World RSS
-
French president signs gay marriage into law after wrenching national debate
PARIS – French President Francois Hollande has signed a law authorizing gay marriage and adoption by same-sex couples, after months of nationwide protests and wrenching debate. His signature means the first gay marriages may be celebrated in France within about 10 days. Hollande’s office said he signed the bill Saturday morning, a day after the
-
Rescuers say chances of finding more survivors declining at collapsed Indonesian mine tunnel
TIMIKA, Indonesia – Rescue officials say falling rocks are hampering their progress in reaching 23 trapped workers at a U.S.-owned gold and copper mine in Indonesia, and chances of finding any more survivors are declining. The head of the emergency response team at PT Freeport Indonesia, Nurhadi Sabirin, said Saturday that rescuers have not detected
-
64 climbers including Saudi Arabian woman scale Mount Everest from Nepal
KATMANDU, Nepal – Mountaineering officials say 64 climbers, including a Saudi Arabian woman, have successfully scaled Mount Everest from Nepal’s side of the mountain. Tilak Padney of Nepal’s Mountaineering Department says 35 foreigners accompanied by 29 Nepalese Sherpa guides reached the 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) peak on Saturday morning after climbing all night from the highest camp
-
Powerball jackpot $600M and rising for Saturday’s drawing; lottery record could fall again
DES MOINES, Iowa – A little more than a year after three tickets split a world-record lottery prize, the jackpot for Saturday’s Powerball drawing was nearing historic territory. Should nobody pick the correct six numbers, the prize money will roll over to next week’s drawing and almost certainly eclipse the $656 million doled out to
-
Eurovision Song Contest sees bizarre opera pop, flutes, drums and the return of European stars
MALMO, Sweden – An ethno-inspired flute and drum tune from Denmark is the bookmakers’ favourite to win this year’s Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, which also features a bizarre opera pop number from Romania and an Armenian rock song written by the guitarist of Black Sabbath. Yes, it’s that time of the year again. The
-
OJ Simpson’s ex-lawyer contradicts former football star’s testimony on guns, legal strategy
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – O.J. Simpson’s former lawyer defended himself point-by-point Friday against allegations he botched the former football star’s armed-robbery trial, after giving damaging testimony that Simpson actually knew his buddies had guns when they went to a hotel room together to reclaim some sports memorabilia. Miami-based attorney Yale Galanter quickly found himself under
-
20 to 25 injured as commuter trains collide in Connecticut after ‘major derailment’
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Two commuter trains collided outside New York City during the evening rush hour Friday, injuring 20 or more people, authorities said. There were no reports of fatalities. The Metro-North Railroad, a commuter line serving the northern suburbs, referred in a news release to a “major derailment” near Fairfield, in southern Connecticut. It
-
20 to 25 injured as US commuter trains collide after ‘major derailment’
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – A New York-area commuter railroad says two trains have collided in Connecticut. Police say that 20 or more people were injured, but that there were no fatalities. The Metro-North Railroad says emergency workers are arriving at the scene of Friday’s accident. The rail line referred to it in a news release as
-
Federal appeals court upholds 8-year sentence for Boston gangster’s longtime girlfriend
BOSTON – The longtime girlfriend of reputed gangster James “Whitey” Bulger lost her bid to reduce the eight-year prison sentence she received for helping Bulger during his 16 years as a fugitive. A three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Friday that it found no basis to change the sentence that
-
Sound of shots sends Christoph Waltz, others scurrying at Cannes; man held for firing blanks
CANNES, France – A live outdoor television broadcast from the Cannes Film Festival was briefly interrupted when what sounded like gunshots sent crew and spectators scurrying. Actor Christoph Waltz was among guests being interviewed on the Canal Plus program “Le Grande Journal” on Friday when what sounded like gunfire rang out. Television footage showed Waltz,
