Australians shelter from bushfires as political heat climbs
Firefighters battled hundreds of bushfires across Australia on Thursday as scores of blazes sprang up in new locations, triggering warnings that it was too late for some residents to evacuate.
Pentagon denies U.S. is considering pulling troops from South Korea
The Pentagon on Thursday denied a South Korean news report saying that the United States was considering a significant cut to its troop numbers in South Korea if Seoul does not contribute more to the costs of the deployment.
UK’s Labour may propose windfall tax on oil companies: BBC
Britain’s opposition Labour Party is expected to propose a windfall tax on oil companies if it wins the Dec. 12 election, the BBC reported on Thursday.
Factbox: Myanmar on trial for Rohingya genocide – the legal cases
A series of legal cases filed in recent weeks at courts across the globe have heaped pressure on Myanmar to answer for alleged atrocities committed against Rohingya Muslims during a brutal military-led crackdown two years ago.
China says Taiwan courting ‘disaster’ after election independence comment
The Chinese government warned self-ruled Taiwan on Thursday that it was courting “disaster”, after the running mate for President Tsai Ing-wen in January elections said he was working toward the island’s independence, a red line for Beijing.
Nepal’s ailing Prime Minister Oli reshuffles his cabinet
New ministers were inducted into Nepal’s government on Thursday as part of a cabinet reshuffle by ailing Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, who is trying to strengthen his grip, improve ties with a powerful ally and minimize internal party conflict.
North Korea says ‘not right time’ for Kim to attend South Korea ASEAN summit
North Korea rejected an invitation for leader Kim Jong Un to attend a planned summit in Seoul with Southeast Asian nations next week, saying “now is not the time” due to strained ties, North Korean state media reported on Thursday.
‘Never turning back’, PNG’s Bougainville separatists expect vote for independence
Twenty years after combatants snapped arrows to signal the end of hostilities in the Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville, voters will on Saturday cast ballots in a long-awaited independence referendum.
Visiting Thailand, Pope condemns exploitation of women and children
Pope Francis on Thursday condemned the exploitation of women and children in Thailand, which is notorious for its sex tourism, calling the violence, abuse and enslavement they suffer evils that must be uprooted.
Tuvalu rejects China offer to build islands and retains ties with Taiwan
Tuvalu’s foreign minister said on Thursday the South Pacific nation had rejected offers from Chinese companies to build artificial islands to help it cope with rising sea levels, an approach viewed as undermining Taiwan’s influence in the region.
