Philippines says China vessels have left Scarborough Shoal
MANILA (Reuters) – Chinese ships are no longer at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea and Philippine boats can resume fishing, the Philippine defense minister said on Friday, calling the Chinese departure a “welcome development”.
U.N.’s Ban to open Cyprus talks in Switzerland next month
ATHENS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will launch a new phase of peace talks between the leaders of ethnically-split Cyprus in Switzerland on Nov. 7, the United Nations said on Friday.
Airstrike in Afghanistan causes civilian casualties
JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) – An airstrike in Afghanistan on Friday hit the home of a Taliban commander in the eastern province of Nangarhar and caused several civilian casualties, government and insurgent spokesmen said.
In Germany, Syrians find mosques too conservative
COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) – Hani Salam escaped civil war in Syria and survived the journey from Egypt to Europe. But when he saw men with bushy long beards at a mosque near his current home in Cologne last November, he was worried.
Thailand’s crown prince to fly abroad, return next month: sources
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will fly overseas on Friday night and return home next month, three senior military sources with knowledge of the matter said, two weeks after the death of his father, the revered King Bhu…
Myanmar probes Rohingya Muslim’s death in custody during military operation
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar is investigating the death in custody of a 60-year-old Rohingya Muslim, the office of President Htin Kyaw said, as a security sweep in the country’s northwest is increasingly beset by allegations of human rights abuses.
Dutch far right’s Geert Wilders: I will boycott “political” trial
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Geert Wilders, the Dutch anti-Islam opposition leader, said on Friday that he refuses to attend his trial next week and that he sees it as politically motivated.
Malaysia to buy navy vessels from China in blow to U.S.
MANILA/KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia will sign a contract to purchase Littoral Mission Ships from China when Prime Minister Najib Razak visits Beijing next week, according to a Facebook posting by the country’s Ministry of Defence.
Myanmar investigators dismiss missing plane reports, end search
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar has halted an investigation into unconfirmed reports of an aircraft crashing into the sea off the country’s west coast on Friday, a senior official with the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) said.
Hungary’s PM threatens to sue EU over mandatory migrant quotas
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungary will sue the European Commission and resist mandatory migrant resettlement quotas if Brussels does not take them off the agenda, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday.
