First local case of virus linked to birth defects confirmed

A female Aedes aegypti mosquito, which can spread the Zika virus, acquires a blood meal from a human host at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed Houston’s first case of travel-acquired Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness that has been linked to neurological diseases and birth defects.

Commuter train and passenger bus collides – 18 dead

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A commuter train slammed into a passenger minibus Sunday at a railroad crossing in Indonesia’s capital, killing at least 18 people and seriously injuring six others.

Bodies of 7 dead babies found in German flat

MUNICH – German police said Friday they had found the bodies of “probably seven” babies in an apartment in the southern state of Bavaria after being alerted by a local resident.

Magnitude-7 earthquake strikes off southwest Japan

TOKYO (AP) — A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Saturday off the coast of southwest Japan, triggering a small tsunami. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Multiple Paris Terror Attacks Leave as Many as 120 Dead

The death toll in attacks across six sites in Paris could exceed 120, Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins said on French television early Saturday. He said at least five assailants have been neutralized.

Giant ‘Sinkhole’ Swallows Over Dozen Cars

A giant ‘sinkhole’ about 50-feet wide opened up in an IHOP parking lot in Mississippi over the weekend, swallowing at least 14 vehicles, officials said.

ICE highlights dangers of illegal decorative contact lenses

WASHINGTON – Officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have announced a consumer warning ahead of Halloween about the dangers of counterfeit and unapproved decorative contact lenses after key developments in ongoing investigations targeting the unsafe items.