Crisis at impasse as Qatar refuses to accept demands

WASHINGTON - The Donald Trump administration is being drawn further into the crisis engulfing Qatar and many of its Gulf Arab neighbors, a diplomatic tussle that it wanted to avoid.

Floods wreak devastation on Kyushu

ASAKURA, Japan - Rescuers are scrambling to find more than 20 people missing after huge floods swept across Japan's south this week, killing six and leaving a trail of destruction.

Dozens killed in bloody Mexican prison battle

ACAPULCO, Mexico - Fighting erupted between rival gangs inside a state prison before dawn on Thursday, with 28 inmates killed and three wounded, officials in the Pacific resort said.

IN BRIEF (Page 8)

Writing the wrongs of Japan's atrocities

TOKYO - Tamaki Matsuoka could never forget about her first visit to Nanjing, China, in August 1988, where she saw evidences of the atrocities committed by the invading Japanese army to the city in 1937 and was deeply shocked.

Berlin bedecked by China's prosperous porcelain past

More than 100 pieces of rare Chinese porcelain are on display at Berlin's KPM Royal Porcelain Factory until Saturday, dazzling local audiences with refined designs, beautiful colors and intricate craftsmanship.

Fears of 'rat-like' ocean infestation

CANBERRA - Small "weedy" fish described as the cockroaches or rats of the ocean could dominate the world's seas if ocean acidification continues at its current rate, researchers at the University of Adelaide said on Friday.

Shoots of recovery amid Aleppo's rubble

ALEPPO, Syria - In a former rebel-held district of Aleppo, factory owner Karam allows himself a small smile as he watches his machines back in action, churning out plastic goods.

Tuning into karaoke as clubs clean up act

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam - Normally Thu Phuong is as timid as a mouse, afraid of standing in front of a group of people. But last weekend, her persona changed as she took the microphone and belted out a ballad in front of her colleagues.

Home of hunchback seeks funds for facelift

PARIS - Victor Hugo would be appalled to see the ravages inflicted by time, pollution and weather on his beloved Notre Dame, the soaring cathedral that adorns the heart of Paris.

What's in a name? A lot if it's Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher ...

LONDON - Many people from Asia choose a Westernized forename to make it easier for their friends and colleagues from that part of the world, as many Westerners struggle to get their vocal chords around some Chinese names.

Store fined $3 million over Iraqi artifacts

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma - Hobby Lobby Stores has agreed to pay a $3 million federal fine and forfeit thousands of ancient Iraqi artifacts smuggled from the Middle East that the government alleges were intentionally mislabeled, federal prosecutors said.