By Ronald Popeski (Reuters) – The “liberation” of Ukraine’s Donbas region is an “unconditional priority” for Moscow, while other Ukrainian territories should decide their future on their own, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday. Lavro…
Zero-COVID, big money: China’s anti-virus spending boosts medical, tech, construction
By Eduardo Baptista BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s ‘zero-COVID’ policy of constantly monitoring, testing and isolating its citizens to prevent the spread of the coronavirus has battered much of the country’s economy, but it has created bubbles of growth i…
VW says taking Brazil human rights probe seriously
BERLIN (Reuters) – German carmaker Volkswagen said on Sunday it was taking seriously an investigation by Brazil’s public prosecutors into alleged human rights violations in the country as reported by German media. “We can assure you that we take the po…
Soccer-Forest return to Premier League after playoff win
LONDON (Reuters) -Nottingham Forest beat Huddersfield Town 1-0 in the Championship playoff final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday to return to the Premier League after a 23-year absence. The decisive goal came in the 43rd minute when Huddersfield defender …
Flag-waving Israelis take to streets, skirmishes erupt in Al-Aqsa mosque
By Crispian Balmer and Rami Amichay JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of flag-waving Israeli nationalists, some chanting “Death to Arabs”, marched through the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday, defying threats of retaliation from P…
EU unity on Russian sanctions ‘starting to crumble’, German minister says
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Economy Minister Robert Habeck on Sunday expressed fears that the European Union’s unity was “starting to crumble” ahead of a summit to discuss an oil embargo against Russia and plans to cut dependence on Russian energy. EU le…
Biden grieves with Texas town as anger mounts over school shooting
By Jarrett Renshaw, Gabriella Borter and Brad Brooks UVALDE, Texas (Reuters) -President Joe Biden tried to comfort families in the south Texas town of Uvalde on Sunday after the nation’s deadliest school shooting in a decade as federal officials announ…
Shanghai to lift ‘unreasonable’ curbs on firms, Beijing eases restrictions
By Emily Chow and Roxanne Liu SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) -Shanghai said on Sunday “unreasonable” curbs on businesses will be removed from June 1 as it looks to lift its COVID-19 lockdown, while Beijing reopened parts of its public transport as well as …
Exclusive-Italy eyes tighter terms in bad loan scheme extension – sources
By Giuseppe Fonte and Valentina Za ROME (Reuters) – Italy is considering tightening a state guarantee scheme designed to help banks shed bad debts while weighing its extension to cushion the hit from the Ukraine war and the pandemic, according to peopl…
Soccer-Blame game in France after ‘chaotic’ Champions League final
PARIS (Reuters) -Chaotic scenes at the French national stadium before and during Saturday night’s Champions League final were branded a national embarrassment, while French ministers blamed Liverpool fans for the trouble. The final between Liverpool an…