The Lowell Sun

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By AAMER MADHANI WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump gave sizable holiday gifts to four White House aides, according to new financial disclosures released by the administration.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Technology Writer Apple is unveiling its latest generation of iPhones, widely expected to include a foldable version, on Wednesday at an event headlined by new CEO John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook on Sept. 1. Many of Apple’s biggest rivals, such as Samsung, Motorola and Google, have already come out with foldable smartphones. But Apple is not one to rush on new technologies.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By YURI KAGEYAMA and MICHELLE CHAPMAN, AP Business Writers U.S. futures are sliding after intensifying violence in the Middle East pushed the price of crude oil over $100 a barrel. It’s the first time Brent crude, the international standard, has reached triple digits in nearly six weeks. Fighting in the Middle East has throttled the global flow of oil and rising energy prices are adding to inflationary pressures. Brent crude rose 2.8% to $100.70 a barrel.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... NEW YORK — The sports world stopped cold around here after 9/11, respectfully and correctly. There was too much despair in the air, too much angst about big crowds and airline flights. As Derek Jeter told reporters back then, during the darkest moments, “They’re still trying to find people. I really don’t think it’s the right time to play baseball.” Quickly, though, a debate emerged about these cancellations: How long is too long?

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Junior goalkeeper Moritz Aé (Leipzig, Germany) finished with a career-high six saves, as the UMass Lowell men’s soccer team battled to a 0-0 draw against the Holy Cross Crusaders in Tuesday night’s Senior Night game in Lowell. “It was a battle,” said head coach Kyle Zenoni. “Obviously it’s frustrating to not win the game. I think we’re just struggling to find ways to win at this point. It was nice to see, defensively, we had our first shutout of the season.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By DYLAN LOVAN DANVILLE, Ky. (AP) — When a friend approached Brent Williams four years ago with a business proposition to start an ostrich farm, he was more than intrigued — he had a personal motivation as someone who developed a life-threatening allergy to red meat, triggered by tick bites. The problem, known as alpha-gal syndrome, was first linked to a particular species of ticks about 15 years ago.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... At 16, Louie is an old man by cat standards. Two years ago, Alexandra Pearce noticed that the cat who usually stuck to her like Velcro wasn’t quite himself. What started as a minor rash under his collar evolved into a painful, swollen ulcer in his left eye that required months of trips to the vet, pills and eye drops. The bill exceeded $2,000. For many people, that’s a rent payment. “I really am amazed that I just handed over my card that day,” Pearce said.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By The Associated Press The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said Wednesday that Saudi-backed forces had launched dozens of airstrikes overnight across four Yemeni provinces after rebel attacks on Saudi Arabia ignited fires at several oil facilities and wounded dozens of people. Separately, Iranian state media said Iranian forces struck several tankers and two U.S. ships in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iranian ships on Tuesday.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By CATHY BUSSEWITZ, AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil surpassed $100 a barrel for the first time since July after attacks on oil facilities and ships in the Middle East threatened to debilitate an already weakened supply chain. Brent crude, the international standard, jumped nearly 3% to $100.72 early Wednesday. U.S. benchmark crude gained 2.4% to $95.25 a barrel, and U.S. gasoline prices rose sharply overnight.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By JILL COLVIN NEW YORK (AP) — Republicans are gathering in Dallas on Wednesday for a highly unusual midterm convention, a “Trump-a-Palooza” that will put President Donald Trump at the center of this fall’s midterm elections — whether the candidates running like it or not. Many party members, including those facing tight races, are skipping the two-day affair, citing conflicting obligations or balking at demands that they pony up for access.