SUGAR LAND, Texas — It was a joyous day, the fulfillment of a quarter-century of hard work and relentless fundraising. Srinivasachary Tamirisa, a retired doctor living in Sugar Land, Texas, beamed with pride as his dream — to erect a statue of the Hindu deity Hanuman on the grounds of...
Dollar Climbs to Start 2026 After Biggest Annual Drop in Eight Years
The U.S. dollar kicked off 2026 on a stronger note on Friday after struggling against most currencies last year, as traders awaited a flurry of U.S. economic data next week, including several reports on the labor market, to gauge the path of interest rates. A narrowing interest rate difference between...
Wall Street Opens Higher on First Trading Day of 2026
Wall Street's main indexes opened higher on the first trading day of 2026, as risk sentiment improved after multiple sessions in the final days of a roller-coaster 2025 ended in the red. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 42.7 points, or 0.09%, at the open to 48,105.98. The S&P 500...
Swiss Resort Fire Likely Started by Sparkler Candles, Dozens of Those Injured Fighting for Their Lives
Dozens of young partygoers injured in a New Year's Eve bar fire in Switzerland were transferred to specialist burn units across Europe as they fought for their lives on Friday after being hit by the devastating blaze, which has killed at least 40. Initial findings showed the fire that spread...
Strong Earthquake Jolts Southern Mexico, Disrupts President’s Press Conference
A powerful earthquake shook southern Mexico on Friday, sending millions scrambling after the New Year holiday and briefly interrupting President Claudia Sheinbaum’s daily press conference. The 6.5-magnitude quake struck near the Pacific coast in Guerrero state at a depth of 35 km (22 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey said. There...
Trump Threatens Iran Over Protest Crackdown as Deadly Unrest Flares
President Donald Trump threatened on Friday to come to the aid of protesters in Iran if security forces fire on them, days into unrest that has left several dead and posed the biggest internal threat to Iranian authorities in years. "We are locked and loaded and ready to go," he said in...
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Killing 24 People in New Year Drone Strike
MOSCOW — Russia accused Ukraine on Thursday of killing at least 24 people, including a child, in a drone strike on a hotel and cafe where civilians were seeing in the New Year in a Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's southern Kherson region. Ukraine's military, which has accused Russia of killing...
Rain Ushers in the New Year for Fresno. When Will It End?
New Year's Day greeted Fresno with a half-inch of rain Thursday morning and more precipitation is in the National Weather Service forecast. Showers are expected to continue through the weekend accompanied by the potential for thunderstorms on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, NWS Hanford said. The forecast anticipates Sunday for the...
She’s the Daily Double of Cats. Both Beautiful and Charming
Daily is an adorable black-and-white year-old female who is as charming as she is beautiful. Part of a lively litter of four, she arrived with her amazing mama cat, Dahlia, and has been a delight ever since. Growing up with nine foster friends, she loves to chill out and engage...
What America Might Look Like With Zero Immigration
Across the United States, someone is missing. One year into President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, construction firms in Louisiana are scrambling to find carpenters. Hospitals in West Virginia have lost out on doctors and nurses who were planning to come from overseas. A neighborhood soccer league in Memphis, Tennessee, cannot...