Reuters

(Reuters) - Ukraine launched drones on several Russian regions in hours leading to Wednesday morning, Russian officials said, with unofficial Russian news outlets reporting a fire at the Ryazan oil refinery after the attack.

Pavel Malkov, governor or the Ryazan region, which shares a border with the Moscow region in its northwestern parts, said that there were no injuries in the drone attacks there.

Russian Telegram channel Baza, which... (continue reading...)

By Lewis Jackson

SYDNEY (Reuters) -South Korea has held talks on joining a part of the AUKUS defence deal between the U.S., Britain and Australia, Defence Minister Shin Won-sik said on Wednesday, only weeks after the pact said it would hold formal talks on Japan's entry.

AUKUS, formed by the three countries in 2021, is part of efforts to push back against China's growing power in the Asia Pacific region.

"During today's meeting... (continue reading...)

By Lewis Jackson

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia will spend almost A$1 billion on payments for those fleeing domestic violence and introduce new measures to police pornography and violence on the internet in response to what the government is calling a "national crisis" of gendered violence.

Thousands took to the streets on Saturday to protest violence against women, which the government says has killed a woman every four days this year.... (continue reading...)

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Retired diplomat Maris Sangiampongsa has been endorsed as the country's new foreign minister by Thailand's king, the official Royal Gazette said on Wednesday.

Maris, 65, is a former Thai ambassador to Australia and Canada and was an adviser to predecessor Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, who unexpectedly resigned on Sunday after he lost his deputy prime minister position in a cabinet reshuffle.

The appointment comes at a... (continue reading...)

BEIJING (Reuters) -China on Wednesday launched sea trials for the Fujian, its third and most advanced aircraft carrier, state media reported.

The start of tests by the Chinese navy came nearly two years after the aircraft carrier was first unveiled in June 2022.

The Fujian, entirely designed and built domestically, is larger and more advanced than the Shandong, commissioned in late 2019, and the Liaoning, which China bought second-hand from... (continue reading...)