Vietnam says no to foreign military base on its soil
HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnam said on Thursday it would not allow other countries to set up military bases there, just days after Russia said it was considering reopening Soviet-era bases in Vietnam and Cuba.
Russia completes delivery of S-300 air defense missiles to Iran: RIA
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has completed the delivery of S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran, RIA news agency quoted Russia’s state arms export agency as saying on Thursday.
France’s Hollande says ready to take part in four-way Ukraine talks
PARIS (Reuters) – French President Francois Hollande is ready to take part in talks over the Ukraine crisis with the leaders of Russia, Germany and Ukraine in the coming days, his office said on Thursday.
Assad says hopes Russia can change Turkey’s policy towards Syria
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Thursday that his country’s only hope was that a rapprochement between Russia and Turkey would allow Moscow to change Ankara’s policy towards Syria.
Austria says EU emergency border checks must be extended
LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) – Austria said on Thursday emergency border checks imposed within Europe’s free travel zone during the migrant crisis should be extended beyond the mid-November deadline as the bloc does not yet have the situation under control.
China rejects British concerns over ‘legal interference’ in Hong Kong
BEIJING (Reuters) – China expressed anger on Thursday after Britain’s foreign minister said he continued to have concerns about legal interference by Beijing in Hong Kong despite pledges to the contrary.
Charity groups ask court to halt Calais migrant camp closure in France
LILLE/PARIS (Reuters) – Several charity organizations have asked a court in France to halt the imminent closure of the notorious “Jungle” migrant camp where thousands of refugees live in the port city of Calais, many of them desperate to get across the…
Philippine police lower death toll in drugs war to below 2,300
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine police have said nearly 2,300 people have died in President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs since July, down from an earlier estimate of 3,600, after investigations into the near-daily killings.
Japan protests over signs of renewed Chinese gas exploration
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan has protested to China over signs it is pressing ahead with maritime gas exploration in the East China Sea despite Tokyo’s repeated requests to stop, Japan’s top government spokesman said on Wednesday.
Japan to expand Djibouti military base to counter Chinese influence
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan will lease additional land next year to expand a military base in Djibouti, eastern Africa, as a counterweight to what it sees as growing Chinese influence in the region, three Japanese government sources said.
