Trump mulls troop reduction in ROK

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to prepare options for reducing the number of US troops in the Republic of Korea, The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing several people briefed on the deliberations.

UK PM May avoids capital wipeout in local elections

LONDON - Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party avoided a wipeout in London local elections and eked out gains in Brexit-supporting regions elsewhere in England, partial results on Friday showed, denting the opposition Labour Party's hopes of a big win.

Death toll rises in India superstorms

AGRA, India - A series of powerful superstorms that tore through India this week have killed 143 people, as officials warned Friday the death toll could rise with more extreme weather expected.

Thousands flee as volcano eruption hits residential areas

HAWAII - The Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii's Big Island came to life on Thursday, belching ash into the sky and spewing fountains of lava in a residential area where people were ordered to leave their homes, officials said.

IN BRIEF (Page 8)

Cuba digs into market appetizer

HAVANA - Along one of Havana's busiest avenues, a renovated warehouse now houses a place that has long been a dream for Cuba's private sector.

Search for MH370 uncovers wrecks of merchant vessels

SYDNEY - Two shipwrecks found during the hunt for missing flight MH370 in the remote Southern Ocean were identified on Thursday as 19th century merchant vessels carrying coal, each crewed by up to 30 people.

NASA astronaut reveals fear of heights

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Mississippi - When NASA astronaut Joseph Acaba was out doing a spacewalk during a recent trip to the International Space Station, he held on tight.

Japanese kimono industry looks to stitch up a revival

TOKYO - At a century-old workshop in a quiet Tokyo neighborhood, craftsman Yuichi Hirose brushes dye across meticulously hand-cut stencils laid on fabric, using a traditional technique to produce contemporary kimono patterns.

Hawking's final paper outlines universe theory

The final research paper submitted by Stephen Hawking days before his death suggests our universe might be one of an endless supply of very similar universes created by the Big Bang.

Qipao-wearing teenager wins support on Weibo

A US teenager criticized on social media for wearing a traditional Chinese dress to her high school prom defended her decision and has won support from netizens in China.

Scouts change name to include girls

NEW YORK - For 108 years, the Boy Scouts of America's flagship program has been known simply as the Boy Scouts. With girls soon entering the ranks, the group says that iconic name will change.