The Dutch finance minister has pulled out of a big investment conference in Saudi Arabia over the "very serious" disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the government said Thursday.

A pro-government Turkish newspaper on Thursday pointed a finger at a Saudi security official close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as Riyadh's ally Washington kept up its cautious stance.

A 15-year-old boy was the youngest to die when a teenage gunman attacked his college in the Crimean city of Kerch, while at least nine of the dead were minors, authorities said.

Five Czech soldiers have been injured in an attack in Afghanistan only two months after three others were killed, the Czech defence ministry said on Thursday.

Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed Thursday she was open to extending a Brexit transition period if it helped unblock negotiations, after EU leaders repeated that Britain must do more to avoid crashing out of the bloc without a deal.

Australia's embattled centre-right government faces a make-or-break test this weekend, with by-election voters in Sydney's wealthy beachside suburbs apparently poised to wipe out Prime Minister Scott Morrison's slender parliamentary majority.

European Union leaders are set to push ahead with plans to boost cooperation with North African countries and beef up the bloc's borders in an effort to stop migrants entering Europe.

A draft statement prepared for their summit Thursday emphasizes the need to step up cooperation with countries that people leave and transit through to seek shelter or better lives in Europe.

Cypriot low-cost carrier Cobalt Air announced it was cancelling all flights from Thursday after just two years in operation, leaving passengers stranded and scrambling to get their money back.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis is set to meet his Chinese counterpart Thursday after earlier talks were scrapped amid soaring tensions between the nuclear powers over trade tariffs and sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin starts his first state visit to Uzbekistan under new leadership on Thursday as the Kremlin attempts to recalibrate a once thorny relationship with billions of dollars in business deals.