WORLD

Istanbul, Turkey | AFP | The Turkish government on Sunday strongly defended a plan to let state-approved clerics conduct marriage ceremonies, rejecting fierce criticism that this would undermine the modern republic’s secular foundations. Turkey is mainly Muslim but officially is a secular state. Under its current laws, even religiously observant couples …

Sydney, Australia | AFP | Australia has foiled an Islamist-inspired terrorist plot to bring down an aircraft with an improvised explosive device, authorities said Sunday, after four people were arrested in raids across Sydney. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the plot appeared to be “elaborate” rather than planned by a …

Moscow, Russia | AFP |  President Vladimir Putin on Sunday said the United States would have to cut 755 diplomatic staff in Russia and warned of a prolonged gridlock in its ties after the US Congress backed new sanctions against the Kremlin. Putin added bluntly that Russia was able to …

Washington, United States | AFP |  North Korea said Sunday its latest ICBM launch was a “warning” over efforts to slap sanctions on the hermit state, as the US carried out a successful test of its missile defense system in a pointed show of force. A bilateral mission led by …

Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile test has prompted the South to speed up the deployment of a US missile defence system, Seoul’s defence minister said Saturday, despite strong protests from China. The US military will also roll out “strategic assets” to the South …

Islamabad, Pakistan | AFP |  Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif named his brother Shahbaz, the chief minister of Punjab province, as his successor and nominated ex-oil minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as an interim premier in a defiant speech Saturday. “I support Shahbaz Sharif after me but he will take …

Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea on Friday carried out what appeared to be its second test this month of an intercontinental ballistic missile, doubling down on its threat to develop a nuclear strike capability against the US mainland in the face of severe warnings from President Donald …

Washington, United States | AFP | In a long career as a maverick Republican, it may have been John McCain’s defining moment. Donald Trump and his Republicans had rejoiced when the cancer-stricken senator returned to Washington this week to vote on health care. But the feisty elder statesman and long-time …

Washington, United States | AFP | The heads of the US and South Korean militaries discussed “military response options” after North Korea test launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, the Pentagon said Friday. General Joe Dunford, who is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Admiral Harry Harris, who heads the …

Washington, United States | AFP |  The US and South Korean militaries conducted a live-fire exercise using surface-to-surface missiles in response to North Korea’s test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, the US Army said Friday. The joint exercise, which occurred Saturday morning South Korea time, came shortly after officials said …