Analysis-As DeSantis readies 2024 presidential bid, Florida lawmakers hand him fresh ammo

By James Oliphant WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had counted on a productive state legislative session this spring to turbocharge his coming 2024 presidential bid. Things haven’t quite worked out that way. As the two-month session draws to a close this week, DeSantis is arguably in worse political shape than he was when…

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U.S. military aid for Ukraine includes air-launched rockets

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States said Wednesday it would send a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $300 million, including for the first time the Hydra-70 short-range. air-launched rocket, taken from U.S. excess stocks. The security assistance package would be the 37th approved by the United States for Ukraine since Russian invaded its…

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Exclusive-U.S. climate envoy Kerry says China has invited him for talks

By Alexander Ratz, Sarah Marsh and Valerie Volcovici BERLIN (Reuters) – U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said on Wednesday China has invited him to visit “in the near term” for talks on averting a global climate change crisis even as diplomatic relations between the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas emitters remain tense. The United States…

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US Senate Democrats launch renewed effort to counter China

By Patricia Zengerle and David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Democrats launched a renewed effort to stave off competition from China on Wednesday, planning legislation to boost the country’s ability to face up to the Asian powerhouse on issues from technology to security and threats to Taiwan. After passing a sweeping bill last year…

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Canada’s spy agency withheld information about China’s threats to lawmaker -PM Trudeau

By Ismail Shakil OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada’s spy agency withheld information about Chinese threats against a Canadian lawmaker and his family in 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday, adding that he had told the agency that in the future such threats must be revealed immediately. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had determined that…

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Russia says Ukraine tried to kill Putin with night-time drone attack on Kremlin

By Mark Trevelyan (Reuters) -Russia accused Ukraine on Wednesday of attacking the Kremlin with drones overnight in an attempt to kill President Vladimir Putin – the most serious allegation that Moscow has levelled at Kyiv in more than 14 months of war. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy promptly denied any Ukrainian involvement, telling a press conference in…

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