Philippines raises terror alert after foiled Manila bomb plot
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines has raised its terror alert to its highest level after police said they had discovered a plot by Islamic State-linked militants to attack a park, following a foiled bombing near the U.S. embassy this week.
Turkey, Russia see need for Aleppo truce but divisions remain
ALANYA, Turkey (Reuters) – Turkey and Russia, two of the main backers of opposing sides in Syria’s civil war, said on Thursday they agreed on the need for a halt to fighting and the provision of aid in Aleppo but deep divisions remain between them over…
Putin curbs anti-Western rhetoric, says wants to get on with Trump
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin struck an unusually conciliatory tone in his annual state of the nation address on Thursday, saying Moscow wanted to get on with the incoming U.S. administration and was looking to make friends not enemies.
Net migration from EU to Britain hit record high ahead of EU vote
LONDON (Reuters) – Net migration from the European Union to Britain hit a record high in the 12 months running up to June’s referendum vote to leave the bloc, in which concerns about immigration motivated many Brexit voters.
China’s top social messaging app censors users abroad: report
BEIJING (Reuters) – Censorship on China’s top social messaging app WeChat goes beyond the country’s borders, according to a report released on Thursday, with messages containing sensitive terms that are sent from overseas to mainland-linked accounts be…
Reunited in death: Fidel Castro’s remains rest at Che Guevara mausoleum
SANTA CLARA, Havana (Reuters) – One of history’s best known double acts was temporarily reunited on Wednesday, when Fidel Castro’s ashes arrived at a mausoleum housing the bones of his fellow revolutionary, Ernesto “Che” Guevara, part of a three-day co…
Indonesia tightens security before protest against Jakarta governor
JAKARTA (Reuters) – More than 100,000 Indonesians are expected to rally on Friday to call for the arrest of the Christian governor of the capital, Jakarta, for alleged blasphemy, as police staged drills and prepared water cannon after violence at a pro…
Ukraine says missile tests will avoid Crimea, mollifying Russia
KIEV/MOSCOW (Reuters) – Ukraine’s military said its two-day missile drill starting on Thursday would avoid the airspace over Crimea, sidestepping a possible confrontation with Russia which annexed the peninsula in 2014.
China says new North Korea sanctions not meant to harm ‘normal’ trade
BEIJING (Reuters) – New U.N. Security Council sanctions on North Korea, imposed after its fifth and largest nuclear test in September, are not intended to harm “normal” trade with the isolated country nor affect civilians, China’s Foreign Ministry said…
Fire and loathing in former stronghold of South Korea’s Park
DAEGU, South Korea (Reuters) – Hours after South Korean President Park Geun-hye offered to step down over a corruption scandal that has left her struggling for political survival, a fire destroyed a sprawling century-old market in her hometown, just bl…
