U.S.-backed forces capture big gas field in Syria’s Deir al-Zor: senior commander
AMMAN (Reuters) – U.S.-backed forces said on Saturday they had seized a major natural gas field in Syria’s Deir al-Zor province from Islamic State militants in rapid advances since the start of an operation earlier this month to capture areas east of t…
Small North Korean quake likely natural, not nuclear test: experts
BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) – A small earthquake near North Korea’s nuclear test site on Saturday was probably not manmade, the nuclear proliferation watchdog and a South Korean official said, easing fears Pyongyang had exploded another nuclear bomb just w…
U.S. army probes fake evacuation orders sent to U.S. military, families in South Korea
SEOUL (Reuters) – The U.S. military said on Saturday it has opened an investigation into fake mobile phone alerts and social media messages advising U.S. military personnel and their families to evacuate the Korean Peninsula.
China says small North Korean quake ‘suspected explosion’, South Korea says likely natural
BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) – China said a magnitude 3.4 earthquake detected in North Korea on Saturday was a “suspected explosion”, raising fears the isolated state had conducted another nuclear bomb test just weeks after its last one.
Lithuania gets minority government as junior partner leaves
VILNIUS (Reuters) – Lithuania’s government lost its majority in parliament on Saturday after the junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, decided to jump ship after less than a year in power.
Turkey plans security steps over Iraqi Kurdish referendum
ISTANBUL/BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Turkey said on Saturday it would take security and other steps in response to a planned independence referendum in northern Iraq’s Kurdish region that it called a “terrible mistake”, as a Kurdish delegation arrived in Baghd…
In Mexico, frantic rescuers keep up search for quake survivors
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – An army of trained rescuers and scores of volunteers carefully combed through the rubble of Mexico’s most deadly earthquake in decades on Saturday, hoping against diminishing odds to pull more survivors out nearly four days afte…
New Zealand’s ruling party ahead so far with comfortable lead
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand’s ruling National Party enjoyed a wide lead over the Labour Party with 70 percent of results counted in the country’s general election on Saturday after the most hotly contested race in recent history.
China says North Korean quake ‘suspected explosion’, South Korea says likely a natural quake
SHANGHAI/SEOUL (Reuters) – China’s earthquake administration said on Saturday it had detected a magnitude 3.4 earthquake in North Korea that was a “suspected explosion”, raising fears the isolated state had conducted another nuclear bomb test.
Failing dam creates new crisis on Puerto Rico amid flooding from Hurricane Maria
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) – Emergency officials in Puerto Rico raced on Saturday to evacuate tens of thousands of people from a river valley below a dam in the island’s northwest, which is on the verge of collapse under the weight of flooding in …
