AP News Summary at 11:02 a.m. EST

By The Associated Press

Putin apologizes for ‘tragic incident’ but stops short of saying Azerbaijani plane was shot down

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a “tragic incident” following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people. He stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. The Kremlin said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike as the plane attempted to land on Wednesday. Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev “for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace.” The Kremlin also says Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan.

Israel detains the director of one of northern Gaza’s last functioning hospitals, Palestinians say

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israel’s army has detained the director of one of northern Gaza’s last functioning hospitals. The announcement on Saturday came after health officials said Israeli troops stormed the hospital on Friday and forced many staff and patients outside and told them to strip in winter weather. Israel’s army didn’t respond to questions about the hospital director. It denied it had entered or set fire to the complex but acknowledged it had ordered people outside. It said it was conducting operations against Hamas in the area. The military repeated claims that Hamas militants operate inside Kamal Adwan Hospital, which officials there have denied.

Israeli airstrikes hit a Yemen airport as a jet with hundreds onboard was landing, UN official says

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The top U.N. humanitarian official in Yemen says Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen’s main airport as a civilian Airbus 320 with hundreds of passengers on board was landing this week. He says a U.N. delegation led by the head of the World Health Organization was waiting to leave on Thursday as two Israeli airstrikes hit the airport in the capital of Sanaa. Julien Harneis told U.N. reporters on Friday that the most frightening thing about the airstrikes wasn’t the effect on him and about 15 others in the VIP lounge at the international airport. Rather, it was the destruction of the airport control tower as a Yemenia Airways plane was taxiing in after touching down.

Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office

President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. Trump’s request Friday came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court. Oral arguments are scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The brief said Trump opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.”

Bloodied Ukrainian troops risk losing more hard-won land in Kursk to Russia

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Five months after their shock offensive into Russia, Ukrainian troops are bloodied by daily combat losses and demoralized by the rising risk of defeat in Kursk. Some want to stay in the region at all costs. Others question the value of having gone in at all. Battles are so intense that commanders are unable to evacuate their dead. Lags in communication and poorly timed operations have cost lives and commanders say they have little way to counterattack. The overstretched Ukrainians have lost more than 40% of the territory they won in the lightning incursion that seized much of Kursk in August.

US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say the United States is expected to announce it will send another $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. It’s part of a push by the Biden administration to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20. Officials say the large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds. The officials say they expect the announcement will be made on Monday. They spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public.

An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalition

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies.

Canadian Cabinet ministers meet with Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary in bid to avoid tariffs

TORONTO (AP) — Two top Canadian Cabinet ministers have met with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary at Mar-a-Lago as Canada tries to avoid sweeping tariffs when Trump takes office. New Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly met with Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, as well as North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department. The meeting was a follow up to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month. Trump has threatened to impose sweeping tariffs if Canada does not stem what he calls a flow of migrants and fentanyl into the United States.

Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who instituted economic reforms, cremated in New Delhi

NEW DELHI (AP) — Manmohan Singh, the former Indian prime minister widely regarded as the architect of the country’s economic reform program, has been cremated after a state funeral. The veteran leader, who was also credited for a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, died late Thursday at age 92. Singh’s body was taken Saturday to the headquarters of his Congress party in New Delhi, where party leaders and activists paid tributes to him and chanted “Manmohan Singh lives forever.” Later, his body was transported to a crematorium ground for his last rites as soldiers beat drums. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh was prime minister for 10 years until 2014.

Winning ticket for $1.22 billion lottery jackpot sold in California, Mega Millions says

At least one Mega Millions player has plenty of dough to ring in the New Year after drawing the winning number. After three months without anyone winning the top prize in the lottery, a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold in California for the drawing Friday night. The California Lottery said the winning ticket was sold at Circle K (Sunshine Food and Gas) on Rhonda Rd. in Cottonwood. The winning ticket matched the white balls 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and the gold Mega Ball 6. The identity of the winner or winners was not immediately known. The estimated jackpot was the fifth-highest ever for Mega Millions.