AP, South Korea
South Korea exploded a front-line guard post Thursday, sending plumes of thick, black smoke into the sky above the border with North Korea, in the most dramatic scene to date in the rivals’ efforts to reduce animosities that sparked last year’s fears of war.
Putin to meet Pence in Singapore
Reuters, Singapore
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on the sidelines of an international conference in Singapore on Thursday, a source in the Russian delegation there said. Earlier, Pence and Moon were meeting on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit hosted by Singapore.
Taliban kill 30 Afghan cops in Farah Province
AP, Kabul
A blistering overnight attack by the Taliban on an Afghan police outpost in western Farah province killed 30 policemen, Afghan officials said Thursday.
It was the latest in a series of brutal and near-daily Taliban assaults on the military and police forces, government and other installations throughout the country. The resurgent Taliban, who in recent years have taken over nearly half of Afghanistan, did not comment on the attack in Farah.
Kuwait halts flights as rains lash region
AFP, Kuwait City
Kuwait on Thursday halted flights at its international airport after heavy rains flooded the Gulf state’s capital, diverting incoming flights to neighbouring countries not affected by deadly storms. “Rains overnight Wednesday submerged main passages at the airport, resulting in diverting several incoming flights to Dubai, Bahrain and Dammam airports,” said the head of Kuwait’s civil aviation, Sheikh Salman al-Sabah.
African swine fever spreads in China
AFP, Shanghai
African swine fever has spread rapidly to more than half of China’s provinces despite measures to contain it, the government said, warning that a situation previously described as under control had become “very serious.”
The disease has already caused a spike in pork prices in China since first emerging in August, and fuelled growing fears of a major impact on the world’s largest pig producer.
