Explosion in Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, one person hurt: TASS
MOSCOW (Reuters) – There was an explosion in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don early on Thursday, and one person was hurt, a law enforcement source told TASS news agency.
China blocks visit by Australian MPs because of rights criticism: sources
SYDNEY (Reuters) – China called off a visit by two Australian politicians after it took offense to a letter that called on it to address allegations of human right abuses, two sources familiar with the planned tour told Reuters on Thursday.
Nightmare looms for transgender Thais at army draft
BANGKOK (Reuters) – A group of young transgender Thais sits together in women’s clothes behind rows of men, waiting for military officers to call their names and decide whether they must be drafted as soldiers.
Turkish warplanes strike Kurdish militants, eight killed: governor
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – Turkish F-16 warplanes launched air strikes on Kurdish militants in southeast Turkey on Wednesday, killing eight of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters, a provincial governor’s office said.
Thousands evacuated in New Zealand amid Cyclone Debbie floods
WELLINGTON/SYDNEY (Reuters) – Rescue workers used tractors and boats to evacuate thousands of people at the top of New Zealand’s North Island on Thursday as flood waters from ex-Cyclone Debbie surged in what meteorologists said was a once-in-500 year e…
Australia says has information on possible Gallipoli terror attack
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia said on Thursday it had received information that terrorists may be planning to attack a World War One commemoration service at Gallipoli in Turkey later in the month.
Japan education reforms stir memories of wartime indoctrination
TOKYO (Reuters) – A push for patriotic content on the ethics syllabus on Japanese schools is rekindling fears that children will be taught to take a less critical view of the country’s militarist past and a more submissive attitude to government.
Australia, PNG to discuss future of controversial asylum seeker camp
SYDNEY (Reuters) – The future of an Australia’s controversial asylum-seeker detention center in Papua New Guinea will be discussed during a two-day visit by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to the Pacific island nation starting Friday.
Little progress reining in North Korea, U.S. commander says before Trump-Xi summit
TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) – Diplomatic and economic measures taken to rein in North Korea’s missile program have not had the desired effect, a senior U.S. military commander said on Thursday after the North’s latest test triggered a flurry of calls among w…
French presidential front-runner Macron urges military intervention in Syria
PARIS (Reuters) – French centrist Emmanuel Macron sought to establish his presidential credentials on Thursday by calling for international military intervention against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if he is proved to have used chemical weapons.
