Seoul sees peninsula nuke issue a long-term challenge

SEOUL - The Republic of Korea's top diplomat on Monday saw the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula as the biggest long-term challenge as it takes time to achieve the goal of a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization.

Weakened Irma lashes Florida with wind, rain

TAMPA, Florida - A massive but weakened Hurricane Irma zeroed in on the Tampa Bay region on Monday after hammering much of Florida with roof-ripping winds, gushing floodwaters and widespread power outages.

No bride's dress: Guard couple tie knot amid chaos

ORLANDO, Florida - Lauren Durham had a poofy white dress and plans for an intimate beach wedding on the second weekend of September.

Mourners sob, sift wreckage of huge Mexico earthquake

JUCHIT DE ZARAGOZA, Mexico - Sobbing families followed coffins through the streets and picked nervously at the ruins of their homes on Sunday as help trickled in after an earthquake killed 90 people.

British lawmakers to vote on bill to avoid a 'chaotic' Brexit

LONDON - MPs were scheduled to hold their first vote on Monday on a bill to end United Kingdom's membership of the European Union, which ministers say will avoid a "chaotic" Brexit but has been condemned as an unprecedented power-grab.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Montana ranchers look to cash in on China ties

Craig Morgan, a stock grower in Belgrade, Montana, has been busy every day riding on horseback running his 125-year-old family ranch of 80,000 acres.

Merkel warns of consequences for European asylum laggards

FRANKFURT - Countries that fail to take part in the quota scheme for assigning asylum-seekers around the European Union could themselves be denied help in other areas, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday.

3,500-year-old tomb found in Luxor

LUXOR, Egypt - Egypt on Saturday announced the discovery in the southern city of Luxor of a pharaonic tomb belonging to a royal goldsmith who lived more than 3,500 years ago and whose work was dedicated to the ancient Egyptian god Amun.

IS trapped as forces move to clear Deir al-Zour

DAMASCUS, Syria - The Islamic State is rapidly losing ground in Syria's Deir al-Zour province, with the Russian-backed Syrian army and the United States-backed forces separately beating the extremist group.

ASEAN talks eye building broader links to create stronger community

MANILA - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its three East Asian dialogue partners China, Japan and South Korea on Sunday reaffirmed their aims of stepping up economic cooperation to build a stronger ASEAN Plus Three (APT) community.

Hurricane Irma bearing down on Florida Keys

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida - Hurricane Irma regained strength as it closed in on the Florida Keys early on Sunday and forecasters monitored a crucial shift in its trajectory - just a few more miles to the west - that could keep its ferocious eye off the southwest Florida coast and over warm Gulf water.