Erdogan calls lira plunge a political 'plot'

ANKARA - The plunge of Turkish lira is "a plot against Turkey" and the country will seek new partners and markets if the United States does not back down on its hostile policy, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

Russia to ditch holdings of US securities in response to sanctions

MOSCOW - Russia will further decrease its holdings of US securities in response to new sanctions against Moscow but has no plans to shut down US companies in Russia, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on state TV on Sunday, RIA news agency reported.

IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Abe election rival vows to regain trust

The Liberal Democratic Party's former secretary-general Shigeru Ishiba has thrown down the gauntlet to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for the party's leadership in an election slated for September.

NASA launches spacecraft to 'touch sun'

TAMPA - NASA on Sunday blasted off a $1.5 billion spacecraft toward the sun on a historic mission to protect the Earth by unveiling the mysteries of dangerous solar storms.

China helping mine potential for Afghan development amid shadow of insecurity

Mineral resources bring great potential for the economic development of Afghanistan and could contribute greatly to the country's self-reliance.

Saudi-led coalition blasts rebels for recruiting children

ADEN, Yemen - The Saudi Arabia-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthi rebels announced that it had rescued 86 child soldiers, blasting the group for violating the international laws by recruiting children in the war-torn Arab country.

Erdogan criticizes US metal tariffs

WASHINGTON - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said it was wrong of the United States to try to bring Turkey into line with threats, a day after President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Turkish metal imports as relations between the two NATO allies have sunk to their lowest point in decades.

FBI seeks motive for plane crash

SEATTLE - Federal authorities on Saturday were seeking to learn what drove an airline worker to steal an empty airplane from Seattle's airport in a security scare that caused the scrambling of US fighter jets and ended when the plane crashed.

3 Chinese injured in Pakistan suicide blast

ISLAMABAD - A suicide attack injured six people, including three Chinese workers, in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province on Saturday, the Chinese Embassy to Pakistan said.

Okinawa base plan met with protest

TOKYO - Tens of thousands of people rallied on Saturday in Naha, capital of the Okinawa prefecture in Japan, to protest against the central government's plan to relocate a US military base in the island.

Caspian Sea countries sign landmark deal, diffuse tension

AKTAU, Kazakhstan - The leaders of the five states bordering the resource-rich Caspian Sea signed a landmark deal on Sunday on the legal status of the inland sea which boasts a wealth of oil and gas reserves and sturgeon.