Two EU agencies to leave London

BRUSSELS - European Union leaders will decide this fall where to move EU banking and medical agencies that they are pulling out of London due to Brexit, using a voting system some liken to the Eurovision song contest.

'Female Rasputin' jailed for three years

SEOUL - The friend of former South Korean president Park Geun-hye, who was at the center of an influence-peddling scandal that rocked the country's business and political elite, has been sentenced to three years in jail, Yonhap News Agency reported on Friday.

IN BRIEF

NATO jet buzzes minister's plane

MOSCOW/BRUSSELS - A NATO F-16 fighter jet buzzed a plane carrying Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as it flew over the Baltic Sea, but was seen off by a Russian Sukhoi-27 military jet, Russia said on Wednesday, an account partly disputed by NATO.

IS extremists blow up iconic Mosul mosque

IRBIL, Iraq - The Islamic State group destroyed Mosul's 12th century Grand al-Nuri Mosque and its iconic leaning minaret known as al-Hadba when fighters detonated explosives inside the structures on Wednesday night, the country's Ministry of Defense said.

Airport stabbing investigated as terror

FLINT, Michigan - A Canadian man from Tunisia shouted in Arabic before stabbing a police officer in the neck at a Michigan airport on Wednesday, is now being investigated as an act of terrorism, federal and court officials said.

Philippines, neighbors to jointly fight militants

MANILA - The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia are planning to closely cooperate to halt the flow of militants, weapons, funds and extremist propaganda across their borders amid alarm over recent attacks in their region.

Abused children find little shelter as Japan lags behind

TOKYO - Every year, more than 20,000 abused, delinquent, developmentally challenged or otherwise troubled Japanese children needing emergency housing pass through a system of shelters.

Berlin Zoo says Chinese pandas will 'feel at home'

BERLIN - Berlin Zoo is building a "paradise" for two pandas due to arrive on Saturday from China to make them "feel at home," the zoo's director said on Wednesday.

Feather use may be done and dusted

HANOI, Vietnam - Fluffy, soft and easy to buy off the back of a bike: Vietnam's chicken feather dusters have ruled the roost for generations. But artisans fear for their future as buyers turn to cheaper alternatives.

Race on to close stolen supercar pipeline

BANGKOK - Dozens of supercars including Lamborghinis, Porsches and BMWs have been stolen from the streets of the United Kingdom and shipped to Thailand in a complex scam that police from both countries are now rushing to dismantle.

Famous clipper pulls in record tourist crowd

LONDON - A sailing ship built almost 150 years ago to rush consignments of tea from China to Britain has seen record numbers of Chinese tourists catching a glimpse of maritime history.