Ukraine reports unprecedentedly bloody fighting in Bakhmut

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Ukrainian and Russian armed forces are fighting extraordinarily bloody battles in the smashed eastern city of Bakhmut, but pro-Kyiv forces are still holding on, Ukraine’s military said on Saturday. Russia’s defence ministry said earlier in the day that fighters from the Wagner mercenary group had captured two more areas of Bakhmut, the main…

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Ukraine’s Marchenko says G7 support crucial for ‘longer’ war with Russia

By Andrea Shalal and Jorgelina do Rosario WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A new international economic support package of $115 billion gives Ukraine more confidence that it can prevail in battling Russia’s invasion, amid growing recognition that the war could continue for longer than expected, Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said on Saturday. Marchenko said Group of…

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Chinese spy balloon’s solar panels could power sophisticated radar -Washington Post

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A Chinese spy balloon that was shot down by the U.S. in February carried solar panels that could generate enough electricity to power a type of radar that can generate images at night and through clouds, the Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing leaked U.S. intelligence documents. The balloon’s surveillance capabilities were…

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Zambia sent bondholders debt restructuring proposal, finance ministry says

By Jorgelina do Rosario and Rodrigo Campos WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Zambia last week gave its bondholders a “concrete proposal” for the restructuring of some $3 billion in eurobonds, the ministry of finance and national planning said on Friday. “We continue to engage actively with our bondholders and proposals are being exchanged,” the ministry told…

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Eleven killed in Russian strike, Ukraine rescue teams sift through wreckage

By Kai Pfaffenbach SLOVIANSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Russian missiles hit residential buildings in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk on Friday, killing 11 people, wounding 21 and reducing parts of apartment blocks to a tangled mess of metal and concrete. Eleven people were killed and 21 wounded, Ukrainian public braodcaster Suspilne reported on Saturday, citing…

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Angry Birds maker Rovio confirms talks with Sega over tender offer

(Reuters) – Rovio Entertainment, the company behind the mobile game Angry Birds, confirmed on Saturday that it is in talks with Japan’s Sega Sammy Holdings Inc over a possible tender offer. Rovio announced the start of a strategic review and preliminary non-binding discussions regarding a potential tender offer for its shares in February, a statement…

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U.S., Vietnam say they hope to deepen ties as Blinken visits Hanoi

By Humeyra Pamuk HANOI (Reuters) -Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday expressed a desire to deepen their ties as Washington seeks to solidify alliances to counter an increasingly assertive China.     In his first visit to the southeast Asian country as the top U.S. diplomat, Blinken…

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IMF seeks more funding assurances before pact on Pakistan aid – Bloomberg News

(Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund is seeking “necessary” financing assurances from Pakistan as soon as possible to conclude a bailout pact with the South Asian nation, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday. Meetings between Pakistan and the IMF achieved agreement on the need to maintain strong policies and secure sufficient financing to support the country’s…

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