CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA’s experimental helicopter Ingenuity rose into the thin air above the dusty red surface of Mars on Monday, achieving the first powered flight by an aircraft on another planet. The triumph was hailed as a Wright brothers moment. The mini 4-pound (1.8-kilogram) copter even carried a...
EU Estimates 150,000 Russian Troops Near Ukraine’s Borders
BRUSSELS — The European Union is estimating that 150,000 Russian troops have already amassed for the biggest military buildup ever near Ukraine's borders and that it will only take “a spark” to set off a confrontation. At the same time, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Monday that the...
‘Downton Abbey’ Cast Returns for Sequel Opening in December
NEW YORK— The original principal cast of “Downton Abbey” are returning for a second film that will arrive in theaters December 22 this year, Focus Features announced Monday. “Downton Abbey" creator Julian Fellowes has written the sequel's screenplay, and Simon Curtis ("My Week With Marilyn") is directing. Hugh Bonneville, Michelle...
Study: 2.5 Billion T. Rex Dinosaurs Roamed Earth, but Not All at Once
One Tyrannosaurus rex seems scary enough. Now picture 2.5 billion of them. That’s how many of the fierce dinosaur king probably roamed Earth over the course of a couple million years, a new study finds. Using calculations based on body size, sexual maturity and the creatures' energy needs, a team...
Barbers, Artists Help Defy Vaccine Myths for People of Color
SAN DIEGO — In a Washington, D.C., suburb, Black and Latino barbers are busting myths about the coronavirus vaccine while clipping hair. Across the country, a university researcher in Phoenix teamed up with a company behind comic books fighting Islamic extremism to produce dance-inducing animated stories in Spanish that aim...
Mercedes Rolls Out Luxury Electric Car in Duel with Tesla
FRANKFURT, Germany — Daimler AG on Thursday unveiled a battery-powered counterpart to its top Mercedes-Benz luxury sedan as German carmakers ramp up their challenge to electric upstart Tesla. The EQS is the first Mercedes-Benz vehicle to be built on a framework designed from the start as an electric car, rather...
Equal Pay Bill Passed by House but Faces Long Odds in Senate
WASHINGTON — House Democrats approved legislation Thursday that they say would help close the gap between what men and women are paid in the workplace, though the measure faces little chance of overcoming Republican opposition in the Senate. The bill, which is supported by President Joe Biden's administration, passed 217-210...
Liberty Sues Jerry Falwell Jr., Seeking Millions in Damages
RICHMOND, Va. — Liberty University has filed a civil lawsuit against its former leader, Jerry Falwell Jr., seeking tens of millions in damages after the two parted ways acrimoniously last year. Damaging Information Withheld for 'Personal Protection' The complaint, filed Thursday in Lynchburg Circuit Court, alleges Falwell crafted a “well-resourced...
Signs of Recovery as California Adds Jobs for 2nd Month
SACRAMENTO — California employers added 119,600 new jobs in March, the second straight month of growth following a topsy-turvy year of enormous losses and inconsistent gains during an unpredictable pandemic. New unemployment claims, both for traditional employees and independent contractors, are at their lowest levels since the pandemic began more...
Far-Right Oath Keeper is 1st Suspect to Plead Guilty in Capitol Riot
WASHINGTON — A member of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group and heavy metal guitarist on Friday became the first defendant to plead guilty to federal charges in connection with the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Schaffer Pleads Guilty in Deal with Prosecutors Jon Ryan Schaffer, the frontman of the...