Reuters

TAIPEI (Reuters) - A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Taiwan's east coast on Friday, the island's weather administration said, with no immediate reports of damage.

The quake shook buildings in the capital, Taipei. The quake had a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), the weather administration said.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Mark Potter)

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's foreign minister Cho Tae-yul will visit China between Monday and Tuesday next week at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Friday.

It will be Cho's first trip to Beijing since taking up his post and marks the first visit by a South Korean foreign minister in more than six years.

The two will discuss issues ranging from bilateral relations to a trilateral... (continue reading...)

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe will fine businesses using inflated exchange rates as the government battles to maintain the value of its newly introduced gold-backed currency, the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG).

Any business using an exchange rate higher than the official rate of 13.5 ZiG per U.S. dollar will be liable for a fine of 200,000 ZiG ($14,815), according to a government notice seen by Reuters.

Anyone offering "goods or services at an... (continue reading...)

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's military said it closely monitored and "drove away" USS Halsey that entered the territorial waters of Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on May 10, the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army said in a statement on Friday.

The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

(Reuters) - European shares opened at a record high on Friday, led by energy companies and miners, setting the benchmark index for its biggest weekly gain since late January on growing interest rate cut bets in the region.

The pan-European STOXX 600 climbed 0.5% in a broad-based rally, eyeing a 2.8% weekly gain.

Earlier this week, the Bank of England hinted at summer rate cuts and Sweden's Riksbank delivered its first cut since 2016. Last... (continue reading...)