By Tom Balmforth and Sarah McFarlane LONDON (Reuters) -Russian military forces have been enhancing defensive positions in and around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine in recent weeks, four witnesses said, ahead of an expected counteroffensive in the region. New trenches have been dug around the city and more mines have been laid….
By Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey NEAR BAKHMUT, Ukraine (Reuters) -The Ukrainian military and Russia’s Wagner private army both reported further Russian retreats around the city of Bakhmut on Thursday, as Kyiv pressed on with its biggest advance for six months ahead of a planned counteroffensive. Ukrainian troops near the front line said Russia was bombarding access roads…
DAMASCUS/ATMEH, Syria (Reuters) – As some Syrians welcomed President Bashar al-Assad’s return to the Arab League on Friday, others expressed dismay that Arab states had welcomed back a leader they blame for death and destruction during 12 years of brutal civil war. The diverging views reflect deep splits in a nation shattered by the conflict…
(Reuters) – President Bashar al-Assad’s attendance at an Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia on Friday is the result of big policy shifts by Arab states that once backed his opponents in Syria’s civil war. Here is an overview of the policies of major Arab players towards Syria and Assad, and how they have changed: SAUDI…
NEW DELHI/BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Friday that it is opposed to a G20 tourism meeting next week in the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir in India and will not attend. India, which holds the chair of G20 this year, has organised a series of meetings across the country in the run-up to the…
By Munsif Vengattil and Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Tesla Inc is “serious” about its plans to establish a manufacturing base in India, the country’s deputy minister for technology told Reuters in an interview on Friday, a day after meeting senior executives of the electric vehicle maker. The Elon Musk led U.S. automaker held…
By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden and Republican U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have voiced growing confidence about striking a debt-ceiling deal to avoid a catastrophic default, but they could be tripped up by last-minute opposition from the hardline House Freedom Caucus. The small but powerful Republican faction warned this week that they…
By Renee Maltezou ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece heads for what is likely to be an inconclusive parliamentary election on Sunday, paving the way for wrangling between parties to forge a ruling coalition in a deeply divided political landscape. Opinion polls show Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ conservative New Democracy ahead of Alexis Tsipras’ left-wing Syriza party,…
HIROSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) – Leaders of the world richest democracies agreed on Friday to stiffen sanctions against Russia and pledged financial support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion. Below are key extracts from the Group of Seven leaders’ statement. NEW SANCTIONS “we will broaden our actions to ensure that exports of all items…
HIROSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden is likely to get another update from his team on budget negotiations with Republicans on Friday night in Japan, where he is traveling for the Group of Seven (G7) meetings, a spokesperson said. Biden was also planning to leave the G7 leaders’ dinner early, according to spokesperson…
