As families prepare to mark Independence Day, some in Spring are dealing with heartbreak and disbelief.

A snowy owl apparently touring iconic buildings of the nation’s capital is captivating birdwatchers who manage to get a glimpse of the rare, resplendent visitor from the Arctic.

It's official: The United States and NATO have begun their final withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending America's "forever war" after nearly 20 years.

Wall Street is tapping the brakes on its record-setting rally this week, as markets worldwide take a pause on Friday. (Courtney Crow/New York Stock Exchange via AP)BEIJING – Wall Street tapped the brakes on its recent record-setting rally Friday with a mixed finish for the major stock indexes, though the S&P 500 still ended the week with its third weekly gain in four. So did the Russell 2000 index of smaller companies, which traders have been favoring amid expectations of stronger economic growth later this year. It also gave a forecast for revenue and profit in the current quarter that matched or topped Wall Street’s. A big question on Wall Street is how much more it can climb before criticism blares even louder that stock prices have grown too expensive relative to corporate profits.

In this photo provided by the New York Stock Exchange, traders Edward MacCarthy, left, and Robert Charmak work on the trading floor, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. (Colin Ziemer/New York Stock Exchange via AP)BEIJING – Asian stock markets were mixed Wednesday after Wall Street rebounded, shrugging off uncertainty about a possible new attempt to impeach President Donald Trump over last week's attack on the U.S. Capitol. On Wall Street, the benchmark S&P 500 index gained less than 0.1%, recovering from the previous day's decline. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose to 3,801.19. In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude rose 61 cents to $53.82 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.