Morning news brief

Craze for XXL snacks raises obesity fears in China

In China, a massive surge in junk food and snacks has sparked a new trend: giant retail stores dedicated entirely to XXL-sized snacks. But the craze is raising serious questions about obesity, in a country where 19 percent of children are now overweight.

As nation turns 250, many Americans say the Stars and Stripes is now a red flag

To fly or not to fly an American flag? That was never a question for Bruce Watson, who has put his national pride on display for years — and nudges neighbors in his small New England town to do the same. “I’m very proud of our flag,” the writer said.

Inside the Tiananmen Square activist’s daring escape to Canada from China by sea

Inside the Tiananmen Square activist’s daring escape to Canada from China by sea Chinese dissident Dong Guangping has finally reached Canada after a perilous escape from China - Bookmark Chinese dissident Dong Guangping has finally reached Canada, his long-sought destination, after an arduous 40-hour sea journey in a dinghy with a dying phone and subsequent detention in South Korea. His arrival late last week marks the culmination of more than a decade of perilous attempts to escape his...

‘Tit-for-tat US-Iran attacks appear to be over’