By Uditha Jayasinghe GONAPOLA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) -Lasanda Deepthi, a 43-year-old Sri Lankan woman, plans her day around fuel queues. The driver of an auto-rickshaw on the outskirts of the commercial capital Colombo, she keeps a close eye on the petrol gauge of her sky-blue three-wheeler before accepting a job to make sure she …
Sri Lankan woman rickshaw driver has to queue 12 hours, or more, for fuel Read More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – A district court in Hokkaido, northern Japan, ruled on Tuesday that local nuclear power plants should not restart, but dismissed local residents’ demand that the plants be decommissioned, public broadcaster NHK reported. The plaintiffs have said the plants’ anti-disaster measures do not take into consideration the possibility of major earthquakes despite the …
Japan court rules against decommissioning of Hokkaido nuclear power plant -NHK Read More »
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has downplayed calls for an early election, citing a rise in food prices and other living costs, Nikkei reported on Tuesday. An election is not due until 2023 but Ismail Sabri has been facing pressure from some in his party, the United Malays National Organisation …
Malaysia PM downplays early poll talk, citing inflation risks -Nikkei Read More »
By Pavel Polityuk and Natalia Zinets KYIV (Reuters) – Ukrainian and Russian forces battled on Monday on the outskirts of Sievierodonetsk, the last city still held by Kyiv in Ukraine’s Luhansk province and the focus of Moscow’s offensive in the country’s east. But even as the Russian onslaught raged, EU leaders made clear they would …
EU fails to agree Russian oil ban despite onslaught on outskirts of Sievierodonetsk Read More »
BERLIN (Reuters) – A trip by U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet’s to China fell short of expectation to provide a transparent clarification of human rights violation allegations in the region of Xinjiang, Germany’s foreign ministry said on Monday. “Due to the Chinese restrictions, free, unhindered access to people and places was not possible during …
Germany says U.N. rights chief’s trip to China fell short of expectation Read More »
(Reuters) – Armenian police clashed with protesters in Yerevan on Monday amid a wave of demonstrations against the prime minister that has seen thousands of people block government buildings, close roads and shut down the metro system. Police said a group of people outside a government building had clashed with police officers and called for …
Armenian police clash with anti-government protesters in Yerevan Read More »
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan on Monday reported the largest incursion since January by China’s air force in its air defence zone, with the island’s defence ministry saying Taiwanese fighters scrambled to warn away 30 aircraft in the latest uptick in tensions. Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for the past two years …
Taiwan jets scramble as China air force enters air defence zone Read More »
By Brenda Goh and Ryan Woo SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) -Shanghai on Monday announced an end to its two-month long COVID-19 lockdown, allowing the vast majority of people in China’s largest city to leave their homes and drive their cars from Wednesday. The news brought an outpouring of relief, joy and some wariness from exhausted residents. “I’m …
COVID-hit Shanghai to end two-month lockdown on June 1 Read More »
By Gopal Sharma KATHMANDU (Reuters) -Nepal authorities on Monday recovered or located the bodies of all but one of 22 people who were on board a plane that crashed into a Himalayan mountainside on Sunday, officials said, and the government has formed a panel to investigate the incident. Two Germans, four Indians and 16 Nepalis …
By Kirsty Needham (Reuters) -China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday urged the Pacific region not to be “too anxious” about his country’s aims after a meeting with his counterparts from 10 island nations deferred consideration of a sweeping trade and security communique. Wang hosted the video meeting with foreign ministers from Pacific island nations …
China, Pacific islands unable to reach consensus on regional pact Read More »
