Officials say joint French-Cypriot naval maneuvers off Cyprus aim to assist the east Mediterranean island nation fulfill its duties as a sovereign country. French Defense Minister Florence Parly said in a tweet Saturday that the exercises would enable Cyprus to “assume its responsibilities in its sovereign waters.” Source Navy Times
An 18th-century historical madrasah in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be restored to its original appearance by a project launched by Turkey’s state-run aid agency. The Ottoman-era vizier İbrahim Pasha Madrasah began operation as a center for learning in 1706 and is located in Travnik city, popularly known as the City of Viziers, due to the fact that 77 such Ottoman officials originated from the town. Source Hurriyet Daily
US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has told the “wealthy country” it can afford to pay more for the stationing of US troops. Washington’s 28,500-strong military presence costs Seoul under $1 billion a year. Source Deutsche Welle
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has purchased $3.9-billion worth of seats from Russia to transport its astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS) since July 2011, says NASA Inspector General Paul Martin’s report published on NASA official website on Thursday. Source Tass
