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Daily Briefing

Hello, North Korea launches another ballistic missile, Navalny's spokeswoman says he has a mystery ailment, and China's exports rise unexpectedly.

Plus, the boy wizard Harry Potter is headed to streaming.

By Edson Caldas

Today's Top News

People watch a news report on North Korea firing a ballistic missile of intermediate range or longer, at a railway station in Seoul, April 13, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

North Korea fired what might be a new model of ballistic missile, triggering a scare in northern Japan, where residents were told to take cover, though there turned out to be no danger. The missile flew about 1,000 km (620 miles), South Korea's military said, calling it a "grave provocation". Japan issued and later retracted an emergency evacuation warning.
Germany's foreign minister begins a visit to China aiming to reassert a common European Union policy toward Beijing. Annalena Baerbock's trip comes days after remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron suggested disarray in the continent's approach to the rising superpower. Today's Reuters World News podcast looks at the fallout from Macron's comments.
US President Joe Biden took his three-day tour of Ireland to Dublin for an address to parliament and a banquet at Dublin Castle as his focus shifted from Northern Irish peace to celebrating his heritage. He did not discuss the leak of intelligence documents with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak when the two leaders met this week, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
The abortion pill mifepristone will remain available in the United States for now but with significant restrictions, including a requirement for in-person doctor visits to obtain the drug, a federal appeals court ruled. Half of Republicans think a federal court was motivated by politics when it ordered the suspension of mifepristone last week, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
Russia's most prominent opposition leader, Alexei Navalny is grappling with a mystery ailment in jail that could be some sort of slow acting poison, as he has lost 8 kg in weight in just over two weeks, his spokeswoman said. "He is being held in a punishment cell with acute pain without medical help," Kira Yarmysh said.

War in Ukraine

Ukraine and Russia traded barbs over how much the Kremlin's forces control the city of Bakhmut, for months the focal point of Moscow's bid to advance through eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, the United States imposed sanctions on over 120 targets to squeeze Russia for its war.
Ukraine's GDP fell by 29.1% in 2022 as the conflict battered the economy. The figure was slightly better than the 30% drop forecast by the government. Moscow's invasion has killed tens of thousands, uprooted millions, damaged heavy industry, the power grid and the agriculture sector, and resulted in the loss of swaths of land. Follow the latest developments.

Business & Markets

China's exports unexpectedly surged in March, with officials flagging rising demand for electric vehicles. Analysts cautioned the improvement partly reflects suppliers catching up with unfulfilled orders after last year's COVID-19 disruptions. Exports shot up 14.8% from a year ago, snapping five straight months of declines and stunning economists.
Morning Bid: "Certainly Thursday's news of a surprising surge in China's exports last month eased concerns about world demand and some fears about the strength of the recovery in the world's second largest economy." Sign up here for a look at the day ahead in US and global markets. Or find our Asia and Europe editions here.
Britain's economy stagnated in February as strikes by workers hit output but a bounce in January was stronger than first thought, meaning a recession is a bit less likely to be brewing in early 2023, according to official data. International Monetary Fund projections published earlier this week showed Britain's contraction this year is set to be the biggest among the Group of 20 economies.
European Central Bank policymakers are converging on a 25 basis point interest rate hike in May, even if other options remain on the table and the debate is not yet settled, according to five sources with direct knowledge of the discussion. The ECB has raised rates by at least 50 basis points at six successive meetings to fight inflation.

In Pictures

A woman prays as Palestinian Muslims attend Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Jerusalem's Old City, April 7. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

We take a look at scenes from around the world as Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan with prayer and fast.

And Finally...

A statue of Harry Potter, based on the J.K. Rowling novels, at Leicester Square in London, September 30, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File Photo

Boy wizard Harry Potter is headed to streaming television in a new series based on the books by J.K. Rowling. Warner Bros Discovery announced the series as part of the company's plans for its Max streaming service, which combines HBO Max with programming from Discovery. Other shows coming to Max include a "Game of Thrones" prequel, titled "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight."

Read more here: Harry Potter series, another 'Game of Thrones' prequel coming to Max streaming service

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