Reuters World News Summary

The Hamas armed wing spokesman did not say how many soldiers had been abducted and showed no proof of the claim. Russian attacks on DIY store, city centre in Ukraine's Kharkiv kill six, injure dozens Russian strikes on a crowded DIY hardware store and a residential area in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Saturday killed at least six people and injured dozens, local officials said.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

China ends war games, Taiwan details warplane, warship surge

China ended two days of war games around Taiwan in which it simulated attacks with bombers and practiced boarding ships, exercises that Taiwan condemned as "blatant provocation" on Saturday, detailing a surge of Chinese warplanes and warships. Chinese state television's military channel said late on Friday the drills had concluded. A commentary in the official People's Liberation Army Daily said they had lasted for two days from Thursday to Friday, as previously announced.

Chile firefighter, forest official linked to wildfires that killed 130

A volunteer firefighter and a Chilean forestry official have been formally accused by prosecutors with involvement in setting wildfires that engulfed central Chile this past February, killing over 130 people. Implicated so far is volunteer firefighter Francisco Ignacio Mondaca, along with Francisco Pinto, an official from Chile's National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), part of the Agriculture ministry that is responsible for preventing forest fires.

Thousands protest against mass tourism in Spain's Balearic Islands

Thousands of people protested in Spain's Balearic Islands on Saturday against mass tourism ahead of the summer season. Holding posters reading SOS Residents, Enough Mass Tourism, protesters marched through Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the largest Balearic Island. About 10,000 demonstrators took part, a Spanish National police spokesperson said.

Gaza ceasefire talks could soon resume but Israel-Hamas war rages on

Prospects for a resumption of mediated Gaza ceasefire talks grew on Saturday although Israel carried out new attacks in which Palestinian medics said more than 40 people were killed. An official with knowledge of the matter said a decision had been taken to resume the talks next week after the chief of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency met the head of the CIA and the prime minister of Qatar.

In restive New Caledonia, Macron sees Pacific power and influence

In 2018, a year after becoming France's president, Emmanuel Macron flew to the remote French-ruled Pacific island of New Caledonia to outline his latest foreign policy plan. With China's regional ambitions growing, a new Indo-Pacific strategy was needed to prevent it from becoming hegemonic, he said. New Caledonia would be a key French anchor of that plan.

Hamas says it captured Israeli soldiers in Gaza; Israel denies

A spokesman for Hamas' armed wing said on Sunday its fighters had captured Israeli soldiers during fighting in Jabalia in northern Gaza on Saturday, though the Israeli military denied the claim. The Hamas armed wing spokesman did not say how many soldiers had been abducted and showed no proof of the claim.

Russian attacks on DIY store, city centre in Ukraine's Kharkiv kill six, injure dozens

Russian strikes on a crowded DIY hardware store and a residential area in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Saturday killed at least six people and injured dozens, local officials said. Six people were killed after two guided bombs hit the DIY hypermarket in a residential area of the city, Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said on national television.

World Court's order on Rafah does not rule out entire offensive, Israel says

Israel considers that an order by the World Court to halt its military offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza allows room for some military action there, Israeli officials said. In an emergency ruling in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide, judges at the International Court of Justice ordered Israel on Friday to immediately halt its assault on Rafah, where Israel says it is rooting out Hamas fighters.

North Korea accuses US, South Korea of flying spy planes, ships

North Korea's defence ministry accused the United States and South Korea of ramping up reconnaissance activities around the inter-Korean border, warning that it will act if its sovereignty and security is violated, state media KCNA said on Sunday. North Korea's vice defence minister Kim Gang Il said the U.S. had flown at least 16 of its RC-135 and U-2S strategic reconnaissance planes and RQ-4B drone over the Korean peninsula between May 13 and 24.

Ukrainian attacks kill four in Belgorod region in southern Russia, governor says

Ukrainian attacks on Saturday killed four residents in southern Russia's Belgorod region, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Gladkov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said three people were killed in the village of Oktyabrsky in a multiple rocket attack. One man died after being taken to a hospital.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)