WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Powerful winter storms brought the wettest Christmas season to Southern California this week. Relentless winds and rain also triggered widespread debris flows and left homes halfway filled with mud. Rains were expected to ease Friday afternoon but there’s still a risk of flash flooding near Los Angeles. Officials say firefighters rescued…… MORE
TOKYO (AP) — A man has been arrested after stabbing eight people and injuring seven others with a chemical believed to be bleach at a tire factory in central Japan. The attack happened Friday at the Yokohama Rubber Co. in Mishima, Shizuoka prefecture. Eight people were taken to hospitals with stab wounds, and five are…… MORE
GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. (AP) — Graphite mines in the United States are seeing renewed interest after being largely closed for decades. Graphite is crucial for lithium-ion batteries and demand is surging amid trade tensions with China. Several companies, including Titan Mining Corp. in New York, have plans to mine graphite. Titan aims for commercial sales by…… MORE
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that he will meet on Sunday with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida. Zelenskyy told journalists on Friday that the two leaders will discuss security guarantees for Ukraine during Sunday’s talks, and that the 20-point plan under discussion “is about 90% ready.” The announced meeting is…… MORE
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed slightly lower as investors returned from the Christmas holiday. The S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq all fell less than 0.1% Friday. Trading was light with institutional investors largely closed out for the year. With three trading days left, the S&P 500 has climbed nearly 18% this year. Gold…… MORE