News

By TASSANEE VEJPONGSA Associated Press NONTHABURI, Thailand (AP) — A flood-hit riverside restaurant in Thailand has become an unlikely dining hotspot after fun-loving foodies began flocking to its waterlogged deck to eat amid the lapping tide. Now, instead of empty chairs and vacant tables, the Chaopraya Antique Café is as full as ever, offering an

By JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Opal Lee’s dream of seeing Juneteenth become a federal holiday was finally realized over the summer, but the energetic woman who spent years rallying people to join her push for the day commemorating the end of slavery is hardly letting up on a lifetime of

By HUIZHONG WU Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Australia’s former prime minister has accused China of being a bully and expressed enthusiastic support for Taiwan while visiting the democratically ruled island. Speaking at a conference Friday, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott called for solidarity to help preserve Taiwan’s self-determination. He said, “Nothing is more

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A powerful magnitude 5.9 earthquake has shaken the Tokyo area, injuring more than 30 people and halting trains and subways. It caused buildings to sway and hanging objects such as signs to swing violently. Trains were halted for safety inspections, and many elevators automatically stopped. Traffic disruptions

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A malfunction caused West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice to become trapped in the elevator at the governor’s mansion. The Republican governor’s office says he was trapped for about 30 minutes after the malfunction. A statement says mansion staff, state police, and other state government personnel used a crowbar and other tools

By DON THOMPSON Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A California judge has blocked portions of the largest proposed residential housing development in San Diego County’s history. He acted Thursday after the state attorney general and others objected that it would be too prone to wildfires. That and a similar recent challenge in Northern California

By ROBERT JABLON Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities say Northern California wildfires may have killed hundreds of giant sequoias, although it may take months to fully assess the damage. Officials say the KNP Complex fire that erupted last month has burned into 15 groves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. More than

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Police say the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old woman by a Southern California school safety officer is being investigated as a possible homicide. Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez was declared brain dead after last month’s shooting and died Tuesday after she was removed from life support. The officer who shot her has

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A powerful magnitude 5.9 earthquake has shaken the Tokyo area, injuring more than 30 people and halting trains and subways. Officials say there is no danger of a tsunami. The Meteorological Agency says the quake was centered just east of Tokyo at a depth of 80 kilometers