LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has reached $1 billion at the box office, achieving the milestone with record-setting hyper speed.
The Walt Disney Co. said "The Force Awakens" crossed the billion-dollar mark Sunday, accomplishing the feat in just 12 days. The previous movie to reach $1 billion the fastest was Universal's "Jurassic World," which did it in 13 days in June. "Jurassic World" also had the benefit of record grosses in China. "The Force Awakens" doesn't open in the world's second-largest movie market until Jan. 9.
GARLAND, Texas (AP) — Tornadoes that swept through the Dallas area left at least 11 people dead, injured scores more and tore up a 40-mile swath south and east of the city while record warmth continued along the East Coast from Florida to Boston.
It's the latest of a succession of freakish winter-weather events across the country that could include heavy snow and massive flooding Sunday from north Texas through eastern Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, western Arkansas and parts of Missouri. Days of tumultuous weather in the Southeast have led to 29 deaths overall — those in Texas plus 18 total in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Arkansas.
