A Syrian immigrant in Southern California beat the odds — twice — and now some Powerball players see an ineffable magic at work in his store.

© Maggie Shannon for The New York Times

Fires sparked by lightning strikes that hit California early Tuesday razed over 13,000 acres in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, officials said.

© Noah Berger/Associated Press

Every summer, superfans of durian converge on a remote farm in western Puerto Rico to devour one of the world’s most polarizing fruits.