Rebel Russian mercenaries turn back short of Moscow ‘to avoid bloodshed’

ROSTOV-ON-DON/VORONEZH, Russia (Reuters) -Heavily armed Russian mercenaries who advanced most of the way to Moscow began turning back on Saturday, de-escalating a major challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s grip on power, in a move their leader said would avoid bloodshed. Yevgeny Prigozhin, a former Putin ally and founder of the Wagner army, said his men…

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Sierra Leoneans vote in election with cost-of-living centre stage

By Cooper Inveen and Umaru Fofana FREETOWN (Reuters) -Sierra Leone voted on Saturday in a national election which the main opposition party hopes will see public frustration with deep economic hardship foil President Julius Maada Bio’s re-election bid. About 3.4 million people were registered to vote in the presidential and legislative ballot after a campaign…

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How Christian groups helped parents pull books from some Pennsylvania school libraries

By Jonathan Allen and Hannah Beier DOYLESTOWN, Pennsylvania (Reuters) – On May 12, the library coordinator for Pennsylvania’s Central Bucks School District sent an email to colleagues that some conservative parents and Christian advocacy groups had long prayed to see. The email instructed school library staff to remove all copies of two books within 24…

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US activists rally one year after Supreme Court allowed abortion bans

By Julia Harte (Reuters) -Abortion rights supporters and opponents held dueling rallies around the U.S. on Saturday, the first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that had legalized the procedure nationwide. In Washington, speakers from national abortion rights groups, including Women’s March and NARAL Pro-Choice America, assembled…

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Mutinous Russian mercenary boss turn his fighters back from Moscow to avoid bloodshed

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Mutinous Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday he had ordered his fighters advancing on Moscow in convoy to turn around and return to their bases to avoid bloodshed. Prigozhin had earlier said that he wanted to oust the army’s top brass and “restore justice”. Putin said the mutiny had to…

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