World’s oldest person wonders about secret to longevity too
The world’s oldest person says 117 years doesn’t seem like such a long time. Misao Okawa, the daughter of a kimono maker, made the comment Wednesday, at a celebration a…
Occasions
New Orleans Police: 2 die in Mardi Gras parade shooting
By STACEY PLAISANCE and CAIN BURDEAU A 19-year-old man opened fire near a popular all-female Mardi Gras parade, killing two people in the latest spate of violence to mar Carnival…
It’s Valentine’s Day in Thailand, call the police
By JOCELYN GECKER Ah, Valentine’s Day. Call the police, or better yet the Moral Promotion Center. In most countries, Feb. 14 is a highly commercialized day of romance. In Thailand,…
Pennsylvania groundhog ‘forecasts’ 6 more weeks of winter
The handlers of Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, said Monday the furry rodent has forecast six more weeks of winter. Members of the top hat-wearing Inner Circle announced the…
After Miami’s kickoff, gays marry across Florida
By MIKE SCHNEIDER Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage ended statewide at the stroke of midnight Monday, and court clerks in some Florida counties wasted no time, issuing marriage licenses and…
Bad weather hobbles Indonesia jet recovery; 7 bodies found
By EILEEN NG and ROBIN McDOWELL Bad weather hindered efforts to recover victims of AirAsia Flight 8501 on Wednesday and sent wreckage drifting far from the crash site, as grieving…
Jesus’ birthplace grapples with modern traffic challenges
By TIA GOLDENBERG It’s Christmas season and the little town of Bethlehem is jammed with a big-city problem: Traffic snarling streets everywhere, including around the church marking the spot where…
Israel carries out airstrike on Hamas site in Gaza
The Israeli military says it has carried out an airstrike on a Hamas site in Gaza, its first strike on the Palestinian territory since this summer’s war. The military says…