Reuters

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Several EU leaders condemned the attack on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Wednesday.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen strongly condemned "the vile attack", she said on social media platform X.

"Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good. My thoughts are with PM Fico, his family", she added.

European Council President... (continue reading...)

By Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will dispatch former U.S. officials to Taiwan as its new president takes office, a show of support for the island calibrated to avoid enraging Beijing.

Biden is sending a bipartisan delegation to Monday's inauguration of Taiwanese president-elect Lai Ching-te consisting of former White House economic adviser Brian Deese, one-time State Department official Richard Armitage,... (continue reading...)

(Reuters) - U.S. homebuilder sentiment soured in May for the first time in six months as high interest rates on home loans kept potential customers on the sidelines and more builders had to offer incentives to lure buyers, data out Wednesday showed.

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index fell unexpectedly to 45 in May, the lowest since January, from 51 a month earlier. The reading was lower than all 30 estimates in a... (continue reading...)

By Nqobile Dludla and Nellie Peyton

PRETORIA (Reuters) - South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law on Wednesday a bill that aims to provide universal health coverage, hailing it as a major step in the journey towards a more just society although critics say they will challenge it in court.

Ramaphosa has vowed to reform South Africa's two-tier health system, in which a publicly funded sector that serves 84% of the population... (continue reading...)

By Simon Lewis

KYIV (Reuters) - Israel needs a clear and concrete plan for the future of Gaza where it faces the potential for a power vacuum that could become filled by chaos, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.

Washington and its ally Israel say Hamas cannot continue to run Gaza after militants from the group ignited the conflict with attacks on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people on Oct. 7.

"We... (continue reading...)