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By JIM GOMEZ Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines says Chinese coast guard ships blocked Philippine vessels from a disputed South China Sea shoal, causing a minor collision. A Philippine coast guard spokesperson said Tuesday that Chinese coast guard ships and accompanying vessels executed “dangerous maneuvers” against two Philippine coast guard ships and

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Southern California man was arrested Monday on suspicion of smuggling refrigerants into the U.S. from Mexico and federal prosecutors said he’s the first person to be charged with violating regulations intended to curb the use of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. The indictment alleges Michael Hart, of San

RENO, Nev. (AP) — A U.S. Postal Service plan to downsize a regional mail hub in Reno and move package and letter processing to Sacramento, California, already had Nevadans worried Monday about service delays and potential impacts on elections in the key swing state where most voters now cast their ballots by mail. The blizzard

By ROD McGUIRK Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday defended an exclusive deal his city-state struck with Taylor Swift that prevents the pop star taking her current Eras Tour to anywhere else in Southeast Asia. Swift is performing six concerts from March 2 to 9 in Singapore

By HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea called the ongoing South Korean-U.S. military drills a plot to invade the country, as it threatened Tuesday to take unspecified “responsible” military steps in response. The North’s warning came a day after the South Korean and U.S. forces kicked off their annual computer-simulated

By JACK DURA Associated Press BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Donald Trump won the North Dakota Republican presidential caucuses on Monday, adding to his string of victories heading into Super Tuesday. The former president finished first in voting conducted at 12 caucus sites, ahead of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. The result puts Trump back on

By AUDREY McAVOY Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — A University of Hawaii report published Monday found regulatory costs account for more than half of the price of a new condominium in Hawaii, a place where high housing costs are fueling an exodus of local-born residents searching for cheaper places to live. Some are worried the

By HUIZHONG WU and CHRISTOPHER BODEEN Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — China is increasing its defense budget 7.2% this year in a similar increase to last year’s. It’s already the world’s second-highest behind the United States at $222 billion. Tensions with the U.S., Taiwan, Japan and neighbors who share claims to the crucial South China

By ELLIOT SPAGAT Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — A 53-year-old union of immigration judges has been ordered to get supervisor approval to speak publicly to anyone outside the Justice Department, potentially quieting a frequent critic of heavily backlogged immigration courts in an election year. The National Association of Immigration Judges has spoken regularly at

By KEN MORITSUGU and ELAINE KURTENBACH Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — China’s official growth target for this year is around 5%, Premier Li Qiang said Tuesday in an annual report on the government’s plans and performance that prioritized both security and the economy. Li said the government would continue with a “pro-active fiscal policy and