BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) – A small earthquake near North Korea’s nuclear test site on Saturday was probably not manmade, the nuclear proliferation watchdog and a South Korean official said, easing fears Pyongyang had exploded another nuclear bomb just weeks after its last one.
http://reut.rs/2wcc9XH
U.S.-backed forces capture big gas field in Syria’s Deir al-Zor: senior commander
AMMAN (Reuters) – U.S.-backed forces on Saturday seized a major natural gas field in Syria’s Deir al-Zor province from Islamic State militants after days of fighting close to the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, a group commander said.
http://reut.rs/2wcc7ix
Iran says tests new missile, after U.S. criticizes arms program
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran said on Saturday it had successfully tested a new ballistic missile with a range of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) and would keep developing its arsenal, despite U.S. pressure to stop.
http://reut.rs/2wddsp0
China says small North Korean quake ‘suspected explosion’, South Korea says likely natural
BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) – China said a magnitude 3.4 earthquake detected in North Korea on Saturday was a “suspected explosion”, raising fears the isolated state had conducted another nuclear bomb test just weeks after its last one.
http://reut.rs/2fhUo2o
U.S. army probes fake evacuation orders sent to U.S. military, families in South Korea
SEOUL (Reuters) – The U.S. military said on Saturday it has opened an investigation into fake mobile phone alerts and social media messages advising U.S. military personnel and their families to evacuate the Korean Peninsula.
http://reut.rs/2fhyzjr
Turkey plans security steps over Iraqi Kurdish referendum
ISTANBUL/BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Turkey said on Saturday it would take security and other steps in response to a planned independence referendum in northern Iraq’s Kurdish region that it called a “terrible mistake”, as a Kurdish delegation was in Baghdad for talks on the crisis.
http://reut.rs/2fiiWrO
Merkel, Schulz urge undecided Germans to vote with far right gaining
BERLIN/GREIFSWALD, Germany (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel, poised to win a fourth term in Sunday’s election, urged supporters on Saturday to keep fighting for votes with a third of the electorate still undecided.
http://reut.rs/2fhR0Vf
