Hurricane Michael strengthens to 'extremely dangerous' Category 4 storm

WASHINGTON - Hurricane Michael swelled to an ""extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm as it rumbled toward the Gulf Coast of Florida early on Wednesday in what forecasters warned was an unprecedented weather event for the area.

A modern story of five men and the sea

MANILA - It reads like a modern day take on The Old Man and the Sea - five Filipino fishermen cast adrift for days on a makeshift raft after a huge marlin sinks their boat.

Palestine champions 'drift' car racing for women

SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt - Noor Daoud was the only woman to take to the track in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where the Palestinian racer impressed the crowds with her "drift" driving skills.

Competition should not spell conflict

Former secretary of state points to positive history of Sino-US cooperation

Haley leaves in latest Trump shake-up

WASHINGTON/UNITED NATIONS - The resignation of Nikki Haley as US ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday is unlikely result in a change in the country's approach toward other countries it views as competitors, according to some experts.

Photos released of 'assassination squad'

ISTANBUL - A Turkish newspaper published photos on Wednesday of what it said was a 15-member "assassination squad" allegedly sent to target Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last week.

Merkel's fragile alliance faces peril of regional polls in fresh crisis

BERLIN - Hit by a string of crises, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative union now faces two likely regional poll debacles, in Bavaria on Sunday and in Hesse two weeks later, further rocking her fragile coalition.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Hurricane Michael gains strength, closes on Florida

MIAMI - Michael gained new strength over warm tropical waters amid fears it would swiftly intensify into a major hurricane before striking Florida's northeast Gulf Coast, where frantic coastal dwellers are boarding up homes and seeking evacuation routes away from the dangerous storm heading their way.

Immigrants could be banned from big cities

CANBERRA, Australia - Starting a new life might not come with views of the Sydney Opera House or surfing at the city's Bondi Beach, with the government considering a ban on some immigrants from settling in big cities.

Billionaire says moon training 'not too hard'

TOKYO - Billionaire Japanese tycoon and future space tourist Yusaku Maezawa's training to go the moon should not be too tricky, he joked on Tuesday, adding that he planned to use free time from his six-hour work day to squeeze it in.

421 arrested for attacks after rape of girl

AHMEDABAD, India - Indian police said Monday at least 421 people had been arrested in the western state of Gujarat for attacks on migrant workers following the rape of a 1-year-old girl.