Death toll climbs as Cyclone Freddy slams Malawi, Mozambique
BLANTYRE, Malawi — An unrelenting Cyclone Freddy that is currently battering southern Africa has killed at least 56 people in Malawi and Mozambique since it struck the continent for a second time on Saturday night, authorities in both countries have confirmed.
Pence says Trump ‘endangered my family’ on Jan. 6
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday harshly criticized former President Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, widening the rift between the two men as they prepare to battle over the Republican nomination in next year’s election.
One of Silicon Valley’s top banks fails; assets are seized
NEW YORK — Regulators rushed Friday to seize the assets of one of Silicon Valley’s top banks, marking the largest failure of a U.S. financial institution since the height of the financial crisis almost 15 years ago.
Storm breaches California river’s levee, thousands evacuate
WATSONVILLE, Calif. — A Northern California agricultural community famous for its strawberry crop was forced to evacuate early Saturday after the Pajaro River’s levee was breached by flooding from a new atmospheric river that pummeled the state.
Relentless winter brings pros, cons for Tahoe ski resorts
RENO, Nev. — Last winter, most ski resorts at Lake Tahoe had to postpone their usual November openings because there wasn’t enough snow.
Four astronauts fly SpaceX back home, end 5-month mission
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Four space station astronauts returned to Earth late Saturday after a quick SpaceX flight home.
U.K.: Russian advance in Bakhmut could come with heavy losses
KYIV, Ukraine — Russian forces have made progress in their campaign to capture the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, the focus of the war’s longest ground battle, but their assault will be difficult to sustain without more significant personnel losses, British military officials said Saturday.
Tropical Cyclone Freddy hammers Mozambique for second time
MOMBASA, Kenya — Record-breaking Cyclone Freddy made its second landfall in Mozambique Saturday night, pounding the southern African nation with heavy rains and disrupting transport and telecommunications services.
Argentina’s initial fervor for Pope Francis has faded
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — When Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina became Pope Francis, much of his home country celebrated as if it had just won a soccer World Cup championship. A decade later, the first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church generates divided opinions and much less fervor.
Favoring continuity, China reappoints central bank governor
BEIJING — China on Sunday reappointed Yi Gang as head of the central bank in an effort to reassure entrepreneurs and financial markets by showing continuity at the top while other economic officials change during a period of uncertainty in the world’s second-largest economy.
From wine country to London, bank’s failure shakes worldwide
NEW YORK — It was called Silicon Valley Bank, but its collapse is causing shockwaves around the world.
Biden rolls out budget plan, challenges GOP to follow suit
PHILADELPHIA — As political gridlock puts the government at risk of defaulting, President Joe Biden on Thursday made an opening bid with a budget plan that would cut deficits by $2.9 trillion over the next decade — a proposal that Republicans already intend to reject.
House GOP votes to overturn Biden rule on water protections
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House on Thursday voted to overturn the Biden administration’s protections for thousands of small streams, wetlands and other waterways, advancing long-held Republican arguments that the regulations are an environmental overreach and burden to business.
GOP Leader McConnell remains in hospital after concussion
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell was being treated Thursday for a concussion and is expected to remain in the hospital for “a few days” after he tripped and fell at a hotel dinner the night before, his spokesman said.
Ex-Biden aide agrees to House interview on classified docs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A former executive assistant to Joe Biden has agreed to sit for an interview with the House Oversight Committee as Republicans expand their probe into the president’s handling of classified documents.
Railroad CEO ‘sorry,’ but avoids specifics at Senate hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Norfolk Southern’s CEO earnestly apologized before Congress on Thursday for last month’s fiery hazardous materials train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border and pledged millions of dollars to help the local town recover. But he stopped short of fully endorsing tougher safety regulations or specific commitments to pay for long-term health and economic harm.
Russian missile barrage slams into Ukrainian cities; 6 dead
KYIV, Ukraine — A barrage of more than 80 Russian missiles and a smaller number of exploding drones hit residential buildings and critical infrastructure across Ukraine on Thursday, killing six people and leaving hundreds of thousands without heat or electricity.
North Korea’s Kim supervises frontline artillery drill
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a frontline artillery drill simulating an attack on an unspecified South Korean airfield as he called for his troops to sharpen their combat readiness in the face of his rivals’ “frantic war preparation moves,” state media said Friday.
Letter claims cartel handed over men who killed Americans
CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico — A letter claiming to be from the Mexican drug cartel blamed for abducting four Americans and killing two of them condemned the violence and said the gang turned over to authorities its own members who were responsible.
Mexican president to U.S.: Fentanyl is your problem
MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s president said Thursday that his country does not produce or consume fentanyl, despite enormous evidence to the contrary.