Pope Francis is allowing all priests to absolve women of the “grave sin” of abortion, extending indefinitely special permission he had granted for the duration of the just-ended Holy Year of Mercy. Francis wrote in the Apostolic Letter made public by the Vatican on Monday that “there is no sin… Read More

French anti-terrorism police have arrested seven people in Strasbourg and Marseille, the interior minister announced Monday, saying authorities thwarted a new potential attack. The raids were linked to a series of arrests in June during the European Championship soccer tournament that was held in cities across France, Interior Minister Bernard… Read More

President Vladimir Putin says Russia is working to develop new weapons to ensure a strategic balance. Putin, speaking to military leaders and arms makers in Sochi, said Friday that Russia, like other nations, is working on state-of-the art arms technologies, including laser, hypersonic and robotic weapons. He didn’t mention specific… Read More

A Munich court has rejected a U.S. soldier’s asylum application in Germany, arguing that he hasn’t exhausted all avenues to leave the military. Army Spc. Andre Shepherd deserted from his military base in southern Germany in 2007, claiming he wanted to avoid returning to Iraq where he feared being involved… Read More

Lithuania’s media watchdog says a Russian state-run television station will be temporarily suspended after a Russian politician made harsh anti-U.S. comments deemed as “incitement to war, discord and hatred.” Edmundas Vaitiekunas, chairman of Lithuania’s radio and TV commission, said Wednesday the RTR Planeta channel, the international service of Russian state-owned… Read More

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Wednesday to withdraw Russia from the International Criminal Court, which rules on such grave charges as genocide and crimes against humanity. Russia in 2000 signed the Rome treaty that established the Hague-based court but never ratified it. Putin’s decree, published on the Kremlin’s… Read More

The brightest moon in almost 69 years is lit up the sky in a treat for star watchers around the globe. The phenomenon known as the supermoon reached its peak luminescence in North America before dawn on Monday. Its zenith in Asia and the South Pacific was Monday night. Across the… Read More

Britain has approved the extradition of an alleged computer hacker who is accused of snatching data from the U.S. Defense Department, the U.S. Army and the FBI. Home Secretary Amber Rudd has authorized the extradition of 31-year-old Lauri Love, who faces 99 years in prison if found guilty on cyber-hacking… Read More

U.S. armed forces and the CIA may have committed war crimes by torturing detainees in Afghanistan, the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor says in a report, raising the possibility that American citizens could be indicted even though Washington has not joined the global court. “Members of US armed forces appear… Read More