SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Students and state workers dispersed peacefully in cities across Chile late on Wednesday, following mass protests against inequality, even as President Sebastian Pinera pledged social reforms to try to quell days of rioting.

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's economic growth slowed more than expected in the third quarter, and though exports showed some signs of recovery the overall outlook was clouded by a domestic spending slump and intensifying global trade frictions.

WASHINGTON/RIYADH (Reuters) - Gulf countries sharply improved their rankings in the World Bank's latest Doing Business report, while Latin American countries largely lagged in reforms and New Zealand took the top spot for the fourth year in a row.

SANTIAGO, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Students and state workers dispersed peacefully in cities across Chile late on Wednesday, following mass protests against inequality, even as President Sebastian Pinera pledged social reforms to try to quell days of rioting.

WASHINGTON/RIYADH, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Gulf countries sharply improved their rankings in the World Bank's latest Doing Business report, while Latin American countries largely lagged in reforms and New Zealand took the top spot for the fourth year in a row.

MENINDEE, Australia (Reuters) - Reduced to a string of stagnant mustard-colored pools, fouled in places with pesticide runoff and stinking with the rotting carcasses of cattle and fish, the Darling River is running dry.

(Reuters) - New York and other states have reached a $700 million settlement deal with Reckitt Benckiser over allegations that the drug distributor improperly marketed a drug to treat opioid addiction, New York Attorney General Letitia James said on Wednesday.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - The British pound stabilized on Thursday as the Brexit project entered a fresh holding pattern, while the dollar held firm as traders took a breather from Sino-U.S. trade headlines.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian shares pulled ahead on Thursday with corporate earnings buffeting trading as investors remained anxious about the business impact of the Sino-U.S. trade war while Brexit uncertainties kept overall sentiment in check.