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The Latest: Hotel collapse: Explosions demolish cranes

New Orleans officials have set off a series of explosions to topple two cranes that had been looming precariously over the ruins of a partially collapsed hotel. The demolition was carried out Sunday afternoon, a little more than a week after the shocking collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel that was being built near a corner of the city's historic French Quarter. City officials in New Orleans are planning to use a series of controlled explosions to take down two cranes that have been standing precariously over the remains of a partially collapsed hotel. Sun, 20 Oct 2019 15:59:16 -0400

Unbeaten 49ers shut out Redskins in downpour

Robbie Gould kicked three field goals and the San Francisco 49ers remained undefeated by posting a 9-0 victory over the host Washington Redskins on Sunday in heavy rain and wind at Landover, Md. San Francisco relied on its sturdy defense on a day featuring treacherous field conditions and allowed just 154 yards while starting 6-0 for the first time since the Joe Montana-led 49ers won their first 10 games in 1990. Julian Taylor recovered a fumble and made an important fourth-down stop for San Francisco. Sun, 20 Oct 2019 15:58:46 -0400

Italian ex-premier Renzi seeks to create new center-right

Former Italian Premier Matteo Renzi appealed Sunday to disillusioned members of ex-Premier Silvio Berlusconi's party to join forces — but received a quick rebuke. Renzi made his appeal the day after Berlusconi and his much-weakened Forza Italia party appeared marginalized at a right-wing rally in Rome led by Matteo Salvini of the populist League. While Berlusconi's party has slid significantly in popularity in recent years, a post-fascist party, the Brothers of Italy, is pulling the conservative movement toward a more extreme right. Sun, 20 Oct 2019 15:51:09 -0400

UPDATE 1-Brexit stumble dents pound's euphoria as trading resumes

Sterling slipped half a percent as world currency markets opened for the first time since the UK parliament delayed a crucial vote on a Brexit withdrawal agreement. As trading opened in Wellington, New Zealand, the pound slipped 0.6% to $1.2929, but the bulk of its recent rally held amid confidence that a disorderly exit from the European Union would still be avoided. The British currency closed on Friday just below the $1.30 mark, right at the peak of a 6.5% surge it has enjoyed since British Prime Minister Boris Johnson first made a breakthrough on striking an EU divorce deal on Oct. 10. Sun, 20 Oct 2019 15:50:05 -0400

After delays, New Orleans demolishes cranes

New Orleans officials set off several explosions Sunday intended to topple two cranes that had been looming precariously over the ruins of a partially collapsed hotel, but only one crane appeared to make it to the ground. After the dust cleared, part of one crane could be seen hanging over the building while the end of one of the cranes, which was partially obstructed by the Saenger Theater, fell to the ground. The demolition comes a little over a week after the shocking collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel that was being built near a corner of the city's historic French Quarter. Sun, 20 Oct 2019 15:49:40 -0400

EXCLUSIVE-N.Ireland's Orange Order discourages protests over Brexit deal

The head of Northern Ireland's influential Orange Order said on Sunday unionists in the province should avoid staging violent protests over British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit deal despite feeling that they had been let down. The deal struck with EU leaders last week has been met by fierce opposition from pro-British politicians in the region, including Johnson's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) allies, who say it weakens Northern Ireland's place in the United Kingdom. "There is a feeling people need to do something but I would be encouraging people that it isn't a case for street protest at this time," Orange Order Grand Secretary Mervyn Gibson told Reuters in a telephone interview. Sun, 20 Oct 2019 15:43:58 -0400

North Macedonia leaders agree on April 12 election date

North Macedonia's political leaders agreed Sunday that an early election will be held next year, following the European Union's decision not to begin membership talks. Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said late Sunday after a meeting with President Stevo Pendarovski that the leaders of the main political parties had decided that the "most suitable" date for the vote is April 12, eight months before parliament's four-year term is due to expire. A caretaker government of technicians will take over from Zaev's Social Democrat-led coalition on Jan. 3, 100 days before the election. Sun, 20 Oct 2019 15:40:51 -0400

Facebook open to currency-pegged stablecoins for Libra project

Facebook Inc, facing growing skepticism about its digital currency project Libra, on Sunday said the initiative could use cryptocurrencies based on national currencies such as the dollar, instead of the synthetic one it initially proposed. David Marcus, who heads the Libra project for Facebook, told a banking seminar the group's main goal remained to create a more efficient payments system, but it was open to looking at alternative approaches for the currency token it would use. "We could definitely approach this with having a multitude of stablecoins that represent national currencies in a tokenized digital form," he said. Sun, 20 Oct 2019 15:35:35 -0400

Ex-Baltimore mayor D'Alesandro, Pelosi's brother, dies at 90

Thomas D'Alesandro III, a former Baltimore mayor and the brother of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has died. A spokesman for Pelosi said D'Alesandro died Sunday morning at his north Baltimore home after complications from a stroke. Pelosi says in a statement that she and her family are devastated. Sun, 20 Oct 2019 15:16:17 -0400

Canada's frontrunners slam Quebec sovereignty comment on final day of election campaign

The two frontrunners in Canada's election campaign attacked the leader of the Bloc Quebecois, Yves-Francois Blanchet, on Sunday, the final day before the vote, for again raising the prospect of a sovereign Quebec. The Bloc, which fields candidates only in the French-speaking province, has surged during the six-week official campaign, partly thanks to Blanchet's convincing performance in the debates, where he promised to stick up for Quebec. Sun, 20 Oct 2019 15:07:26 -0400