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Wildfire leaves Northern California hamlet in ashes


Klamath River, Calif.: A week ago, the scenic Northern California hamlet of Klamath River was home to about 200 people and had a community center, post office, and a corner grocery store. After a wildfire raging through the forested region near the Oregon state line, four people are dead and the store is among...

Long days grind on search teams in flood-ravaged Appalachia


Hindman, Ky.: Nearly a week since floodwaters consumed parts of Appalachia, rescue missions are winding down while supplies poured into what looms as a massive relief effort. Floodwaters wrecked homes and businesses, and some escaped the surging waters with only the clothes they wore. Initial expenditures from a relief fund opened by Kentucky Gov. Andy...

New proposal to increase refund protections for air travelers


Washington DC: The Transportation Department is proposing to require airlines to offer passengers a refund if their flight schedule is changed significantly or the airline makes significant changes to their itinerary. The proposed rule announced Wednesday would require airlines to give refunds if their departure or arrival time changes by three hours or more for...

Paul Pelosi pleads not guilty to DUI misdemeanor charges


San Francisco: The husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pleaded not guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor driving under the influence charges related to a May crash in Northern California wine country. Paul Pelosi, 82, did not appear in person at Napa County Superior Court Wednesday. His attorney, Amanda Bevins, entered not guilty pleas on his...

Biden signs executive order to protect travel for abortion


Washington DC: President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order that lays the groundwork for Medicaid to help women seeking abortions to travel between states to obtain access to the procedure. The details are still being worked out, and the administration faces a challenging legal landscape because it’s illegal to use federal funding to...

Senate backs Finland, Sweden for NATO 95-1


Washington DC: U.S. Senators delivered overwhelming bipartisan approval to NATO membership for Finland and Sweden Wednesday, calling expansion of the Western defensive bloc a “slam-dunk” for U.S. national security and a day of reckoning for Russian President Vladimir Putin over his invasion of Ukraine. Wednesday’s 95-1 vote — for the candidacy of two Western European...

‘India gave a breath of life’: Sri Lankan President


Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has thanked India, saying the closest neighbor has given 'a breath of life' to the country that was economically ailing with major shortages of essential items such as food, fuel, medicine, and many more. "I wish to specially mention the assistance provided by India, our closest neighbor, in our efforts...

Indian Thali: Riot of Flavors and Tastes


 It is like putting the sample of the whole menu in one place If you are an Indian, you probably know the different Indian Thalis found across the geography of India. If you are a visitor, you need to know that there is no single Indian Thali. Each region of India has its own version...

Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit and Chinese Saber-rattling


By Paul Heer The Taiwan Strait Crisis of 2022 has begun. It is not yet clear how it will unfold, or when and how it will abate. What is clear is that it was wholly avoidable. And it probably will deepen the gulf in the U.S.-China relationship, which was sorely in need of efforts to...