U.S., Turkish officials talk in Washington
WASHINGTON— U.S. and Turkish officials met Wednesday in Washington to try to resolve the crisis in relations over Turkey’s detention of Andrew Brunson, an American pastor, but neither side reported progress or gave any indication they were closer to a resolution.
Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal and counterparts from his government’s Finance Ministry met for less than an hour with Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said they “discussed a range of bilateral matters, including Pastor Brunson.”
Mr. Brunson, who has lived for 20 years in Turkey, was arrested in 2016 and charged with having terrorist connections and with complicity in a failed coup that year against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Earthquake rescue efforts
BANGSAL, Indonesia — Aid began reaching isolated areas of the Indonesian islands struggling after a powerful earthquake that killed at least 131 people, while rescuers Wednesday continued efforts to find the dead.
Rescue personnel erected more shelters for the tens of thousands left homeless on Lombok Sunday evening. Water, food and medical supplies were being distributed.
The military said five planes carrying food, medicine, blankets, tents and water tankers left Jakarta for Lombok on Wednesday.
U.S. watching Iranian navy
WASHINGTON— The United States is closely monitoring Iranian naval activity to ensure no shipping disruptions occur, a U.S. general said Wednesday.
Gen. Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, said a recent Iranian naval exercise appeared to be linked to President Donald Trump’s reimposition of sanctions in the wake of the U.S. exiting the countries’ nuclear deal.
The Iranian government described the exercise in the Strait of Hormuz as a routine exercise by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Maduro accuses enemies
CARACAS, Venezuela— President Nicolas Maduro has accused two opposition legislators of having roles in the drone attack that officials called an assassination attempt on the leader.
The head of Venezuela’s pro-government constitutional assembly says he will have the body take up a proposal Wednesday to strip the lawmakers of their immunity from prosecution.
During a national television broadcast Tuesday night, Mr. Maduro said statements from some of the six suspects already arrested point to financiers and others, including Julio Borges, a prominent opposition leader exiled in Colombia.
The president also named opposition lawmaker Juan Requesens, who was seen in a video on social media being arrested by Venezuela’s political police force.
Argentinian abortion vote
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentina on Wednesday prepared for a bid to broadly legalize abortion. The country is South America’s latest battleground over the procedure.
Crowds rallied outside Congress, separated by riot fences and police. Pro-abortion rights supporters waved green banners. Those against bore the light blue of the Argentine flag. Some demonstrators carried a giant, cardboard fetus.
Argentine law permits abortion only in the case of rape, when the mother is mentally disabled, or if there is serious risk to her health. An abortion for other reasons can land a woman in prison for four years.
Health professionals involved in the operation can go to prison for six years.