Canada opposes use of cluster bombs that US is sending to Ukraine

By Ismail Shakil OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada is against the use of cluster munitions that Washington has promised to give Ukraine for its counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces, Ottawa said on Saturday, reiterating a commitment to the Oslo agreement that bans the controversial weapon. The U.S. said on Friday that it would supply Kyiv with…

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Russian defence minister Shoigu shown inspecting troops

(This content was produced in Russia where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine) MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has inspected troops and overseen training of newly formed units made up of contracted servicemen, his ministry said on Saturday. The ministry released video footage on its Telegram channel showing…

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US to send Ukraine cluster munitions, NATO makes membership pledge

(Reuters) -The United States announced on Friday that it would supply Ukraine with widely banned cluster munitions for its counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces, and NATO’s leader said the military alliance would unite at a summit next week on how to bring Ukraine closer to joining. Rights groups and the United Nations secretary-general questioned Washington’s…

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Yellen swaps stories of being ‘the only woman in the room’ with Chinese economists

By Andrea Shalal and Yew Lun Tian BEIJING (Reuters) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, a trailblazer in the field of economics, met with six female economists in Beijing on Saturday, an effort to spotlight gender diversity following meetings with China’s largely male government leaders. Yellen, the first woman to head the U.S. Treasury, has…

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TotalEnergies boss: 2024 U.S. election could cause energy shock

PARIS (Reuters) – The U.S. presidential election could trigger a major energy shock if Republicans were to win and decide to halt hydrocarbon exports, Patrick Pouyanné, the chief executive of French oil major TotalEnergies, said on Saturday. “The only thing that could happen, which is a major systemic risk, is that the Republicans decide to…

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First S.Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group meeting to be held later this month

SEOUL (Reuters) -The first meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) between South Korea and the United States will take place on July 18 in Seoul, South Korea’s presidential office said on Saturday. The meeting will discuss “information sharing, consultation mechanism and joint planning and execution designed to bolster nuclear deterrence against North Korea.” The…

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China’s auto group retracts pledge to avoid ‘abnormal pricing’

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – The China Association of Auto Manufacturers (CAAM), citing antitrust law, on Saturday retracted a pledge to avoid “abnormal pricing” made two days earlier by 16 automakers, including Tesla.. Thursday’s CAAM-organised pledge by the companies, including Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers Nio, Li Auto and Xpeng, had been interpreted by some as signalling…

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Ukraine’s counter-offensive slower than expected, but too soon to judge -Pentagon

By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Ukraine’s counter-offensive against Russian forces is going more slowly than some expected but it remains too early to draw conclusions about Kyiv’s prospects for battlefield gains, a senior Pentagon official said on Friday. The United States and other allies have spent months building Ukraine a so-called…

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