News Briefs

Russian missile strikes kill at least 23 civilians in south Ukraine - local officials

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (Reuters) -Missiles slammed into a car market in southern Ukraine on Friday, killing at least 23 people in a convoy of civilian vehicles and leaving bloodied bodies strewn across the ground in an attack local officials blamed on Russia.

Uyghur leader urges Japan to join call for UN debate on alleged abuses in China

Japan needs to do more than make an "empty promise" to stop human rights abuses in China, the leader of the largest ethnic Uyghur group in exile said in Tokyo on Friday.

Iran protests over young woman's death continue, 83 said killed

DUBAI (Reuters) -Protests continued in several cities across Iran on Thursday against the death of young woman in police custody, state and social media reported, as a human rights group said at least 83 people had been killed in nearly two weeks of demonstrations.

Indonesian navy denies it requested payments to release ships

The Indonesian navy hasn't requested or received money to release detained vessels or ship captains, a senior naval officer said, responding to a Reuters report quoting captains saying they were held by the navy in an extortion scheme.

Finland to join European neighbours in shutting out Russian tourists

HELSINKI/VAALIMAA, Finland (Reuters) -Finland said on Thursday it would close its border to Russian tourists at midnight, shutting off the last remaining direct land route to the European Union for them as thousands of Russians seek to avoid conscription into the war in Ukraine.

Civilians killed in Ukraine convoy attack as Putin to proclaim rule over seized land

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (Reuters) -A missile attack on a convoy of cars in southern Ukraine killed a number of civilians on Friday, hours before President Vladimir Putin was due to proclaim Moscow's rule over lands it has seized in his invasion.