Town Hall News

By Kirsty Needham SYDNEY (Reuters) – Papua New Guinea (PNG) Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko said he was standing aside on Friday amid a controversy over the cost of the developing country’s delegation to the coronation of King Charles III in London. Tkatchenko said in a statement on Friday that he “stood aside” after consulting with Prime Minister James Marape, who would assume the portfolio. “I want to make sure the […]

By Daniel Becerril and Ted Hesson MATAMOROS, Mexico (Reuters) -The U.S. on Friday ended COVID-19 border restrictions that blocked many migrants at the border with Mexico, immediately replacing the so-called Title 42 order with a sweeping new asylum regulation meant to deter illegal crossings. But several last-minute court actions added confusion to how the new border policies will play out in coming days. Just before Title 42 was set to […]

By Tom Sims and Enrico Dela Cruz FRANKFURT/MANILA (Reuters) – A Filipino priest is touring top European banks to demand they curtail ties with companies behind new fossil fuel projects in a region of his home country that is rich in fish and coral. But he is leaving his meetings with bankers feeling frustrated. The priest, Edwin Gariguez, and the environmentalists accompanying him are just the latest activists from around […]

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) -Tesla Inc has notified China’s market regulator it will deploy software updates to more than 1 million vehicles to allow changes to braking methods and more warnings about the use of accelerator pedals, the regulator said on Friday. The action is described as a “product recall” under Chinese regulations, the regulator added, but it was not immediately clear if drivers might need, or would be eligible, to return […]

By Tom Sims and Enrico Dela Cruz FRANKFURT/MANILA (Reuters) – A Filipino priest is touring top European banks to demand they curtail ties with companies behind new fossil fuel projects in a region of his home country that is rich in fish and coral. But he is leaving his meetings with bankers feeling frustrated. The priest, Edwin Gariguez, and the environmentalists accompanying him are just the latest activists from around […]

BERDYANSK, Russian-controlled Ukraine (Reuters) – At a temporary accommodation centre in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian port city of Berdyansk children evacuated from towns and villages near the frontline between Russian and Ukrainian forces play outside on bikes as if nothing was amiss. The minors, accompanied by at least one parent or guardian, were evacuated this month by Russian-installed authorities in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region – which houses Europe’s largest nuclear power […]

By Sam Nussey TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese e-commerce and fintech giant Rakuten Group Inc on Friday posted an operating loss of 76.2 billion yen ($564.24 million) for the first three months of 2023, dragged down by its money-losing mobile business. Rakuten posted a January-March loss of 102.7 billion yen for the mobile business – though that was narrower than in the same period a year earlier. Rakuten founder and CEO Hiroshi […]

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Parties to the Black Sea grain pact are nearing a deal to extend it after talks between Ukrainian, Russian, Turkish and United Nations officials, Turkey’s Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said. Russia has threatened to quit the agreement on May 18 over obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports and the four parties discussed U.N. proposals to extend the deal on Thursday. “(The parties) are approaching an agreement on […]

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Parties to the Black Sea grain pact are nearing a deal to extend it after talks between Ukrainian, Russian, Turkish and United Nations officials, Turkey’s Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said. Russia has threatened to quit the agreement on May 18 over obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports and the four parties discussed U.N. proposals to extend the deal on Thursday. “(The parties) are approaching an agreement on […]