(Reuters) – Russia unleashed a fresh volley of missiles on Ukraine overnight, causing huge blazes in an eastern city, damaging dozens of homes and wounding at least 34 people. Other cities appeared relatively unscathed, with Ukraine saying it destroyed 15 out of 18 missiles. FIGHTING * A Ukrainian general said Russian troops had been pushed…
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington on Monday as part of efforts to ease friction between the South Caucasus rivals. Tensions have flared anew after Azerbaijan installed a road checkpoint at the start of the Lachin Corridor, the only route linking Armenia to…
By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) -Syria has agreed to help end drug trafficking across its borders with Jordan and Iraq, according to a statement issued after a landmark meeting on Monday of Arab diplomats developing a roadmap to end Syria’s 12-year conflict. The foreign ministers of Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Jordan met in…
By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The World Bank on Monday unveiled new methodology and improved safeguards for assessing the business climate in up to 180 countries after embarrassing revelations of data irregularities and favoritism toward China forced it to cancel its flagship rankings two years ago. The bank scrapped its “Doing Business” rankings in September…
By Lucinda Elliott ASUNCION (Reuters) – News of Santiago Pena’s election victory in Paraguay will be cheered by officials in Taiwan, which faces an uphill battle against China’s economic muscle to keep its remaining 13 allies worldwide, including its last in South America. Pena, who scored a sizeable win in Sunday’s presidential ballot, pledged throughout…
MANILA (Reuters) -Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said China has agreed to discuss fishing rights in the South China Sea, as he pushed for a “direct communication line” with Beijing on maritime differences. China has agreed to “sit down” and talk about Filipinos’ fishing rights in the South China Sea, Marcos said, adding he has…
ABERDEEN, Scotland (Reuters) -Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Scotland on Monday for a short trip to visit his golf courses in the country and in Ireland. Trump, who has family roots in Lewis, an island off the northwestern tip of Scotland, owns two golf courses in Scotland – one north of Aberdeen and…
By Maya Gebeily BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian refugees detained by security forces in Lebanon and deported have been subject to arrest and forced conscription upon return to their war-ravaged homeland, their relatives and rights advocates have told Reuters. Some said their loved ones were being held by the Syrian army’s Fourth Division, which is headed…
By Michael Holden and Sarah Mills LONDON (Reuters) – After waiting longer than any British heir to become monarch, King Charles has quietly settled into his new role with little of the drama some commentators had expected, but with family divisions and some fundamental issues still looming. The 74-year-old Charles, who will be formally crowned…
(Reuters) – An explosion in a Russian region bordering Ukraine derailed a freight train on Monday, the local governor said in a social media post, adding there were no casualties. Pictures shared on social media showed several tank carriages laying on their side and dark grey smoke billowing into the air at the site of…
