Analysis-Qatar takes diplomatic back seat as Saudi flexes political muscle

By Andrew Mills DOHA (Reuters) – The Arab League’s welcoming back of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad into its ranks highlights how far behind Qatar has fallen in its bid to be a diplomatic voice that carries weight in the Middle East. Earlier this month Qatar reluctantly withdrew its opposition to Saudi Arabia’s initiative to readmit…

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‘Soft landing’ narrative takes shape in post-pandemic US economy

By Howard Schneider AMELIA ISLAND, Florida (Reuters) – The pummeling taken by bank bond portfolios during more than a year of rising interest rates fueled worries this spring after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank that a spiraling financial crisis might soon develop and crash the U.S. economy. New research, though, indicates those investment losses…

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DeSantis signs Florida ban on transgender treatment for minors

By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) -Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed into law a bill that bans gender-affirming medical care such as puberty blockers or hormone therapy for transgender youth, and also enacts obstacles for adults to access treatment. Taking effect in the third most populous U.S. state, the law escalates a Republican political strategy…

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Central Asia forges ties with China as Xi touts ‘enduring’ friendship

By Andrew Hayley XIAN, China (Reuters) – Central Asian heads of state converged in China’s historic city of Xian on Thursday for one-on-ones with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to seal pledges of “enduring” friendship, paving the way for a summit expected to result in a regional pact with Beijing. The bilaterals set the stage for…

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Florida judge rules for Tiger Woods over NDA dispute against ex-girlfriend – media

(Adds dropped word “not” in paragraph 7) (Reuters) – A Florida judge ruled in favor of Tiger Woods on Wednesday, rejecting his former girlfriend Erica Herman’s request to nullify a non-disclosure agreement she signed when they began dating in 2017, U.S. media reported, citing court documents. Herman had asked a judge to void the agreement,…

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Crimea official says rail traffic suspended after derailment

SEVASTOPOL (Reuters) -Rail traffic has been suspended between Simferopol, capital of the Crimean peninsula, and the city of Sevastopol, after a freight train carrying grain derailed, the region’s Russian-installed leader said on Thursday. The derailment was caused by “interference by outsiders”, Crimean railways said in a statement. In a statement posted on Telegram, Sergei Aksyonov…

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Australian police tazered 95-year-old woman at care home – media

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian police have launched an investigation after a 95-year-old woman was injured during an “interaction” with police at an old people’s home. Media said police had tazered the great-grandmother, who has dementia, on Wednesday at the care home in the town of Cooma, about 300 km southwest of Sydney. “A critical incident…

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Nine dead in northern Italy floods, Formula One race called off

By Claudia Greco and Crispian Balmer BOLOGNA, Italy (Reuters) -Nine people died and thousands were evacuated from their homes as torrential rain battered Italy’s northern Emilia-Romagna region, triggering floods and landslides, officials said on Wednesday. Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci said some areas had received half their average annual rainfall in just 36 hours, causing…

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Thailand’s Move Forward confident it can muster support to form government

By Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) -The leader of the progressive Move Forward Party that delivered a surprise victory in Thailand’s election said on Thursday he was confident he could muster additional support from rivals to back his alliance and form a stable government. Move Forward, which won most seats after it capitalised…

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