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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. says it's just the beginning of a long and sustained military assault against Islamic State strongholds in Syria and Iraq. The U.S. and five Arab nations attacked the Islamic State group's headquarters in eastern Syria overnight. A Pentagon official says the attacks took out key training camps and facilities. At the same time, the U.S. carried out attacks on its own against a group of al-Qaida militants in Syria, known as the Khorasan Group. U.S. officials say the group was planning an attack against Europe or the United States.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — World leaders speaking at the United Nations today have pledged to spend billions of dollars to take better care of the planet. But none of the pledges at today's one-day meeting on climate change is binding. President Barack Obama told the gathering that "nobody gets a pass," when it comes to the obligation of all nations to fight global warming. But China said developing nations -- itself included -- should be allowed to release more heat-trapping pollution.
NEW YORK (AP) — Weak economic news and airstrikes against militants in Syria have sent stock markets lower, in New York and around the world. The biggest declines came in Europe, where France's benchmark index fell sharply. The selling was more modest in Asia and the U.S., where the economy remains healthier. The Dow Fell 116 points. The S&P fell eleven points. The Nasdaq lost 19 points.
WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time in decades, according to the Justice Department, the population of federal prisons has dropped in the last year. The number of inmates is down by about 4,800 from last year. Attorney General Eric Holder told a conference in New York that the crime rate has dropped along with the prison population. And he says it's proof that "longer-than necessary prison terms" don't improve public safety.
DETROIT (AP) — A judge overseeing Detroit's bankruptcy says he'll make a decision next Monday on a request to stop water shutoffs until spring. The judge heard testimony from city officials today, a day after poor residents told him about the hardship of losing water because of unpaid bills. The city says it simply can't afford to keep water flowing to people whose bills are 60 days overdue. But an attorney challenging the shutoffs says they should be suspended so critics and the city can work on a plan that ties bills to household income. She says Detroit poverty is "endemic."
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