Merkel surprises US with frank talk on relations

BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel underlined her doubts about the reliability of the United States as an ally on Monday but said she was a "convinced transatlanticist", fine-tuning her message after surprising Washington with her frankness a day earlier.

S. Korea orders investigation into extra THAAD launchers

SEOUL - South Korean President Moon Jae-in has ordered an investigation into the unauthorized delivery of four THAAD anti-missile launchers in addition to two deployed by the United States military before his election, his spokesman said on Tuesday.

Kenya's economy on track, gathering steam

NAIROBI - A railway built by the British government to tighten control over its African colony eventually played a part in ending its rule. This is one oddity Kenya's meter gauge railway has left for historians.

Peacekeepers 'need help' as dangers grow

NEW YORK - Peacekeepers across the world are having to cope with increasingly dangerous environments and need help to do their work, according to the head of the United Nations.

Police say gunman kills eight

BROOKHAVEN, Mississippi - A man who got into an argument with his estranged wife and her family over his children was arrested in a house-to-house shooting rampage in rural Mississippi that left eight people dead, including his mother-in-law and a sheriff's deputy.

MI5 launches internal probe over Manchester attack warnings

MANCHESTER - Britain's MI5 intelligence service launched an internal inquiry on Monday into whether vital clues were missed in the run-up to the Manchester suicide bombing, as police arrested another man in connection with the attack.

Shark leaps into boat, lands on Australian fisherman

CANBERRA, Australia - A 73-year-old Australian fisherman said on Monday that he caught a far bigger fish than he hoped for when a 2.7-meter great white shark leapt into his boat, knocking him off his feet.

IN BRIEF

Xi offers flood victims help, condolences

President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence to his Sri Lankan counterpart Maithripala Sirisena on Sunday after flooding and a landslide left more than 150 people dead.

IN BRIEF

Ballet's goal on firm footing

BEIJING - For Japanese ballerina Yoko Morishita, performing The White-Haired Girl went way beyond an intriguing mix of Western art and a Chinese story.

RIP Mr. Bond: 007 actor dead at age 89

LONDON - Actor Roger Moore, who earned international fame playing British secret agent James Bond in seven movies, died of cancer on Tuesday at the age of 89, his family said.