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☆ Flights leaving Moscow sell out as Wagner troops descend, and unconfirmed reports say Putin might have left the capital for St. Petersburg
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Flights from Moscow have sold out amid reports Wagner troops are marching on the city, per Der Spiegel. There have been unconfirmed reports that Vladimir Putin has fled from the capital to St. Petersberg. Flights from Moscow to Tbilisi, Georgia, Astana, Kazakhstan, and Istanbul, Turkey, are now no longer available, a Der Spiegel reporter confirmed. Several other private flights from Russia were also tracked on the Flightradar24 platform, Der Spiegel said. Putin has condemned the mutiny, which he has described as a "betrayal," and has vowed that Russia will defend itself.

Persons: Wagner, Der Spiegel, Vladimir Putin, —, Petersberg, Dmitry Peskov, Denis Manturov, Putin Organizations: Wagner Group, Service, Moscow's Vnukovo Locations: Moscow, Russia, St, Petersberg, Ukraine, Tbilisi , Georgia, Astana, Kazakhstan, Istanbul, Turkey, Flightradar24, Moscow's, Russian

CNN —Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing the greatest threat to his authority in two decades after Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner paramilitary group and Putin’s former ally, launched an apparent insurrection. Prigozhin has been highly critical of Russia’s military leadership and their handling of the war in Ukraine, but he had always stopped short of criticizing Putin directly. Wagner group also claimed to have seized Russian facilities in a second city, Voronezh, some 600 kilometers (372 miles) to the north of Rostov-on-Don. Alexander Gusev, the governor of the Voronezh region, said the Russian military was engaging in “combat measures” in the area. Stunning escalationSaturday’s dramatic events come off the back of Prigozhin’s very public and months-long feud with Russia’s military leadership.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Prigozhin, Putin, ” Putin, Igor Artamonov, Sergei Sobyanin, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, “, ”, Don “, ” “, ” Prigozhin, Rostov, Don, Alexander Gusev, Shoigu, –, Gen, Vladimir Alekseev, Sergei Naryshkin, Naryshkin, Ramzan Kadyrov, Vladimir Rogov, Rogov saif, ” Wagner, Stringer, Dmytro Kuleba, Serhii Cherevatyi Organizations: CNN, Prigozhin, Moscow, Terrorism, Security, Russian, RIA Novosti, Kremlin, Russian Southern Military Headquarters, Ministry of Defense, Russian Ministry of Defense, Foreign Intelligence Service, Russian Historical Society, Telegram, Southern Military District, Reuters, Russian Foreign, European Union, US State Department, Britain’s Ministry of Defense, Russian National Guard, Ukrainian, Twitter, Ukrainian Armed Forces Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Russian, Rostov, Voronezh, Lipetsk, Russia, St . Petersburg, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Prigozhin’s, Prigozhin, Don, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, EU

BRUSSELS, June 21 (Reuters) - European Union governments agreed on Wednesday to an 11th package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, aimed at stopping other countries and companies from circumventing existing measures. The new package, tweeted by Sweden as EU president, forbids transit via Russia of an expanded list of goods and technology which might aid Russia's military or security sector. Names of such countries can be added to an annex of the EU sanctions regulation with unanimous agreement of all 27 members. The EU package extends the suspension of EU broadcasting licences of five Russian state-controlled media. Overnight, Ukraine removed the five Greek shipping firms from its list, securing the backing of Athens for the package.

Persons: Julia Payne, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Gabriela Baczynska, Jan Strupczewski, Brenda Goh, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Union, Russia, United Arab, EU, Peace Facility, European Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Ukraine, Sweden, Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, China, Moscow, GREECE, HUNGARY, Hungary, Greece, Athens, Beijing, Hong Kong, Russian, Shanghai

☆ Russia says regional free trade pact with Iran possible by year-end
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 19 (Reuters) - A free trade zone agreement between Iran, Russia and several countries that cover the vast Eurasian region spreading from the borders of Eastern Europe to Western China is possible by the end of the year, Russia's TASS news agency reported on Monday. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk told the state TASS agency in an interview that talks between the Eurasian Economic Union - which comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia - and Iran are in their final stages. The regional agreement with Iran would replace and expand an interim pact that already provides a reduction in customs duties on hundreds of categories of goods. In November 2022, Russia started swapping oil products with Iran and in March, Tehran said it counts on "huge volumes" of both oil and gas swaps with Moscow. Overchuk also told TASS, without providing much detail, that negotiations among the Eurasian Economic Union countries on creating a common gas market continue.

Persons: Alexei Overchuk, Overchuk, Lidia Kelly, Michael Perry Organizations: TASS, Eurasian Economic, Kremlin, Moscow, Thomson Locations: Iran, Russia, Eastern Europe, Western China, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Europe, Moscow, Tehran, Russian, China, Melbourne

☆ ATP roundup: Jannik Sinner reaches quarters in Netherlands
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 1, 2023 Italy's Jannik Sinner in action during his second round match against Germany's Daniel Altmaier REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File PhotoJune 14 - No. 2 seed Jannik Sinner defeated Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals at the Libema Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. 3 seed, lost to American Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-4, and Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland, defeated No. Sonego's fellow Italian, sixth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, had no trouble against Gregoire Barrere of France in a 6-3, 6-3 win. 3 seed Frances Tiafoe, who saved all three break points in a 7-6 (2), 6-4 defeat of Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic.

Persons: Roland Garros, Germany's Daniel Altmaier, Lisi Niesner, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Bublik, Borna Coric, Mackenzie McDonald, Emil Ruusuvuori, Ugo Humbert of France, Rinky, Marc, Andrea Huesler, Hubert Hurkacz of, Japan's Yosuke, Hurkacz, he'll, Christopher O'Connell of Australia, Lorenzo Sonego, Sonego's, Lorenzo Musetti, Gregoire Barrere of, Musetti, Frances Tiafoe, Jiri Lehecka Organizations: Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, Stuttgart, Germany, Watanuki, Gregoire Barrere of France, Czech Republic

He has also said that there could be "nuclear weapons for everyone" who joined the Russia-Belarus union. Putin said Russia would remain in control of the weapons just as the United States controls its own tactical nuclear weapons deployed in Europe. Putin has repeatedly raised concerns about the 200 U.S. B61 tactical nuclear warheads deployed at bases in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Turkey. Russia's nuclear weapons are controlled and transported by the 12th Main Directorate of the defence ministry (12th GUMO). By putting nuclear weapons back in Belarus, Putin is showing that the architecture of post-Cold War nuclear arms control is crumbling.

Persons: Stringer, Vladimir Putin, Moscow's, Putin, Pavel Zarubin, Su, Lukashenko, Jens Stoltenberg, Guy Faulconbridge, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Kremlin, Street, Ukraine, Sukhoi, of American, WHO, United, NATO, B61, U.S, 12th, Directorate, State Department, Thomson Locations: Kakhovka, Nikopol, Ukraine, Dnipropetrovsk region, MOSCOW, Belarus, Russia, Soviet Union, Britain, United States, Belarusian, Lida, Lithuanian, Europe, U.S, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Kazakhstan, States

Summary Kazakhstan plans selective mining tax increasesWants to raise VAT rates, cut fuel subsidiesWill borrow to finance China-EU shipping route bypassing RussiaASTANA, June 9 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan plans to raise taxes on mining companies and cut fuel subsidies to balance its budget, while borrowing to develop the shipping route between China and Europe bypassing Russia, Economy Minister Alibek Kuantyrov told Reuters. Kazakhstan has already hiked the mineral extraction tax rate for exchange-traded metals by 50% and other solid minerals by 30% this year, but Kuantyrov said there was room for further increases in the new tax code the cabinet is drafting. "Our minerals extraction tax rates are among the lowest in the world," he said in an interview. The government also wants to raise the VAT rate for most sectors from the current 12%, while cutting it for "socially important" ones such as food staples and medicines. The government wants to tax banks more heavily and will continue cutting car fuel subsidies, a move announced earlier this year.

Persons: Alibek Kuantyrov, Kassym, Jomart Tokayev, Kuantyrov, Mariya Gordeyeva, Tamara Vaal, Olzhas Auyezov, Toby Chopra, Kim Coghill Organizations: EU, Russia ASTANA, Reuters, RUSSIA Kazakhstan, European Bank for Reconstruction, European, Thomson Locations: Kazakhstan, China, Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Soviet, Caucasus, Moscow, Central Asia

[1/3] Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko speak during a meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi, Russia June 9, 2023. Putin announced in March he had agreed to deploy such weapons in Belarus, pointing to U.S deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in a host of European countries over many decades. It is still unclear where the Russian nuclear warheads - which will remain under Russian control - will be kept in Belarus. RANGEPutin, who is the ultimate decision maker on any nuclear launch, said Iskander mobile short-range ballistic missiles, which can deliver nuclear warheads, had already been handed over to Belarus. Putin has repeatedly raised the issue of U.S. B61 tactical nuclear warheads deployed at bases in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Turkey.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Putin, Moscow's, Vladimir Vladimirovich, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Su, Guy Faulconbridge, Kevin Liffey, Andrew Osborn, Frances Kerry Organizations: Belarusian, Sputnik, NATO, United, Sukhoi, B61, Cuban Missile Crisis, Thomson Locations: Sochi, Russia, Kremlin, Belarus, Europe, Putin MOSCOW, Soviet Union, Russian, Black, United States, Ukraine, Moscow, China, Washington, Minsk, Berlin, Stockholm, Soviet, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Nevada

☆ Ukrainians had no incentive to detonate the Kakhovka dam, says former U.S. ambassador
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailUkrainians had no incentive to detonate the Kakhovka dam, says former U.S. ambassadorWilliam Courtney, adjunct senior fellow at Rand Corporation and former U.S. ambassador to Georgia and Kazakhstan, discusses the destruction of a strategically important dam in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, and says Ukraine had no military or humanitarian incentive to destroy it.

Persons: William Courtney Organizations: Rand Corporation Locations: U.S, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russian, Ukraine

☆ Temperatures have reached 100 degrees in Siberia amid its 'worst heat wave in history'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Dozens of heat records have fallen in Siberia, as temperatures climbed above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 Celsius). Last Saturday, temperatures reached 37.9 degrees Celsius (100.2 Fahrenheit) in Jalturovosk, its hottest day in history, according to the climatologist Maximiliano Herrera, who tracks extreme temperatures across the globe. Several all-time heat records were broken on Wednesday, including in Baevo, which reached 39.6 degrees Celsius (103.3 Fahrenheit), and Barnaul, which hit 38.5 degrees Celsius (101.3 Fahrenheit). Some of these stations have between five and seven decades of temperature recordings, Herrera told CNN. On Wednesday, temperatures of more than 45 degrees Celsius (111.2 Fahrenheit) were recorded in China, 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 Fahrenheit) in Uzbekistan and 41 degrees Celsius (105.8) in Kazakhstan.

Persons: Maximiliano Herrera, Herrera, ”, ” Herrera, ” Omar Baddour, Samantha Burgess, Canada –, It’s Organizations: CNN, Twitter, “ Records, Tomsk, World Meteorological Organization, Northern Locations: Siberia, Jalturovosk, Baevo, Asia, China, India, Northern Hemisphere, Canada, Central Asia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan

☆ Binance Moved Billions Through Two U.S. Banks, Regulators Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Emily Flitter | Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

accountant, Sachin Verma, detailed a tangle of transactions that companies associated with the giant cryptocurrency exchange had made through two banks: Silvergate Bank and Signature Bank, both of which failed this year. separately said it estimated unpaid taxes by Binance over the past four years carried an interest penalty of more than $13 million. Though it estimated that Binance earned almost $225 million from 2019 to 2023, the regulator didn’t say how much the company paid in taxes over the period, or how much it should have paid. sued Binance in federal court in Washington, D.C., accusing the company of mishandling customer funds, lying to regulators and investors about its operations and engaging in manipulative trading. U.S. regulators have asked a federal judge to temporarily freeze assets tied to Binance’s subsidiary in the United States, and Wednesday’s filing was in support of that request.

Persons: Sachin Verma, Changpeng Zhao, Binance Organizations: Securities and Exchange, Silvergate, Signature Bank, Washington , D.C Locations: Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Seychelles, Washington ,, U.S, United States

☆ These economies benefited from Russia's isolation — but they now risk Western retaliation
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Changing trade patterns in the region are an opportunity, but also a risk. Georgian public support for EU membership has resurged over recent months, with four-fifths (81%) of the population currently in favor joining the bloc, according to a recent poll from U.S.-founded non-profit the National Democratic Institute. Armenia, meanwhile, has never submitted an application for either membership, and other Central Asian countries would not be eligible to join the EU. The geopolitical context with which we [Georgia] are now thought of is with other Central Asia countries. But they don't have EU membership as a target — we do," Kukava said.

Persons: Armenia's, haven't, Mikheil Kukava, Subir Lall, —, Kukava, they're, Ursula von der Leyen, Armen Nurbekyan, Nurbekyan Organizations: Anadolu Agency, Getty, International Monetary Fund, Institute for Development of, CNBC, Russia Western, European Bank for Reconstruction, Development, European Union, Georgia's National Statistics Office, European Commission, of Seven, Central Bank of, EU, NATO, of Information, U.S, National Democratic Institute, Central Locations: Tbilisi, Russian, Moscow, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Russia, Soviet, Russia's, Caucasus, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, East, Central Bank of Armenia, Armenia's, U.S, of Information Georgia

☆ Russia's McDonald's heir growing quickly, in for the long haul
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Olga Popova | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) closed its Russian restaurants soon after Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, eventually selling to a local licensee, Alexander Govor. The chain has sold more than 24 million of its Big Mac replacement burgers, the Big Hit, CEO Oleg Paroev said. Hamstrung by agreements with McDonald's, Vkusno & tochka, can not open restaurants in countries where McDonald's already has a presence. Russian authorities and Govor have said McDonald's has an option to buy back its Russia restaurants within 15 years. It would find a market where Vkusno & tochka is the master franchisee should it do so.

Persons: Alexander Govor, Govor, Oleg Paroev, Natalya Fadeeva, Evgenia, I've, McDonald's, Olga Popova, Alexander Marrow, Sharon Singleton Organizations: McDonald's Corp, Reuters, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, Moscow, Ukraine, Russian, McDonald's, Belarus, Kazakhstan

☆ A member of Putin's NATO equivalent said it is 'not Russia's ally' in the fight against Ukraine, further splintering the alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Armenia, a member of the CSTO, said it is "not Russia's ally in the war with Ukraine." The CSTO is Russia's equivalent of NATO, but members have snubbed Putin since its invasion of Ukraine. Experts say the alliance is crumbling as Russia's invasion exacerbated existing tensions. "We are not Russia's ally in the war with Ukraine. Some of those snubs directly related to the Ukraine war, including Kazakhstan denying Russia's request to send troops when the invasion began.

Persons: Putin, —, Nikol Pashinyan, Pashinyan, Vladimir Putin, it's, Dmitry Peskov Organizations: NATO, Service, CNN Prima, Security, Organization, Reuters Locations: Armenia, Ukraine, Czech, Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Soviet Union, Azerbaijan, Moscow

☆ Rybakina pulls out of French Open due to illness
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, June 3 (Reuters) - Fourth seed Elena Rybakina pulled out of the French Open ahead of her third-round meeting with Sara Sorribes Tormo on Saturday due to a viral illness as the Roland Garros tournament lost one of its main contenders for the women's title. Kazakhstan's Rybakina, 23, was among the title favourites alongside holder Iga Swiatek and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka after winning the Rome title in the build-up to the claycourt Grand Slam. "I'm really upset not be able to play, but I guess that's life," Rybakina added. Moscow-born Rybakina said she hoped to be fully fit for the European grasscourt swing ahead of her Wimbledon title defence. Spain's Sorribes Tormo moves into the fourth round where she will take on 23rd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova or 14th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Persons: Elena Rybakina, Sara Sorribes Tormo, Roland Garros, Sorribes Tormo, Philippe Chatrier, Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, I'm, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ed Osmond Organizations: Wimbledon, Rome, Thomson Locations: Paris, Moscow, Berlin, Eastbourne, Wimbledon

☆ BRICS meet with 'friends' seeking closer ties amid push to expand bloc
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Wendell Roelf | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Foreign ministers of BRICS nations pose for a family photo with representatives from Africa and the global South during a summit in Cape Town, South Africa, June 2, 2023. BRICS, which now consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is considering expanding its membership, and a growing number of countries, mostly from the global South, have expressed interest in joining. Developed countries have never met their commitments to the developing world and are trying to shift all responsibility to the global South," Pandor said. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said Thursday's talks had included deliberations on the guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures of what an expanded BRICS bloc would look like. As an ICC member, South Africa would face pressure to arrest Putin were he to travel to the summit.

Persons: Naledi Pandor, Pandor, Mauro Vieira, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Thursday's, Africa's Pandor, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Carien du, Krishn Kaushik, Joe Bavier, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Russian Foreign Ministry, REUTERS, South Africa's, United Arab, Democratic, Cape Town, International Criminal Court, ICC, Thomson Locations: Africa, Cape Town , South Africa, REUTERS CAPE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Comoros, Gabon, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Argentina, Bangladesh, Guinea, Bissau, Indonesia, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Carien du Plessis

☆ Sabalenka powers into French Open fourth round, Khachanov survives
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, June 2 (Reuters) - Aryna Sabalenka swatted aside Kamilla Rakhimova to remind her rivals of her French Open title credentials while Russian 11th seed Karen Khachanov also moved into the fourth round by stopping wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis on Friday. Sabalenka, the big-serving world number two, beat Russian Rakhimova 6-2 6-2 on a sunbathed Court Philippe Chatrier to set up a clash with American Sloane Stephens or Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan in her quest for a second Grand Slam title. "So I have to do it with my legs, with the brain, and try to squeeze the maximum I can." Last year's semi-finalist Kasatkina will need to show her best form again in the next round where she can potentially meet former world number three Elina Svitolina. Novak Djokovic, who is seeking a 23rd Grand Slam title, is in action against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina while world number one Carlos Alcaraz will play Denis Shapovalov in the evening session.

Persons: Karen Khachanov, Kokkinakis, Sabalenka, Philippe Chatrier, Sloane Stephens, Yulia Putintseva, Khachanov, Jessica Pegula, Elise Mertens, Mertens, Daria Kasatkina, Peyton Stearns, Kasatkina, Elina Svitolina, Anna Blinkova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Anastasia Potapova, Novak Djokovic, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Carlos Alcaraz, Denis Shapovalov, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Kokkinakis, Thomson Locations: Kazakhstan, Paris

☆ Exclusive: Russia's Taman port set to suspend LPG exports over drone danger
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Rail operators in Russia and Kazakhstan have already declared plans to restrict cargo shipments towards Taman, which accounts for around 7.5% of Russia's total LPG exports. "Taman is suspending LPG transhipment as it is dangerous after all those (drone) attacks - the gases are most explosive," one of the sources said. Tamanneftegaz, the operator of the Taman transhipment complex, which also handles crude oil and oil products, did not respond to a request for comment. Two of the sources said LPG operations at the Taman transhipment complex, which has a capacity of 20 million tonnes of cargoes per year, would be mothballed indefinitely. According to the available data, railway supplies of LPG to Taman from Russia's and Kazakhstan's suppliers stood at 192,000 tonnes in January - May.

Persons: Guy Faulconbridge, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Reuters, Rail, Taman, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Taman, Russia, Moscow, Crimea, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Black, Russia's, Kazakh, Poland, China

☆ Title contender Rybakina marches past teenager Noskova into third round
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 1, 2023 Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina in action during her second round match against Czech Republic's Linda Noskova REUTERS/Lisi NiesnerPARIS, June 1 (Reuters) - Fourth seed Elena Rybakina booked her third round spot with a 6-3 6-3 victory over rising Czech teenager Linda Noskova on Thursday, confirming her status as one of the front-runners for the title. Rybakina, a member of the new 'Big three' along with fellow title contenders, world number one Iga Swiatek and second seed Aryna Sabalenka, struggled with Noskova's powerful serve and thundering forehand. It was instead Noskova who carved out two break points at 3-3 but Rybakina, who won the title at Indian Wells and Rome this season while also reaching the final at the Miami Open, saved them both. She responded in kind at the very next game to break Noskova and go 5-3 up before clinching the match with an ace on her fourth match point. Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Roland Garros, Elena Rybakina, Linda Noskova, Lisi Niesner PARIS, Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Karolos Grohmann, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Czech, Wimbledon, French, Miami, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Czech, Indian Wells, Rome

☆ Russian clothing brands plug gap left by Western rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Roman Churikov | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] People line up to enter an H&M store, which was reopened to sell the remaining stock before the company exits the Russian market, in Moscow, Russia August 2, 2022. Spain's Inditex (ITX.MC) has sold some of its more than 500 Russian stores to a UAE-based buyer. Gloria Jeans, once a re-seller of Levi's jeans, has taken over Swedish retailer H&M's central Moscow store. Russians have developed solutions with small-scale imports and online sellers helping to keep foreign brands alive, but some things remain difficult to find. Shopper Irina Nikulina said she did not miss foreign brands too much, except when needing something simple, like a reasonably priced white t-shirt.

Persons: Maxim, Spain's, Anton, Antonina, Oleg Klimov, Gloria Jeans, Ksenia Zhdanova, Zhdanova, Irina Nikulina, Tatiana Vakhonina, Roman Churikov, Lev Sergeev, Alexander Reshetnikov, Alexander Paramoshin, Alexander Marrow, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Russia's, Shopping, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, Ukraine, UAE, Zara, Soviet Union, Kazakhstan

☆ Belarus's Lukashenko says there can be 'nuclear weapons for everyone'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 29 (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that if any other country wanted to join a Russia-Belarus union there could be "nuclear weapons for everyone." Russia moved ahead last week with a plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, in the Kremlin's first deployment of such warheads outside Russia since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union, spurring concerns in the West. "If someone is worried ... (then) it is very simple: join in the Union State of Belarus and Russia. That's all: there will be nuclear weapons for everyone." Russia and Belarus are formally part of a Union State, a borderless union and alliance between the two former Soviet republics.

☆ Putin ally blusters about 'nuclear weapons for everyone' who joins Russia and Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Alexander Lukashenko said there will be "nuclear weapons for everyone" who joins Russia and Belarus. The comment came after Belarus agreed to host Russia's tactical nuclear weapons. Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, made the comment Sunday after Belarus agreed to host Russia's tactical nuclear weapons. But the mounting threats have led some adversaries to shrug him off, doubting he would actually resort to using nuclear weapons, Insider's John Haltiwanger previously reported. Belarus agreed to host Moscow's nuclear weapons last week.

☆ Belarus official: West left us no choice but to deploy nuclear arms
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 28 (Reuters) - Western countries left Belarus no choice but to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons and had better take heed not to "cross red lines" on key strategic issues, a senior Belarusian official was quoted as saying on Sunday. Russia moved ahead last week with a decision to deploy tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory aimed at achieving specific gains on the battlefield. "The deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus is therefore one of the steps of strategic deterrence. He said any resort to using "even tactical nuclear weapons will lead to irreversible consequences." The United States has denounced the prospective deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus but says its stance on the use of such weapons has not been altered.

☆ Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko offers nuclear weapons to nations willing 'to join the Union State of Russia and Belarus'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Mariya Knight Uliana Pavlova Helen Regan | Mariya Knight | Uliana Pavlova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that nations who are willing “to join the Union State of Russia and Belarus” will be given nuclear weapons, days after confirming the transfer of some tactical nuclear weapons from Moscow to Minsk had begun. “Join the Union State of Belarus and Russia. It was not clear how wide Lukashenko’s invitation to join the Union State extended, and he offered no other specifics. Tactical nuclear weapons are smaller than strategic nuclear weapons – which can decimate entire cities – and are designed for use in a limited battlefield. Strong condemnationsThe United States and the European Union, as well as opposition leaders in Belarus, have denounced the move to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

☆ Rome Masters: Ukrainian tennis player refuses to shake Russian opponent's hand after semifinal victory
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Matt Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Ukrainian tennis player Anhelina Kalinina refused to shake hands with Veronika Kudermetova, her Russian opponent, following the former’s victory in the semifinals of the Rome Masters in Italy on Friday. Speaking to reporters after the match at Foro Italico, Rome, Kalinina said, “We didn’t shake hands because the girl is from Russia basically. It’s no secret why I didn’t shake, because this country actually attacks Ukraine. We are here to play tennis.”Veronika Kudermetova began the tournament as the world No.12. Antonietta Baldassarre/Insidefoto/LightRocket/Getty ImagesKalinina denied the idea that her opponent’s nationality influenced the topsy-turvy nature of the match, describing Kudermetova as “a top player, a very great player.

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