Mattis out sooner than he expected

United States President Donald Trump said on Sunday he was replacing Secretary of Defense James Mattis earlier than had been expected. The abrupt call came just days after Mattis announced his resignation.

Macron calls for order after 'yellow vests' attack on police

PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron called for "order" on Sunday after a sixth weekend of "yellow vests" anti-government protests that saw dwindling participation and a violent attack on police in Paris.

ROK sends officials to DPRK to prepare for a joint ceremony

Seoul sent a delegation team to the DPRK on Monday, in preparations for a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday to connect railways and roads across the border between the two neighbors.

London airport open, but location of drone culprit up in the air

LONDON - London's Gatwick Airport operated without problems on Sunday, but the fugitive drone operators who brought incoming and outgoing flights to a standstill over multiple days remained at large and a potential threat after police cleared two local residents who were arrested as suspects.

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US govt shuts down over border

WASHINGTON - The US federal government was expected to remain partially shut down past Christmas as the standoff deepened on Saturday over US President Donald Trump's demand for funds to build a border wall with Mexico.

France's 'yellow vests' protests lose some steam after six weeks

The French mass movement, known as "yellow vests", ebbed considerably on Saturday as it entered the sixth straight weekend, likely appeased by the concessions made by President Emmanuel Macron and Christmas holidays.

Nissan's Ghosn to serve 10 more days

TOKYO - A Japanese court approved prosecutors' request on Sunday to keep Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn in detention for another 10 days.

Italy goes on holiday as security tightens

ROME - Millions of Italians and foreign holidaymakers got on the road on Saturday as authorities ramped up security measures at transportation hubs and tourist attractions ahead of the busy Christmas and New Year festivities.

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US allies rattled after Mattis resigns

The abrupt resignation of US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis sparked concern among Asia-Pacific allies who credit the retired general with building trust and tempering isolationist impulses, regional officials and analysts said on Friday.

Japan has record defense budget

Japan's military budget will swell to a record $47 billion for the next fiscal year, the government said on Friday, as Tokyo beefs up its missile defense and deploys stealth jets.