Thailand to hold election in November 2018: prime minister
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand will hold a general election in November 2018, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Tuesday, the most precise date he has given yet for the vote since taking power in a 2014 military coup.
Russia accuses U.S. of pretending to fight Islamic State in Syria, Iraq
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia accused the United States on Tuesday of pretending to fight Islamic State and of deliberately reducing its air strikes in Iraq to allow the group’s militants to stream into Syria to slow the Russian-backed advance of the Syria…
Taiwan president pledges to defend freedoms despite China pressure
TAIPEI (Reuters) – President Tsai Ing-wen vowed on Tuesday to defend Taiwan’s freedom and democracy amid growing pressure from giant neighbor China, using a National Day speech to warn that the self-ruled island would not bow to pressure.
Fukushima court rules Tepco, government liable over 2011 disaster: media
TOKYO (Reuters) – A district court in Fukushima prefecture on Tuesday ruled that Tokyo Electric Power and the Japanese government were liable for damages totaling about 500 million yen ($4.44 million) in the largest class action lawsuit brought over th…
Bangladesh detains leaders of Islamist party for militant ‘plot’
DHAKA (Reuters) – Bangladesh police have detained several top leaders of the country’s largest Islamist party in a crackdown against the opposition that the government blames for inciting militancy but which says it is being unfairly targeted.
Japan’s Abe takes aim at new parties in opening shots of election campaign
TOKYO (Reuters) – Election campaigning began in earnest in Japan on Tuesday with conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe aiming to shake off suspected cronyism scandals and repulse the challenge from an upstart new party to extend his near-five year ho…
Rohingya insurgent ceasefire ends in Myanmar with no report of attacks
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar authorities said there was no sign of attacks by Rohingya Muslim militants on Tuesday as a one-month insurgent ceasefire came to end.
Ten million Australians vote so far in same-sex marriage poll
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Ten million Australians, or 62.5 percent of eligible voters, have cast their votes so far in a postal ballot on whether same-sex marriage should be legalized, the Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday.
Taiwan President Tsai pledges to defend island’s freedoms
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen vowed to defend her island’s freedom and democracy on Tuesday, using a National Day speech to warn that Taiwan would not bow to pressure.
Australian High Court sits to resolve lawmakers’ citizenship crisis
CANBERRA (Reuters) – Australia’s High Court began a three-day hearing on Tuesday to determine the eligibility of seven lawmakers who may hold dual citizenship, a case that could determine whether the government is able to maintain its razor-thin majori…
