World

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – At least 12 people were injured in eastern Nangarhar province after an earthquake jolted Afghanistan just before midnight Friday, officials said on Saturday. A number of Nangarhar University students in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, were injured during a stampede while trying to run out of a …

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) – A tornado touched down in north-central Alabama, including part of Birmingham, in the latest wave of severe weather that’s hammered the South during Christmas week. The funnel was spotted by witnesses outside the city about 5 p.m. Friday. An hour later the National Weather service confirmed …

VATICAN CITY (AP) – Pope Francis has issued a Christmas Day indulgence for Catholics around the globe in hopes they spread the church’s message of mercy in a world torn by “murderous evil,” war and poverty. Speaking Friday from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Francis said he hoped …

BEIRUT (AP) – A U.S.-backed coalition of rebels in Syria – including Syrian Kurdish, Arab and Christian groups – captured several areas in the country’s north from the Islamic State extremists as government air raids on a rebel-held Damascus suburb killed at least 20 people on Thursday. Government warplanes and …

MOSCOW (AP) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Russia and Qatar have agreed on what they could do to encourage the Syrian opposition to sit down for talks with the Syrian government. Lavrov said Friday he would not disclose further details about the agreement. Russia is a staunch supporter …

WASHINGTON (AP) – Long before Ben Carson became one of the leading Republican presidential candidates, he built his own brand by traveling around the country raising money for a charity that bears his name, awarding college scholarships, promoting his books and earning hefty payments to speak to large groups. Carson’s …

JERUSALEM (AP) – Four Palestinians were killed on Thursday, among them three who Israel said were carrying out attacks on soldiers in the West Bank, the latest in a three month-long wave of unrelenting Israeli-Palestinian violence. The four separate incidents came as revelers were gathering in the West Bank city …

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) – Christian faithful from around the world descended Thursday on the biblical city of Bethlehem for Christmas Eve celebrations at the traditional birthplace of Jesus, as an outburst of Israeli-Palestinian violence dampened the typically festive mood. Before the celebrations began, Israeli authorities said three Palestinians involved …

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – Afghan forces backed by U.S. air strikes pushed back a Taliban onslaught Thursday in a strategically important district in the southern Afghan province of Helmand, officials said. Sangin district had been besieged by the insurgents for weeks before an uptick in the ferocity of the fight …

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) – After his morning prayers at the mosque, 25-year-old Mamadou Aliou Ba puts on his Santa suit, the padded belly protruding from his thin, tall frame, and goes to work. He stands proudly, smiling from behind a snowy white mustache and beard that take over his face, …