Georgia’s ruling party declared victory in parliamentary elections that opponents said were rigged, and international observers highlighted several shortcomings that they said marred the outcome.

While the election report on Sunday from the observers didn’t challenge the result, it raised concerns about an uneven campaign playing field, as ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Biden and Newsom administrations will soon adopt new rules for California’s major water delivery systems that will determine how much water may be pumped from rivers while providing protections for imperiled fish species.

But California environmental groups, while supportive of efforts to rewrite the rules, are criticizing...Read more

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Libby and Andrew Potter usually ignore the avalanche of Medicare Advantage ads that land in the mailbox at their home in Huntsville, Alabama, each fall as Medicare’s open enrollment period begins.

Libby, a retired middle school librarian, has what she considers good health insurance through the state employee health plan....Read more

Queensland became Australia’s first mainland state to elect a center-right government in more than 18 months, breaking the Labor Party’s hold on power ahead of a national election due by May.

The Liberal-National Party would win at least 48 out of 93 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, more than the 47 needed for a majority in ...Read more

Japan looks set for one of its closest national elections in years as voters go to the polls Sunday to decide whether to keep the scandal-tainted Liberal Democratic Party in power.

Forecasts by Japanese media outlets suggest the LDP will win the most votes but may lose its overall majority in the lower house of parliament, and possibly even ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating donations received by Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de León's reelection campaign.

The investigation was prompted by allegations, detailed in an anonymous complaint filed with the FPPC last November, involving a nonprofit that distributes food to homebound ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Just from what they've experienced over the years, California residents may suspect that wildfires have gotten more extreme amid a warmer and more drought-prone climate.

A new paper in the journal Science puts that sentiment to the test, with startling findings: California fires spread almost four times faster in 2020 than they ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — A SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral on Saturday evening marked the 73rd launch from the Space Coast in 2024, the most ever in one year.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 of the company’s Starlink satellites lifted off from Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:47 p.m.

The first-stage booster made its 19th launch with a ...Read more

NEW YORK — Crews across multiple states in the Northeast battled back brush fires on Saturday, as a dangerous combination of extremely dry conditions and gusty winds continued to present a major threat to local communities.

In upstate New York, a fire burning in Plattekill, 70 miles north of Manhattan, had expanded to more than 50 acres with ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Russian actors created and spread a clearly false video circulated online Thursday of a Bucks County election worker tearing up ballots purported to be for former President Donald Trump, federal authorities confirmed Friday.

The video, which the Bucks County Election Board referred to law enforcement Thursday and condemned as ...Read more

TEHRAN, Iran — Israel’s retaliatory bombardment of Iran on Saturday appeared to be limited in scope, but Western nations including the U.S. warned another spark could swiftly ignite a new and dangerous round of Middle East escalation.

Israel on Saturday declared its mission accomplished after three waves of predawn airstrikes hit military ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Within days of moving into Waterside Mobile Home Park in Gibsonton, Jennifer Rivera Cruz said she broke out in hives. When the allergic reaction didn’t get better, she panicked. Overwhelmed, she covered her face with a blanket and wept.

As soon as the sun set, hordes of termites squirmed from the walls, swarming Cruz, her wife...Read more

Georgia’s ruling party is leading in parliamentary elections Saturday in a vote that could determine the country’s chances of joining the European Union and NATO.

The ruling Georgian Dream got almost 53%, the election commission said after counting over 72% of the total votes. Its four main rivals, which have pledged to support a charter ...Read more

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A 50-foot boat exploded while being fueled at a Dania Beach marina Friday afternoon, killing one man and critically injuring four other men, a Broward Sheriff’s Fire Rescue official said.

The blast about 4:30 p.m. at the marina at 4470 Ravenswood Road was powerful enough for it to be heard at the Rustic Inn Crabhouse...Read more

Donald Trump’s political career has been marked by a unique and often controversial rhetorical style. Since 2015, his rhetoric has evolved significantly, attracting attention for its direct, often violent tone.

Analyzing his speeches offers a revealing look at how his language has shaped both his political persona and the broader ...Read more

Israel’s airstrikes of Oct. 26, 2024 – which hit around 20 military targets in Iran, Iraq and Syria – had been anticipated for weeks. Indeed, the operation followed a promise from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to retaliate for an earlier ballistic missile attack by Tehran in early October.

The move also follows a ...Read more

SAN JOSE, Calif. — For the sixth consecutive year, California officials are delaying the Bay Area’s commercial Dungeness crab season because of the “high abundance” of migrating humpback whales already getting ensnared by old crab-pot fishing lines and other gear — while conservation groups are again expressing frustration with what ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — A SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral on Saturday evening would mark the 73rd launch from the Space Coast in 2024, the most ever in one year.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 of the company’s Starlink satellites is set to lift off from Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting 5:47 p.m. during a launch window that runs ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón’s blockbuster announcement that he will seek to have Erik and Lyle Menendez resentenced for their parents’ brutal murders marked the first time the brothers had hope of leaving prison since their convictions nearly 30 years ago.

It’s also simply the first step in a long ...Read more