Reuters World News Summary

The Vsevolod Bobrov vessel was near Snake Island, close to Ukraine's sea border with Romania, spokesman Serhiy Bratchuk for the Odesa regional military administration in southern Ukraine said. Sri Lanka names new PM in bid to address growing crisis Sri Lanka appointed a new prime minister on Thursday, as its embattled president seeks a way out of the country's worst economic crisis since independence that has sparked widespread protests.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Southeast Asian leaders face rights questions, flying shoe on Washington debut

The Biden administration hopes a first-ever Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit hosted in Washington this week will demonstrate U.S. commitment to a region where it is vying with Beijing for influence, but the region's leaders faced questions, and at least one awkward moment, over human rights and democracy. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia since 1985 but was not until now invited to the White House, was the target of a shoe-throwing protester in Washington on Wednesday, photos and video posted on the Khmer-language website monoroom.info showed.

U.S. President considering Korea DMZ visit when traveling to Asia this month

U.S. President Joe Biden is considering a trip to the Korean Demilitarized Zone when he visits Asia later this month, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Thursday. Biden is expected to visit South Korea and Japan from May 20-24 and hold talks with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts.

With China in focus, Biden makes $150 million commitment to ASEAN leaders

U.S. President Joe Biden opened a gathering of Southeast Asian leaders with a promise to spend $150 million on their infrastructure, security, pandemic preparedness and other efforts aimed at countering the influence of rival China. On Thursday, Biden started a two-day summit with the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Washington with a dinner for the leaders at the White House ahead of talks at the State Department on Friday.

'Save Azovstal!' Relatives of Ukrainian fighters in steel plant plead for help

Relatives and supporters of the Ukrainian fighters holed up in the Azovstal steel plant demonstrated in Kyiv on Thursday, pleading for them to be rescued. Russian forces have been bombarding the Azovstal steelworks in the southern port of Mariupol, the last bastion of Ukrainian defenders in a city now almost completely controlled by Russia after more than two months of a siege.

UK tells EU: Without flexibility, we will act on N.Ireland

Britain warned it might be forced to "act" in a row with the European Union over post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland, raising the risk of commercial strife and deepening a standoff stirring U.S. concerns for peace in the province. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Thursday Britain would have no choice but to act unless the bloc was more flexible in talks over trade rules for the British-run province -- one of the most difficult issues in Britain's exit from the EU.

U.S. permits some foreign investment in northern Syria despite sanctions

The United States on Thursday authorized some foreign investment in areas of northern Syria that are outside government control, in what it said was a strategy designed to defeat Islamic State through economic stabilization. The U.S. Treasury Department approved activities in 12 sectors including agriculture, construction and finance, but made clear that it did not permit any transactions with the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or those designated under U.S. sanctions during the 11-year-long Syrian civil war.

COVID crisis could deepen N.Korea food shortages amid drought warnings

North Korea's coronavirus outbreak threatens to deepen its already dire food situation this year, as a nationwide lockdown would hamper ongoing anti-drought efforts and the mobilisation of labour, analysts said. The isolated North confirmed on Thursday its first COVID-19 outbreak since the pandemic emerged more than two years ago, declaring the "gravest national emergency" and imposing a national lockdown.

Moscow warns Finland over NATO bid as Ukraine says Russian ship damaged

Moscow warned Finland on Thursday it would face consequences as it seeks to apply for NATO membership "without delay" and Ukraine said it had damaged a Russian navy logistics ship in the Black Sea, where there has been renewed fighting in recent days. The Vsevolod Bobrov vessel was near Snake Island, close to Ukraine's sea border with Romania, spokesman Serhiy Bratchuk for the Odesa regional military administration in southern Ukraine said.

Sri Lanka names new PM in bid to address growing crisis

Sri Lanka appointed a new prime minister on Thursday, as its embattled president seeks a way out of the country's worst economic crisis since independence that has sparked widespread protests. Ranil Wickremesinghe, a political veteran who has been prime minister of the island nation five times before, must try to address financial chaos and heal political divisions as he sets out to form a coalition government.

Exclusive-War forces Ukraine to divert $8.3 billion to military spending, tax revenue drops - minister

Ukraine has been forced to spend 245.1 billion hryvnia ($8.3 billion) on its war with Russia instead of development, the finance minister said on Thursday, providing a glimpse into the huge economic cost of Moscow's Feb. 24 invasion. The figure, which has not been disclosed by Ukraine's government before, lays bare the economic maelstrom that Ukraine is navigating as its soldiers try to keep Russia's renewed offensive at bay in the country's east.

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