Democrat Julián Castro drops out of 2020 presidential race
AUSTIN, Texas — Former Obama housing secretary Julián Castro on Thursday ended his run for president that pushed the 2020 field on immigration and swu...
Poll: White evangelicals distinct on abortion, LGBT policy
White evangelical Protestants stand noticeably apart from other religious people on how the government should act on two of the most politically divis...
Presidential hopeful Bennet pledges $6 trillion ‘Real Deal’
DENVER — Presidential hopeful Michael Bennet is releasing a $6 trillion plan that he calls “the Real Deal” in an attempt to offer what he says is a mo...
Iowa congresswoman endorsing Joe Biden’s presidential bid
Joe Biden has landed a high-profile endorsement for his presidential bid as Rep. Abby Finkenauer becomes the first member of the Iowa congressional de...
Battery factory collapses in fire in New Delhi, killing 1
NEW DELHI — A factory manufacturing batteries in the Indian capital caught fire and collapsed Thursday, killing one firefighter and injuring at least ...
Turkey detains 7 in probe into Ghosn fleeing bail in Japan
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish authorities have detained seven people as part of an investigation into how former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, who skipped ...
Charlize Theron, Daniel Craig among Golden Globe presenters
LOS ANGELES — Charlize Theron, Octavia Spencer and Daniel Craig are among the first presenters announced for Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards.
Former NBA Commissioner David Stern dies at 77
NEW YORK — David Stern had basketball as a passion and law as a profession, one he figured he could return to if a job at the NBA didn’t work out.
Fleeing war, poverty, African migrants face racism in Egypt
CAIRO — Two Sudanese sisters, Seham and Ekhlas Bashir, were walking their children home from elementary school in a Cairo neighborhood when a group of...
Australian prime minister is jeered in wildfire-ravaged zone
PERTH, Australia — Prime Minister Scott Morrison was confronted by angry residents who cursed and insulted him Thursday as he visited a wildfire-ravag...
Pete Buttigieg raises $24.7 million during 4th quarter
DES MOINES, Iowa — Pete Buttigieg's campaign says he raised more than $24.7 million in the last three months and now has a campaign staff of 500 peopl...
Mexico City plastic bag ban to take residents back in time
MEXICO CITY — For centuries, Mexico City residents brought warm tortillas home in reusable cloths or woven straw baskets, and toted others foods in co...
Family: Man stabbed in Hanukkah attack may have brain damage
NEW YORK — A man wounded in the Hanukkah stabbings north of New York City may have permanent brain damage and be partially paralyzed for the rest of h...
For France’s Macron, 2020 again brings rocky start, outlook
PARIS — Emmanuel Macron embarked Wednesday on what is shaping up to be another rocky year for his presidency of France, facing a fresh barrage of ange...
Century-old TB vaccine may work better if given in a new way
WASHINGTON — Scientists think they’ve figured out how to make a century-old tuberculosis vaccine far more protective: Simply give the shot a different...
Apes, monkeys among 30 animals killed in German zoo fire
BERLIN — A fire raced through a zoo in western Germany in the first few minutes of the new year, killing more than 30 animals, including apes, monkeys...
Edmunds: Best cars for achieving your New Year’s resolutions
Today, people across the country will put their New Year's resolutions into practice. These goals represent an honest attempt at self-improvement, but...
Militiamen withdraw from US Embassy but Iraq tensions linger
BAGHDAD — Iran-backed militiamen withdrew from the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Wednesday after two days of clashes with American security forc...
Illinois sees first legal sales of recreational marijuana
CHICAGO — The sale of marijuana for recreational purposes became legal Wednesday in Illinois to the delight of pot fans — many who began lining up hou...
As more women run for office, child care remains a hurdle
SALT LAKE CITY — When Kimberly Dudik ran for her fourth term in the Montana House, state officials told her she could not use campaign money to pay fo...
Police, protesters clash in New Year’s rally in Hong Kong
HONG KONG — Hundreds of thousands of people packed Hong Kong streets for an annual New Year's Day protest march as the monthslong pro-democracy moveme...
Trump deploys more troops to Mideast after US embassy attack
WASHINGTON — Charging that Iran was “fully responsible” for an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, President Donald Trump ordered about 750 U.S. soldi...
Mississippi opens qualifying time for federal candidates
JACKSON, Miss. — Candidates for federal offices can start filing qualifying papers on Thursday in Mississippi.
Africa starts 2020 battling extremism, Ebola and hunger
JOHANNESBURG — A tragic airline crash with far-reaching consequences, cataclysmic cyclones that may be a harbinger of the future, the death of an Afri...
Year-end violence highlights danger of worshipping
NEW YORK — When a machete-wielding attacker walked into a rabbi's home in Monsey, New York, during Hanukkah and a gunman fired on worshippers at a Tex...
Climate change, Brexit divorce: EU faces challenges in 2020
BRUSSELS — December served up a warning of the massive challenges ahead for the European Union.
Kisses, cheers, fireworks welcome 2020 in Times Square
NEW YORK — Couples kissed. Others cheered and waved balloons as fireworks burst into the night sky and confetti fell to welcome the start of 2020 in N...
Trump suggests some flavored vapes may be pulled from market
PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the federal government will soon announce a new strategy to tackle underage vaping, promis...
Taiwan’s Tsai defends Anti-Infiltration Law aimed at China
TAIPEI, Taiwan — China has been relentless in its attempts to influence and infiltrate Taiwan's politics and society but the island's new ban on polit...
Attack on US Embassy in Iraq shows stark choices for Trump
WASHINGTON — The attack on the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad by Iran-supported militiamen Tuesday is a stark demonstration that Iran can still stri...