LOS ANGELES — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in May for the third straight month as rising mortgage rates and record-high prices discouraged many prospective homebuyers during what’s traditionally the housing market’s busiest period of the year. Existing home sales fell 0.7% last month from April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.11 million, the National Association of Realtors said Friday. Sales…

BATANGAS, Philippines — The Philippines is engaged in a major buildout of natural gas power at a time when scientists say the world needs to urgently phase out fossil fuel use because of climate change. Analysts say Filipinos will likely pay more for their electricity and that additional future needs could have been met with clean renewables. An Associated Press investigation found that a major…

U.S. government inspections of avocados and mangoes in the Mexican state of Michoacan will gradually resume MEXICO CITY — U.S. government inspections of avocados and mangoes in the Mexican state of Michoacan will gradually resume, U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar announced Friday, a week after they were suspended over an assault on inspectors. The U.S. Agriculture Department inspectors “will gradually begin to return to the packing…

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized the first menthol-flavored electronic cigarettes for adult smokers, acknowledging that vaping flavors can reduce the harms of traditional tobacco smoking. The FDA said it authorized four menthol e-cigarettes from Njoy, the vaping brand recently acquired by tobacco giant Altria, which also sells Marlboro cigarettes. The decision lends new credibility to vaping companies’ longstanding claim that…

Idaho librarian June Meissner was closing up for the day at the downtown Boise Public Library when a man approached her asking for help. As an information services librarian, answering patrons’ questions is part of Meissner’s day-to-day work, and serving the community is one of her favorite parts of the job. But when the man got close enough, “he took a swing at me and…

BENGALURU, India — Each year from June to September, a heavy band of rain makes its way from India’s southwest coast to its northeastern borders, quenching farmers’ thirsty fields. India’s monsoon season is arguably the single most important weather phenomenon for the country, and a good monsoon can noticeably boost the nation’s economy and the livelihoods of its 120 million farmers. But human-caused climate change…

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Democrats in California have agreed to delay a minimum wage increase for about 426,000 health care workers to help balance the state’s budget. The agreement between Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders is part of a larger plan to close an estimated $46.8 billion shortfall — the second year in a row the nation’s most populous state has had a multibillion-dollar deficit….

India and Bangladesh bolster ties as New Delhi tries to become a regional power. ByASHOK SHARMA Associated Press NEW DELHI — India and Bangladesh on Saturday moved to bolster their defense relationship and signed agreements for expanding cooperation in maritime security, ocean economy, space, and telecommunication sectors, as New Delhi tries to present itself as a regional power and a counterweight to China. The agreements…

NEW YORK — Weekend number two was just as joyous for “Inside Out 2.” The Pixar sequel collected $100 million in ticket sales in its second weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, setting a new record for an animated movie in its follow-up frame in theaters. The previous best second weekend for an animated title was the $92 million for “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”…

NEW YORK — The Washington Post’s new editor Robert Winnett never made it to his job, withdrawing Friday and deciding to stay in England in another upheaval at a news outlet where a reorganization plan has gone disastrously wrong. He’d been the subject of several published reports — including one in the newsroom that he sought to lead — that questioned whether he followed an…