GENEVA, May 22 (Reuters) - Taiwan failed on Monday in its efforts to gain an invitation to the World Health Organization's annual assembly despite the island's assertion that support was growing for its participation.

The annual assembly in Geneva decided not to extend Taiwan an invitation to the event, which runs from May 21-30. China and Pakistan urged members to reject Taiwan's inclusion, while eSwatini and the Marshall Islands spoke in favour.

May 21 (Reuters) - An earthquake measuring 5.5 magnitude struck off the northern California shore on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), causing no reported damage or injuries.

The USGS said the quake occurred at a depth of 10km (6 miles) and took place 108 km (67 miles) west of Petrolia, a community of about 1,000 people in rural Humboldt County.

A handful of other towns in the sparsely populated region of northern California also reported feeling light shaking, according to the USGS.

BEIJING, May 22 (APP): Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque has said that Pakistan emphatically endorsed the spirit and philosophy of China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), “which seeks to transcend national boundaries and lay bridges for win-win cooperation, common development, and closer economic integration for a shared future”.

LUANDA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Angolan President Joao Lourenco has spoken highly of the socioeconomic contribution of the Chinese-built Caculo-Cabaca Hydropower Station, saying that the station would bring significant benefits in terms of energy supply and improved well-being for the Angolan people.

21 May 2023; MEMO: A former Israeli soldier handed back a key Thursday for a gate of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem after stealing it 56 years ago, Anadolu reports.

The Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem published a video showing its director general Sheikh Azzam Al-Khatib receiving the key from the man, identified as Yair Barack.

MONTEVIDEO, May 22 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of asylum requests in Uruguay has increased to 16,000 from 13,113 in mid-2022, it was reported in Montevideo.

The Refugee Agency spoke of an increase in asylum applications and reinforced its work in the country to obtain solutions for refugees and migrants in support of the State and civil organizations, according to local media.

22 May 2023; MEMO: The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Sunday "strongly condemned" Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem, Anadolu reports.

YEREVAN, May 22. /TASS/: Yerevan recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, which includes Nagorno-Karabakh, provided that the safety of its Armenian population is ensured, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a press conference on Monday.

PRETORIA, May 22 (NNN-SANEWS) — Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, will this week attend the International Meeting of High-level officials responsible for Security Matters in Russia.

This annual meeting, to be held from Tuesday to Thursday, will discuss general trends in the international security situation, including global food security.

Furthermore, Minister Ntshavheni will engage with relevant authorities on matters material to the initiatives announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the African Leaders’ Peace Mission to Russia and Ukraine.

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Austria’s government on Monday asked Hungary for explanations as it stepped up security along the countries’ shared border following Budapest’s decision to grant early release to convicted people smugglers.

The decision to release several hundred convicts has “a direct impact on our security,” the Austrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement to The Associated Press.

22 May 2023; MEMO: The Israeli occupation forces shot dead three more Palestinians on Monday morning during raids in Balata refugee camp in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

Palestinian medical sources identified the three as Fathi Jihad Rizq, 30, Abdullah Yousef Abu Hamdan, 24, and Mohammad Bilal Zaytoun, 32. According to the sources, six other Palestinians were wounded during the violent raid, one of them seriously.

HANOI, May 22. /TASS/: Hanoi thinks it is very important to develop relations of comprehensive strategic partnership with Moscow, Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong said on Monday at a meeting with visiting Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev.