News

By EMILIO MORENATTI Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A religious procession in downtown Barcelona has celebrated the appearance of long-awaited rain after nine days of praying for relief from a severe drought. Around 100 local people took part in the Catholic ceremony on a rainy Saturday evening. They carried the figure of the Holy

LA GRULLA, Texas (AP) — A National Guard soldier from New York who was seriously injured in the crash of a helicopter flying over the U.S.-Mexico border remained hospitalized Sunday while authorities released the names of the two National Guard soldiers and a Border Patrol agent onboard who were killed. The three killed Friday in

BERLIN (AP) — Berlin police say an 83-year-old driver in Berlin drove into a woman visiting from Belgium and her 4-year-old son, killing them both. The 41-year-old mother died Saturday shortly afterwards in a hospital, and the child died the same evening after an emergency operation. Two relatives witnessed the accident and had to be

VENICE, Fla. (AP) — Authorities were working to assist a beached sperm whale that is stranded on a sandbar off Florida’s Gulf Coast. The Venice Police Department said in a Facebook post Sunday morning that the whale is about 70 feet long and is still alive. It beached on a sandbar that is about 50

By NICK PERRY Associated Press MEREDITH, N.H. (AP) — At least two people were rescued from Mount Washington in New Hampshire while details on a third person who got into trouble were not immediately clear after rescue efforts extended through a stormy night and into Sunday morning. The three people got into trouble Saturday afternoon

OLIVETTE, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man has been charged with shooting and killing his mother as she tried to enter the back door of their home. Jaylen Johnson’s attorney, William Goldstein, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Johnson believed his mother was an intruder when she tried to enter the home in the St.

LONDON (AP) — London police say they have arrested a driver who plowed into the gates of Buckingham Palace. Metropolitan police say the crash is not considered terrorism-related and no one was injured. The driver was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of criminal damage. He was held under the Mental Health Act but has

By EVENS SANON Associated Press PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The U.S. military has flown forces in to beef up security at the U.S. Embassy in Haiti and evacuate nonessential personnel. The U.S. Southern Command said Sunday that the aircraft flew directly into the embassy compound meaning that it involved helicopters. Southcom was careful to point

VENICE, Fla. (AP) — Authorities were working to assist a beached whale that is stranded on a sandbar off Florida’s Gulf Coast. The Venice Police Department said in a Facebook post Sunday morning that the whale is about 70 feet long. It beached on a sandbar that is about 50 yards from Service Club Park.

By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Officials saw the crescent moon Sunday night in Saudi Arabia, home to the holiest sites in Islam, marking the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan for many of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims. The sacred month, which sees those observing abstain from

By MOLLY QUELL and BARBARA SURK Associated Press AMSTERDAM (AP) — The Netherlands has opened a National Holocaust Museum in a ceremony presided over by the Dutch king and Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, whose presence triggered protests by pro-Palestinian groups. The museum in Amsterdam tells the stories of some of the 102,000 Jews who were

By ADRIANA MORGA AND COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — More than 7.5 million student loan borrowers have enrolled in the U.S. government’s newest repayment plan since it launched in August. President Joe Biden recently announced that he was canceling federal student loans for nearly 153,000 borrowers enrolled in the plan, known as

By SUSIE BLANN Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian and allied officials Sunday criticized Pope Francis for saying that Kyiv should have the “courage” to negotiate an end to the war with Russia, a statement many interpreted as a call for Ukraine to surrender. The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Poland, a vocal ally

By The Associated Press Muslims around the world are welcoming the arrival of Ramadan, a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting, intense prayer, charity and feasts. They will savor the traditions of their own diverse communities that include holiday treats and evening diversions. But the tribulations faced by fellow Muslims are never far from anyone’s mind. War

JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) — Police in Jonesboro, Arkansas say three people were killed and several others injured when a shooting broke out at a private party. Officers found multiple gunshot victims when they arrived at the scene near Jonesboro’s downtown area around 5 a.m. Sunday. Jonesboro police said in a Facebook post that a man

By CHRISTINE FERNANDO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Reproductive freedom took center stage during Biden’s State of the Union address, but abortion rights advocates had mixed reactions, raising concerns about the president trying to capitalize on what will be a central campaign issue while avoiding using the word “abortion.” Abortion rights have proved to be

By WAFAA SHURAFA and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A U.S. Army vessel carrying equipment to build a temporary pier in Gaza was heading to the Mediterranean on Sunday, after U.S. President Joe Biden announced plans to increase aid deliveries by sea to the besieged enclave where hundreds of thousands