New York (AP) 2020 is being rung in around the globe. More than 1 million people descended on Sydney Harbour to see fireworks despite the wildfires ravaging other parts of Australia. In Hong Kong, revelers as well as pro-democracy protesters came out to usher in the new year. Russia held the world’s longest New Year’s…
Stocks are closing out their best year since 2013 led by huge gains in technology stocks. The benchmark S&P 500 index soared 28.9% for the year. Major indexes ended slightly higher Tuesday after spending most of the day wavering between small gains and losses. Technology and health care stocks led the gainers. The S&P 500…
Mallacoota, Australia (AP) Wildfires burning across Australia’s two most-populous states have trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions, destroyed many properties and caused at least two fatalities. About 4,000 people fled to the waterfront of a southeastern town as winds pushed an emergency-level wildfire towards their homes. The town of Mallacoota was shrouded…
New Your, NY (AP) Authorities say a man charged with federal hate crimes in a bloody attack on a Hanukkah celebration had handwritten journals containing anti-Semitic references and had used his phone to look up information on Hitler. Federal criminal charges were filed Monday against 37-year-old Grafton E. Thomas. He was being held without bail…
An Iranian-backed militia says the death toll from U.S. military strikes in Iraq and Syria against its fighters has risen to 25. The militia is vowing to exact revenge for the “aggression of evil American ravens.” Monday’s announcement in Baghdad came a day after U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said U.S. military strikes targeted the…
Washington, D.C. (AP) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the U.S. has carried out military strikes in Iraq and Syria that send the message that the U.S. will not tolerate actions by Iran that jeopardize American lives. Defense Secretary Mark Esper says the strikes targeted an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia blamed for an attack that killed…
The Coast Guard is searching for a tour helicopter that disappeared in Hawaii with seven people aboard. Authorities say the helicopter’s owner called for help about 45 minutes after the chopper was due back from a tour of Kauai’s Na Pali Coast on Thursday evening. Two of the passengers are believed to be minors. Steep terrain,…
Tributes are pouring in from across Broadway in honor of Tony Award-winning composer Jerry Herman. The artists behind the cheerful, good-natured music and lyrics for such classic shows as “Mame,” “Hello, Dolly!” and “La Cage aux Folles” died Thursday at 88. Bernadette Peters, Harvey Fierstein and Carolee Carmello were among the stars mourning his loss.…
Almaty, Kazakhstan (AP) A Kazakhstan plane with 98 people aboard has crashed shortly after takeoff early Friday, killing at least 12 people, while 49 were hospitalized with injuries. Authorities had earlier put the death toll at 15 but later revised it downward, without explaining why. The aircraft hit a concrete fence and a two-story building…
Some Americans separated from loved ones by the Trump administration’s travel ban have gone as far as suing the government in federal court. The lawsuits are aimed at obtaining waivers, which are supposed to help family members make it past the ban and to the United States. Lawyers say the complaints have helped people who…