Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SURABAYA, Indonesia (AP) — An AirAsia flight passenger is the first victim of AirAsia Flight 8501 to be identified and returned to her family. Officials in Indonesia say Hayati Lutfiah Hamid's identity was confirmed by fingerprints and other means. She's only one of seven on board whose body has been recovered. There were 162 people on the flight that went down Sunday in the Java Sea.
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad has made a rare appearance in public, going to the front line of his country's civil war to spend time with his troops. State media footage shows Assad having dinner with soldiers and pro-government gunmen in a tense eastern Damascus neighborhood. He greeted troops in the neighborhood of Jobar.
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says he's open to more talks or even a summit with his South Korean counterpart. Kim's New Year's day statement is being welcomed by Seoul, which in turn is urging the North to take concrete steps toward normalization of relations. Kim's call for improving inter-Korea relations comes as Pyongyang is faces heightened criticism over its human rights record and souring ties with Washington over allegations it was involved in the massive hacking attack on Sony Pictures.
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is praying for blessings for "the entire human family" in his first public ceremony of the new year. Celebrating Mass today at St. Peter's Basilica, Francis also has asked that God "grant peace to our days— peace in hearts, peace in families, peace among nations." Tourists, pilgrims and Romans streamed to St. Peter's Square for his appearance.
SHANGHAI (AP) — People unable to contact friends and relatives are streaming into hospitals in Shanghai, following a New Year's Eve stampede at the city's historic waterfront. At least 36 people were killed and 47 others injured seriously enough to be taken to the hospital. At one hospital, police brought out photos of the unidentified dead. Some people who looked at the photos broke into tears when they recognized someone.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
