not the personal property of President Yoon Suk Yeol," said Lee.