Papua New Guinea has 'human capital crisis', says World Bank
By Kirsty Needham SYDNEY (Reuters) - The World Bank has urged the largest Pacific Island nation, Papua New Guinea, to address a "human capital crisis" and invest more in educating children, who suffer high rates of stunted growth and illiteracy, a...
1h ago
South Korea parliament approves bill on new inquiry into deadly 2022 crowd crush
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's National Assembly voted on Thursday to approve a bill backed by the ruling and opposition parties to launch a fresh probe into the deadly Halloween crowd crush in the capital Seoul in 2022. An earlier bill, which was...
2h ago
Philippines summons Chinese diplomat over South China Sea flare-up
MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines summoned a Chinese diplomat on Thursday to protest Beijing's use of water cannon against Filipino vessels at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, describing it as harassment and "dangerous manoeuvres". Its for...
3h ago
Syrians accuse Russia of hitting hospital in new complaint filed with U.N. rights committee
BEIRUT (Reuters) - A Syrian man and an aid organisation have accused Russia of violating international law by deliberately bombing a hospital in northern Syria in 2019, in a new complaint filed at the United Nations Human Rights Committee this week...
3h ago
Road collapse in southern China kills 36, reports state media
(Reuters) - A collapse of an expressway section in China's Guangdong province caused vehicles to plunge and killed 36 people while injuring another 30, state media reported on Thursday, as millions in the country travel for the May Day holiday brea...
4h ago
Taiwan says may be hard to attend WHO assembly, Blinken offers support
By Ben Blanchard TAIPEI (Reuters) - It will be hard for Taiwan to attend this year's World Health Organization annual assembly, and it hopes more countries will support its presence, the island's foreign minister said on Thursday after the United S...
5h ago
Solomon Islands lawmakers select Manele as new prime minister
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Solomon Islands lawmakers selected a new prime minister in a secret ballot on Thursday, choosing foreign minister Jeremiah Manele, who has pledged to continue the Pacific Island nation's foreign policy that saw it grow close to C...
6h ago
Solomon Islands chooses Jeremiah Manele as new prime minister
By Kirsty Needham (Reuters) - Solomon Islands lawmakers selected a new prime minister in a secret ballot on Thursday, choosing foreign minister Jeremiah Manele, who has pledged to continue the Pacific Island nation's foreign policy that saw it grow...
6h ago
Biden blames China, Japan and India's economic woes on 'xenophobia'
By Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that "xenophobia" from China to Japan and India is hobbling their growth, as he argued that migration has been good for the U.S. economy. "One of the reasons why our e...
8h ago
Venezuela's Maduro says minimum income will be $130 per month
By Deisy Buitrago CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Wednesday that minimum income for workers will be $130 a month, without explaining what bonuses for public sector employees and pensioners will be included in that to...
8h ago
US Democrats press Biden to prevent Israeli assault on Rafah
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's administration faced renewed pressure on Wednesday from his fellow Democrats to influence Israel not to launch a full-scale invasion of Rafah, the city where almost half of the ...
9h ago
Israel's military chief of staff: We are 'preparing for an offensive in the north'
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's military chief of staff said on Wednesday that the offensive operation in Gaza "will continue with strength" and that Israel was "preparing for an offensive in the north". The head of the armed forces, Herzi Halevi, d...
9h ago
Missile strikes Ukrainian port of Odesa, 13 injured, regional governor says
(Reuters) - A Russian ballistic missile struck the Ukrainian port of Odesa late on Wednesday, injuring at least 13 people and triggering a large fire, Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram. Pictures and video posted on media Telegram channe...
12h ago
More than 50% of Gaza pier constructed - Pentagon
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States military has so far constructed over 50% of a maritime pier that will eventually be placed off the coast of Gaza to speed the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave, the Pentagon said on Wednesday. "As of...
13h ago
Tens of thousands of Colombians march in support of Petro's reforms
BOGOTA (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people marched in Colombia's biggest cities on Wednesday to support reforms proposed by President Gustavo Petro which he says will tackle inequality, but which have struggled to win congressional approval. Th...
13h ago
Israel state watchdog calls on Netanyahu, military chief to cooperate in Oct. 7 probe
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's state auditor on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of the armed forces to cooperate with an official investigation into how Hamas was able to stage the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that spa...
14h ago
Colombia President Petro says will break diplomatic relations with Israel
BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Wednesday he will break diplomatic relations with Israel over its actions in Gaza. Petro has already heavily criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and requested to join Sou...
14h ago
Riot police, protesters clash in Paris during May Day protests
PARIS (Reuters) - French police said they arrested 45 people in Paris and that 12 officers had been injured during traditional May Day protests on Wednesday, though the demonstrations were far more subdued than last year. Riot police used tear gas...
14h ago
Saudi woman jailed for 11 years over rights posts, Amnesty says
DUBAI (Reuters) - Amnesty International called on Saudi Arabia to free a 29-year-old fitness instructor it says has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for her choice of clothing and social media posts urging an end to the kingdom's male guardians...
14h ago
Russia breached global chemical weapons ban in Ukraine war, US says
By Jonathan Landay and Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday accused Russia of violating the international chemical weapons ban by deploying the choking agent chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops and using riot co...
14h ago
US issues hundreds of sanctions targeting Russia, takes aim at Chinese companies
By Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday issued hundreds of fresh sanctions targeting Russia over the war in Ukraine in action that took aim at Moscow's circumvention of Western measures, including through China. T...
14h ago
US judge blocks some North Carolina restrictions on abortion pill
By Brendan Pierson (Reuters) - A federal judge has struck down parts of a North Carolina law restricting patients' access to the abortion pill mifepristone, which has become the subject of legal battles nationwide. U.S. District Judge Catherine Eag...
14h ago
Blinken tours Kerem Shalom aid crossing as tank fire rings out from Gaza
By Humeyra Pamuk KEREM SHALOM, Israel (Reuters) - Tank fire echoed from the Gaza strip on Wednesday as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited an aid inspection point, where he heard from Israeli officials including Defense Minister Yoav Gal...
15h ago
Scottish government survives no confidence vote after leader's resignation
LONDON (Reuters) - The Scottish government survived a vote of no confidence on Wednesday, giving the Scottish National Party (SNP) a chance to pick a new leader to replace outgoing First Minister Humza Yousaf. Yousaf's decision to step down as firs...
15h ago
Russians throng to display of Western 'trophy' tanks captured in Ukraine
By Andrew Osborn (Reuters) - Western tanks and military hardware captured by Russian forces in Ukraine went on display in Moscow on Wednesday at an exhibition the Russian military said showed Western help would not stop it winning the war. Long que...
15h ago