By David Kirton RUICHANG, China (Reuters) – When Steven Du took over his parents’ factory producing temperature control systems in Shanghai, one of the first changes he made was to turn on the plant’s heating in winter – something his frugal forebears were reluctant to do. “If you don’t improve their environment, the workers aren’t…
(Reuters) -Moscow declined United Nations offers to help residents affected by the flooding from the breached Kakhovka Dam, the world body said on Sunday, as the death toll rose and filthy water has forced the closing of beaches in southern Ukraine. The collapse of the Moscow-controlled dam on June 6 unleashed floodwaters across southern Ukraine…
By Mark Trevelyan (Reuters) -Russia reported fierce fighting on Sunday on three sections of the front line in Ukraine while Ukraine’s president praised his troops for repelling enemy advances and said their counter-offensive was progressing well. The assesments of action along the 1,000-km (600-mile) long front were made a day after an African peace mission…
By Sarah Marsh and Andreas Rinke BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces a delicate balancing act this week at German-Chinese government consultations in Berlin, seeking to maintain good ties with Germany’s largest trade partner while complying with a G7 pledge to “de-risk” from Beijing. Scholz receives Chinese premier Li Qiang for dinner in the…
By Xie Yu, Ziyi Tang and Julie Zhu HONG KONG (Reuters) – From cutting salaries and bonuses and asking staff not to wear expensive clothes and watches at work, to reining in travel and entertainment expenses, Chinese financial firms have jumped on an austerity drive as Beijing pushes to bridge the wealth gap. The steps…
By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would pursue “active steps” on a contested judicial overhaul this week after what he described as months of wasteful compromise talks with the political opposition. Netanyahu’s televised remarks to his cabinet were spare on detail and come after opposition leaders last…
By Tiemoko Diallo and Fadimata Kontao BAMAKO (Reuters) -Mali started counting votes on Sunday from a constitutional referendum that the ruling military junta and regional powers have said will pave the way to elections and a return to civilian rule. The junta, which seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, promised to hold the…
By Khalid Abdelaziz DUBAI (Reuters) – The start of a 72-hour ceasefire aimed at calming more than two months of conflict between rival Sudanese military factions brought a lull in clashes in Khartoum early on Sunday following battles and air strikes overnight, residents said. Sudan’s army and the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed…
By Noele Illien ZURICH (Reuters) -Voters in Switzerland on Sunday approved the introduction of a global minimum tax on businesses and a climate law that aims to cut fossil fuel use and reach zero emissions by 2050, public broadcaster SRF reported. The results showed almost 80% of those who voted in Sunday’s national referendum backed…
By Humeyra Pamuk BEIJING (Reuters) -The U.S. secretary of state and Chinese foreign minister on Sunday held what both called candid and constructive talks on their differences from Taiwan to trade but seemed to agree on little beyond keeping the conversation going with an eventual meeting in Washington. Speaking after a 5-1/2 hour meeting followed…
