Ankara / AP The Turkish parliament on Tuesday began debating a hugely controversial bill that would strip dozens of deputies of their parliamentary immunity and which pro-Kurdish deputies say is directly aimed at driving them out of the legislature. The debates, which could prove fiery, are to begin at around midday GMT in the main chamber, with a final vote …

  Seoul / AFP South Korea’s defence ministry said on Tuesday it was pushing to scrap nearly all existing exemptions to mandatory military service, citing a shortfall in the number of conscripts. Some 28,000 able-bodied men are exempted every year, either because of the nature of their academic studies, or because they opt to serve their time in the police …

  Washington / AFP The State Department has urged Americans to avoid all travel to North Korea, warning that US citizens making the trip risk long and “unduly harsh” imprisonment if they fall foul of laws in the hermit state. At least 14 US citizens have been detained by Pyongyang over the past decade, according to Washington. “The State Department …