As the year draws to a close, a remarkable initiative involving “superheroes” clad in unique costumes brings unexpected joy — not only to the sick children but also, perhaps even more deeply, to their parents.

Asian shares have retreated after U.S. stocks edged back from their record heights.

Franz Welser-Möst will retire as music director of the Cleveland Orchestra in June 2027, ending a 25-season tenure that will be the longest in the ensemble’s history.

Asian shares are mostly higher after Wall Street drifted to a mixed close.

Chef Adrian Perez shares tips and tricks for healthy eating at home in the New Year.

Asian stocks are lower, tracking a weak start to 2024 on Wall Street as Japan's markets reopened.

Start the new year with good fortune at the second annual family-friendly Japanese New Year Celebration at Levy Park.

If you got a new dog over the holidays, now is the time to start creating good habits and new year's resolutions with your pup.

Attorney General Ken Paxton is speaking out after a false report was made to 911 by an unidentified caller describing a “life-threatening situation” at his family’s McKinney home on New Year’s Day.

Despite the numerous warnings from law enforcement officials, more than 100 people across the Houston area found themselves behind bars for drinking and driving or for celebratory gunfire as we rang in the new year.

The Austrian government says that it is giving the country’s world-famous Vienna Boys Choir 800,000 euros ($884,000) to help it out of severe financial difficulties.

Drivers should expect crowded roadways as many continue to travel for the Holiday weekend.

“If you’re drunk driving this weekend, you’re going to jail,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said.

While traveling may be blissful for some this holiday season, many travelers will experience issues and delays as they try to get to their destinations this year.

I-45 closure could impact weekend commute and holiday travel is in full swing

Ten years ago, Ukrainians took to the streets to protest a decision by their Moscow-friendly president to move the country away from the European Union and toward Russia.

A top Treasury Department official says Russia’s mounting battlefield losses are a testament to the effectiveness of U.S. and allied sanctions on the Kremlin and its military machine.

French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed to boost military spending by more than a third by 2030 to face evolving threats.

Hello, meteorologist Caroline Brown here to say welcome back to the wild weather blog, and welcome to 2023!

With just a few easy swaps, you can still enjoy a delicious piece of cheesecake – without missing the cream cheese!

Here's another fun new hobby you can pick up in the new year - add some fun art into your coffee with latte art!

No Gym? No Problem!

Germany’s biggest police union has called for concerted action to prevent a repeat of the violence toward officers, firefighters and medical personnel seen in Berlin and other cities during the New Year’s celebrations.

A new year is beginning, which means resolutions and a time to start fresh, whether it’s finances, family, or health. Here are some timely tips and hacks for making changes that will create a new you in the new year.

Minutes into the New Year and Antonio Flores was left scrambling for his life.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s New Year’s address to the nation usually is rather anodyne and backed with a soothing view of a snowy Kremlin.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping says his country is on the “right side of history" in a New Year's address that comes as questions swirl over his government's handling of COVID-19 and economic and political challenges.

The fresh slate of a new year has us motivated to make changes and set new goals.

Lottery players will have a chance to ring in the New Year with a $685 million bonus in their bank account as a drawing is held in the Mega Millions game.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner and Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña called for residents across the area to bring in the New Year responsibly.

So much to do, so little time - or so it seems - as we race toward 2023. But before we let 2022 get past us, there is still plenty of time to enjoy some fun. Whether it is a fancy night out on the town for two, dinner with friends, or a holiday staycation for the entire family, The Woodlands has everything you can imagine. Check out this list of Christmas and New Year programming. Take a look, then pack up the kiddos, the car and head on down I-45.

Following three domestic violence-related homicides in the Houston area over the past 24 hours, victims’ advocates called on greater community support for those who are suffering and in need of help.

French President Emmanuel Macron says people spreading fake news online should be held accountable and possibly brought to justice.

Russian officials are sounding the alarm about a looming surge of coronavirus infections due to the highly contagious omicron variant.

The Serbian Orthodox Church says the Patriarch, Porfirije, has tested positive for COVID-19.

Reigning “Jeopardy!”.

A woman rang in the New Year with a big payout from a Louisiana casino.

Flight cancellations surged again on the last day of 2021, with airlines blaming it on crew shortages related to the spike in COVID-19 infections.

More than a year after the vaccine was rolled out, new cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. have soared to their highest level on record at over 265,000 per day on average.

Joe Biden will spend his first Christmas as president at the White House with family and is giving up his New Year’s tradition of sun and St. Croix for the chill of Delaware this year.

With eight holiday attractions all at one venue, it’s one of the largest holiday destinations in Texas.

The American Athletic Conference will add UAB, Texas-San Antonio, Rice, North Texas, Charlotte and Florida Atlantic to the league.

Aliyev marked the Nowruz holiday by lighting a ceremonial fire outside Shusha, a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan took from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Shusha, a center of Azeri culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region. (Vugar Amrullaev, Azerbaijani Presidential Press Office via AP)MOSCOW – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev marked the Nowruz holiday Saturday by lighting a ceremonial fire outside Shusha, a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan took from Armenian forces in last autumn’s war. Shusha, a center of Azeri culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region. “Today we are celebrating Nowruz in our ancient city Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan.

(Stephane Mahe/Pool Photo via AP)BREST – French President Emmanuel Macron hoped on Tuesday that U.S. President-elect Joe Biden will show a greater military commitment to fight against Islamic extremists in several theaters of conflict and especially in the Middle East. Macron stressed that France has maintained its efforts to fight against the Islamic State group in the region. About 900 French troops are currently taking part in the U.S.-led international coalition. In his speech, Macron also suggested he is considering a partial troop pullout in Africa’s Sahel region, an “adjustment” he presented as a consequence of successes achieved by French forces last year and an expected greater involvement of other European countries. The deployment of about 5,100 troops in five West African countries represent France’s largest military operation abroad.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks during an on-line New Year press conference with local and foreign journalists at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. (Jeon Heon-kyun/Pool Photo via AP)SEOUL – South Korea’s president on Monday urged the incoming Biden administration to build upon the achievements and learn from the failures of President Donald Trump’s diplomatic engagement with North Korea. Biden has accused Trump of chasing the spectacle of summits rather than meaningful curbs on the North’s nuclear capabilities. And while Moon acknowledged that Biden is likely to try a different approach than Trump, he stressed that Biden could still learn from Trump’s successes and failures in dealing with North Korea. “The start of the Biden administration provides a new opportunity to start over talks between North Korea and the United States and also between South and North Korea,” which have stalled amid the stalemate in nuclear negotiations, Moon said.

FILE - In this Dec. 30, 2020 file photo German Chancellor Angela Merkel poses for photographs after the television recording of her annual New Year's speech at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)BERLIN – German Chancellor Angela Merkel considers U.S. President Donald Trump's eviction from Twitter by the company “problematic,” her spokesman said Monday. Twitter permanently suspended Trump from the microblogging platform on Friday, citing a “risk of further incitement of violence” in the wake of the storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of the outgoing president. “Seen from this angle, the chancellor considers it problematic that the accounts of the U.S. president have now been permanently blocked.”Facebook on Thursday suspended Trump’s account through Jan. 20, the day of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, and possibly indefinitely. Merkel herself does not have a Twitter account, although Seibert does and many German government ministers do.

Thousands of people attend a music concert to celebrate New Year's in the Mbare suburb of Harare, Zimbabwe, early Friday, Jan 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)MUTARE – In response to rising COVID-19 numbers, Zimbabwe has reintroduced a night curfew, banned public gatherings, and indefinitely suspended the opening of schools. “We are being overwhelmed and overrun,” Information Minister Nick Mangwana warned, saying the country's hospitals are rapidly reaching capacity with COVID-19 patients. Zimbabwe recorded 1,342 cases and 29 deaths in the past week, “the highest number recorded so far,” Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said, announcing the strict measures. Funerals are now limited to 30 people while other gatherings such as weddings and church services are banned for 30 days.

Trace testing has linked the new Melbourne coronavirus cluster to the New South Wales outbreak. The newest occurred at midnight Friday when Victoria closed its border to New South Wales, prompting traffic bottlenecks as people raced to beat the closure. Once in Victoria, COVID-19 testing sites saw long queues as travelers lined up for mandatory testing. South Korea reported 824 new cases, raising the national tally to 62,593 with 942 deaths. — Thai authorities are planning to launch two levels of restrictions of activities for highly controlled areas where coronavirus cases are on the rise.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, intensive care units in several parts of Texas were full or nearly full. India and Brazil trail behind the U.S. in coronavirus cases at over 10 million and 7 million, respectively. ___MILAN, Italy — Italy added another 462 virus deaths on Friday for a known pandemic death toll of 74,621, the highest in Europe. ___BANGKOK — The Thai capital is shutting down venues including schools and entertainment parks as coronavirus cases continue to spread. China on Friday reported a total of 19 new virus cases, including 10 that were brought from outside the country.

The benchmark S&P 500 index finished with a gain of 16.3% for the year, or a total return of about 18.4%, including dividends. And the S&P 500 rose or fell by at least 1% on twice as many days in 2020 than it did, on average, since 1950. The electric car maker jumped 743.4% in 2020 for the biggest gain in the S&P 500. All told, the S&P 500 set 33 record highs in 2020. The S&P 500 rose 24.03 points, or 0.6%, to 3,756.07, an all-time high.

FILE - In this Dec. 30, 2020, file photo, an employee tolls the closing bell during a ceremony of the last trading day at the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo. Major Asian bourses were closed for the New Year's holidays Thursday, Dec. 31, while the handful that remained open was mixed. (JPX via AP)Major Asian bourses were closed for the New Year's holidays Thursday while the handful that remained open was mixed. Trading was closed in Tokyo and South Korea. The Tokyo exchange marked the end of trading for the year Wednesday, with the Nikkei falling 0.5%, and trading will not reopen until Monday next week.

HOUSTON – A Houston doctor whose hospital is packed with coronavirus patients is pleading with people to stay home to ring in the new year. The drive-thru testing site at the United Memorial Medical Center in northwest Houston was busy Tuesday, but it’s the situation inside the hospital that has Dr. Joseph Varon concerned. “It’s not going anywhere, and the fact is that we are getting people that are deadly ill in the hospital. If you can avoid going out this New Year’s, please stay home.”Dr. Joseph Varon has been working 287 consecutive days since the pandemic started. For those hoping for a better 2021, Dr. Varon says this message is simple.

Some of the biggest stories of our lifetimes were packed into 2020, and KPRC 2 was there through all of it to help keep you informed. You can look back at the 2020 hurricane season and keep track of the 2021 season when it begins at Click2Houston.com/hurricane. Dad saves daughter from alligatorIn League City, news of a dad leaping into action to save his 4-year-old daughter from the jaws an 11-foot-7-inch alligator grabbed national headlines. Rodeo canceledTwo of our most clicked-on stories of the year were about the cancellation of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo because of the coronavirus pandemic. Deadly explosionAnother Houston story that grabbed national headlines this year was the explosion at Watson Grinding and Manufacturing in January.

HOUSTON – Ready to kiss 2020 goodbye? Celebrate with the best meals you’ve had this year by dining at one of these Houston-area restaurants on New Year’s Eve. From New American and French to Japanese and Mexican cuisines, these restaurants will be open on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day to celebrate the departure of 2020 and the arrival of 2021. This list includes information from both OpenTable and 365 Things To Do In Houston. #Lodgestyle Posted by Rainbow Lodge on Monday, December 28, 2020Address: 2200 Post Oak, HoustonAddress: 3755 Richmond, HoustonAddress: 13616 Memorial, HoustonAddress: 807 Taft, HoustonAddress: 309 Gray, HoustonAddress: Multiple locationsDo you know of other restaurants bringing New Years Eve specials?

Thailand generally has been viewed as successful in combating the coronavirus, due partly to its well-regarded public health infrastructure and people’s adherence to mask-wearing and other protocols. But cases have jumped significantly since an outbreak was detected last week among migrants from Myanmar working at a seafood market in Samut Sakhon province. Samut Sakhon Gov. Weerasak Wijitsaengsri tested positive for the virus after meeting Sunday with senior health officials including Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Samut Sakhon was put under lockdown on Dec. 19, followed by Samut Songkhram and Samut Prakarn.

Asian shares were mixed Wednesday after a lackluster day on Wall Street, as the boost from President Donald Trumps signing of the coronavirus relief package faded. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)Asian shares were mixed Wednesday after a lackluster day on Wall Street, as the boost from President Donald Trump’s signing of the coronavirus relief package faded. It is still on track to end the month 7.7% higher, more than twice as much as the S&P 500. The S&P 500 fell 8.32 points to 3,727.04. With two days of trading left in 2020, the S&P 500 is up 15.4% this year, while the Nasdaq is up 43.2%.

Hata was the son of late Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata, who headed an opposition-led government in 1994. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s government has been reluctant to impose tougher restrictions that would further damage the pandemic-hit economy. South Korea on Monday registered 808 new coronavirus cases, raising its national caseload to 57,680 with 819 deaths. Sri Lanka has confirmed 41,053 coronavirus cases, including 191 fatalities. The government also announced 5,854 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the country's total to 719,219 confirmed cases, including 21,452 deaths.

(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)NEW YORK – Zoom, Zoom and Zoom. Masks, masks and masks. But not all things 2020 need to be left behind. Practically speaking, Black women, indigenous women and other women of color continued to face stumbling blocks. As one Holocaust survivor put it: Things of importance fade into oblivion when NEVER AGAIN is reduced to a meaningless mantra.

NEW YORK – Jennifer Lopez will help bring in the New Year with a headlining performance in New York’s Time Square for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021." Other performers include Cyndi Lauper, Billy Porter and Jimmie Allen. Lauper and Porter collaborated on the Broadway musical “Kinky Boots" and they will join forces for a special performance during the TV special, which will air on ABC at 8 p.m. Eastern. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021" will run until 2 a.m. Eastern on Jan. 1. Seacrest is returning to host the event for a 16th year, and he will be joined by Porter and Lucy Hale in New York.

HOUSTON – We know that 2020 hasn’t been the best year for everyone, but many, especially Houstonians had a bright moment that shined through this dark year, from getting a new home to scoring a dream job. The year 2020 is almost over, so give yourselves a pat on the back and take a deep breath. We asked our KPRC 2 audience whether anything good came to them this year despite the trying times that came with it. They found a great apartment and are finally able to go on their Costa Rican honeymoon this week!” - Pam Peymann Moritz“I lost my job only to get hired doing my dream job. !” - Janice Oden Poe“Zoom has breathed new life into our Sunday school class at St. Mark’s UMC on Pecore.

HOUSTON – Who doesn’t love to ring in the new year watching a thrilling fireworks display surrounded by their loved ones? We tracked down free family-friendly New Year’s celebrations featuring fireworks in Houston and here’s what we found:The City of Houston and the City of Sugar Land won’t be organizing any New Year’s celebrations this year. But there are still a few options available in the Houston area to welcome 2020 with a good fireworks show. Cost: FreeWhen: From 1 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Dec. 31Address: 215 Kipp Ave. Cost: FreeWhen: From 8 p.m. to 12:05 a.m., Dec. 31Address: 250 Assay Street