(Refiles to restore dropped words in third paragraph) By Hanna Rantala LONDON (Reuters) – Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei unveiled his latest large-scale project in London on Wednesday, a 15-metre-long recreation of Claude Monet’s “Water Lilies” made with nearly 650,000 Lego pieces, in a tribute to his late father. Titled “Water Lilies #1”, the …
Ai Weiwei goes big for design-focused London exhibition Read More »
By Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) – Two generals involved in coups, a pro-cannabis health minister and a businesswoman whose father and aunt fled into exile after being forced from power could be Thailand’s next premiers, as political parties finalise their picks for the top job. Thailand holds an election on May 14 …
By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) – A U.S. B-52 strategic bomber joined military exercises with South Korea on Wednesday in the latest demonstration of the allies’ readiness to respond to any North Korean provocation, South Korea’s defence ministry said. The bomber, in the first deployment to South Korea of a U.S. B-52 since March 6, …
US B-52 bomber joins exercise with South Korean military Read More »
By Tim Kelly, Yukiko Toyoda and Sakura Murakami TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan on Wednesday said it plans to offer countries financial assistance to help them bolster their defences, marking its first unambiguous departure from rules that forbid the use of international aid for military purposes. Japan’s Overseas Security Assistance (OSA) will be managed separately from the …
Japan sets out new aid scheme to allow overseas defence funding Read More »
By Michel Rose and Laurie Chen BEIJING (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron landed in China on Wednesday shortly ahead of EU chief Ursula von der Leyen as the two European leaders seek to smooth ties with a key economic partner while broaching thorny issues like Ukraine and trade risks. Macron on his first trip …
‘Reset’ or risky business?: EU leaders return to reopened China Read More »
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met with senior security officials on Tuesday to discuss the “regional situation” ahead of her meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, which China has demanded not take place. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has threatened unspecified retaliation if the get-together, scheduled for …
Taiwan president discusses ‘regional situation’ ahead of McCarthy meeting Read More »
By Ariba Shahid KARACHI (Reuters) – Seven-year-old Saad Umer joined a crowd in a poor neighbourhood in the Pakistani city of Karachi rushing to get a handout of flour and a little cash from a charity trying to help the most vulnerable cope with runaway prices. But in the surge, a melee broke out and …
Deadly chaos as Pakistanis scramble for scarce donations Read More »
By Ahmad Luqman Ismail GOMBAK, Malaysia (Reuters) – For the past two decades, Malaysian mother Siti Zabidah Muhammad Rasyid has been hoping for a miracle to save her son Razali from death row. He was sentenced to death 23 years ago after breaching Malaysia’s tough laws on drugs when he was caught with 851 grammes …
Malaysian mother’s joy as son gets chance of death row reprieve Read More »
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico’s president said on Tuesday he had written to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, urging him to help control shipments of fentanyl as he fended off criticism in the U.S. that Mexico is not doing enough to stop trafficking of the synthetic opioid. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador read out the letter …
Mexico asks China for help on fentanyl, slams US critics Read More »
By Michelle Nichols and Charlotte Greenfield UNITED NATIONS/KABUL (Reuters) -The United Nations “received word of an order” by the Taliban authorities banning Afghan women from working for the world body in Afghanistan, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York on Tuesday. Dujarric said this was the latest in a “disturbing trend” undermining …
UN flags Taliban order to bar women workers, tells Afghan staff to stay home Read More »
