SEOUL / AP In his first public remarks abroad as US defense secretary, Jim Mattis on Thursday criticized North Korea for provocative acts and said he would consult with South Korean and Japanese officials about whether the current strategy for getting the North to curtail or eliminate its nuclear and missile programs is adequate. Mattis spoke to reporters aboard …

  PARIS / AP Francois Fillon’s embattled right-wing candidacy for the French presidency faced more revelations on Thursday casting doubt on the legitimacy of his wife’s taxpayer-funded work and fueling questions about whether the former front-runner’s campaign is now damaged beyond repair. Allegations that Penelope Fillon was handsomely paid as a parliamentary aide, first reported by French weekly Canard Enchaine …

Bloomberg Toyota Motor Corp. led major carmakers reporting lower US sales in January, even as an industry trying for another record year piled on discounts to keep showrooms busy. Deliveries fell about 11 percent for both Toyota and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV. Sales also dropped for General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co., pacing a 1.8 percent decrease for the …