Reuters: World

G7 calls for 'significant' U.N. response to North Korea missile launches The United Nations' Security Council needs to take "significant measures" in response to the latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch by North Korea, foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialised nations said on Sunday. The Security Council is set to discuss North Korea in a meeting on Monday at the request of the United States, following the latest in a series of missile test launches this year. "(North Korea's) actions demand a united and robust response by the international community," the ministers of the United States, Japan, Canada, Germany, Britain, France and Italy said. read more

Malaysia's Muhyiddin gains backing for PM bid after indecisive election Malaysia's former premier Muhyiddin Yassin secured backing from two political blocs on Sunday as he sought to form a new government after a general election produced a hung parliament, but he had yet to win the required majority. Muhyiddin, of the Perikatan Nasional coalition, said he had won support from two regional blocs based in the island of Borneo. That would boost his alliance's seat tally from 73 to 101 - still short of the required 112 majority. "I am confident I will obtain enough support from lawmakers that will enable me to be appointed by the king as Prime Minister," he said, without saying which other parties might back him. read more

Trump snubs Twitter after Musk announces reactivation of ex-president's account Donald Trump on Saturday said he had no interest in returning to Twitter even as a slim majority voted in favor of reinstating the former U.S. President, who was banned from the social media service for inciting violence, in a poll organized by new owner Elon Musk. Slightly over 15 million Twitter users voted in the poll with 51.8% voting in favor of reinstatement. "The people have spoken. Trump will be reinstated," Musk tweeted. read more

North Korea's Kim reveals daughter at ballistic missile test North Korean leader Kim Jong Un revealed his daughter to the world for the first time on Saturday in striking photos showing the pair hand-in-hand inspecting the launch of the nuclear-armed country's largest ballistic missile the day before. North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Friday, state news agency KCNA reported on Saturday. The biggest surprise, however, was the presence of Kim's daughter, whose existence had never been publicly confirmed before. read more

Nord Stream leaks confirmed as sabotage, Sweden says Investigators have found traces of explosives at the site of the damaged Nord Stream gas pipelines, confirming sabotage had taken place, a Swedish prosecutor said on Friday. Swedish and Danish authorities are investigating four holes in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines which link Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea and have become a flashpoint in the Ukraine crisis as gas supplies in Europe run short. read more

FBI director 'very concerned' by Chinese 'police stations' in U.S. The United States is deeply concerned about the Chinese government setting up unauthorized 'police stations' in U.S. cities to possibly pursue influence operations, FBI Director Christopher Wray told lawmakers on Thursday. Safeguard Defenders, a Europe-based human rights organization, published a report in September revealing the presence of dozens of Chinese police "service stations" in major cities around the world, including New York. Republicans in Congress have requested answers from the Biden administration about their influence. read more

Pelosi to step down from U.S. House leadership, remain in Congress U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to hold that powerful post, said on Thursday she will step down as the chamber's Democratic leader as her allies prepared a passing of the torch to Representative Hakeem Jeffries. Pelosi, an 82-year-old liberal from California who has served two stints as speaker, said she will remain in Congress, representing San Francisco as she has done for 35 years. She made the announcement a day after Republicans secured a slim majority in the chamber following last week's midterm elections. read more

China's Xi confronts Canada's Trudeau at G20 over media leaks In video footage published by Canadian broadcasters, Xi and Trudeau can be seen standing close to each other and conversing via a translator at the summit on the Indonesian island of Bali. "That is not appropriate, and we didn't do it that way," Xi said in Mandarin, smiling. "If there is sincerity, we can communicate well with mutual respect, otherwise the outcome will not be easy to tell." His displeasure was likely a reference to media reports that Trudeau brought up "serious concerns" about alleged espionage and Chinese "interference" in Canadian elections when meeting with Xi on Tuesday, his first talks with the Chinese leader in more than three years. read more

Biden said Ukraine air defence missile responsible for Poland blast - NATO source U.S. President Joe Biden told G7 and NATO partners that a missile blast in eastern Poland was caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile, a NATO source told Reuters on Wednesday. The blast, which killed two people, raised global alarm that the Ukraine conflict could spill into neighbouring countries. Ukraine blamed Russia. Russia denied its missiles struck Poland. Biden told reporters in Indonesia on Wednesday that the missile was unlikely to have been fired from Russia. read more

Poland likely to invoke NATO's Article 4, will raise missile blast with UN - officials Poland is likely to request consultations under NATO's Article 4 after a missile, reportedly Russian-made, struck Polish territory near the border with Ukraine, and raise the issue at a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday, officials said. Two people were killed in an explosion in a village 6 kilometres (3.5 miles) from the border, with Polish President Andrzej Duda saying that Poland had no conclusive evidence showing who fired the missile. The incident happened hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy outlined to leaders of G20 nations his peace plan for Ukraine, and after Russia unleashed what Kyiv said was the heaviest wave of missile strikes in nearly nine months of war. read more

Division at G20 over bid to condemn Russia's Ukraine invasion NUSA DUA, Indonesia, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Disagreement emerged at a Group of 20 (G20) summit on Tuesday as the United States and its allies backed a resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Russia's foreign minister dismissed as unwarranted politicisation. "Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy," a 16-page draft declaration said, according to a copy seen by Reuters. "There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions," said the draft, which diplomats said had yet to be adopted by the leaders. read more

G20 summit opens in Bali with a plea for unity as Ukraine war tops agenda Leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) nations opened talks on Tuesday on the island of Bali, with a plea by host Indonesia for unity and concrete action to mend the global economy despite deep rifts over the war in Ukraine. "We have no other option, collaboration is needed to save the world," Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in opening remarks, before the leaders of the world's wealthiest nations began closed-door discussions. The G20, which includes countries ranging from Brazil to India, Saudi Arabia and Germany, accounts for more than 80% of the world's gross domestic product, 75% of international trade and 60% of its population. A positive sign on the eve of the summit was a three-hour bilateral meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in which the two leaders pledged more frequent communications despite many differences. read more