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☆ Russia's Bolshoi, shunned in West, heads to Beijing for first tour since COVID
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/7] Principal dancers of the Bolshoi Theatre Elizaveta Kokoreva and Dmitry Smilevsky take part in a rehearsal in Moscow, Russia July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/File PhotoMOSCOW, July 21 (Reuters) - Moscow's Bolshoi Ballet, grounded by COVID-19 and then shunned in the West since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, returns to international touring next week for the first time since the pandemic with a trip to Beijing. "I believe that we will perform again (in the West), and others will come to (Russia) to perform. Vladimir Urin, the Bolshoi's director, said in April that he was saddened by the loss of what had been regular creative cooperation with Western theatre companies and artists. Reporting by Reuters Writing by Lucy Papachristou Editing by Andrew Osborn and Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bolshoi Theatre Elizaveta Kokoreva, Dmitry Smilevsky, Evgenia, Makhar Vaziev, Empress Catherine the Great, Don Quixote, we'll, Elizaveta Kokoreva, Vladimir Urin, Lucy Papachristou, Andrew Osborn, Peter Graff Organizations: Bolshoi Theatre, REUTERS, Bolshoi Ballet, Reuters, London's Royal Opera House, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, MOSCOW, Ukraine, Beijing, China, Western, Italian, Minsk, Oman

☆ Russia hits Ukraine's grain for fourth day, practises seizing ships
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Olena Harmash | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Moscow has described the attacks as revenge for a Ukrainian strike on a Russian-built bridge to Crimea - the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014. Russia's defence ministry on Friday said its Black Sea fleet had practised firing rockets at "floating targets" and apprehending ships. The president of Turkey, which brokered the deal alongside the U.N. said, he hoped planned talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin could lead to the restoration of the initiative. Western leaders have accused Russia of seeking to loosen sanctions imposed over its invasion of Ukraine, which already exempt exports of Russian food. Russian grain has moved freely through the Black Sea to market throughout the conflict and traders say Russia is pouring wheat onto the market.

Persons: Oleh Kiper, Vladimir Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Putin, WAGNER, Russia's Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Yuriy Malashko, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Joe Biden's, Zelenskiy, Anna Pruchnicka, Philippa Fletcher, Peter Graff Organizations: Press Service, Operational Command, Ukrainian Armed Forces, NATO, Poland KYIV, UN, Washington, . Security, Ukraine, United, U.S, West, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Odesa region, Russia, Poland, Odesa, Moscow, Crimea, Ukrainian, Washington, Turkey, Gulf, Cyprus, POLAND, Polish, Belarus, People, Zaporizhzhia, Kostiantynivka, Donetsk, Iranian, United States, Russia's, Kyiv, KYIV

☆ Abu Dhabi's ADQ signs $11.5 bln deals with Turkey for earthquake relief, exports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Yousef Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 19 (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ said on Wednesday it signed two memoranda of understanding to finance up to $8.5 billion of Turkey earthquake relief bonds and $3 billion in credit facilities to support Turkish exports. The bonds, agreed with Turkey's finance ministry, will fund "comprehensive reconstruction efforts in southern and central Turkiye," ADQ said in a statement. Abu Dhabi has also shifted to deploy more economic diplomacy, often using ADQ. IHC, also chaired by Sheikh Tahnoun, bought a 50% stake in Turkey's Kalyon Enerji for $490 million last August. Reporting by Yousef Saba; Additional reporting by Yomna Ehab; Editing by Peter Graff and Mike HarrisonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: ADQ, Tayyip Erdogan, Abu, Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed, Sheikh Mohammed, Sheikh Tahnoun, Yousef Saba, Yomna Ehab, Peter Graff, Mike Harrison Organizations: Export Credit Bank of Turkiye, United Arab, UAE, Thomson Locations: Abu Dhabi, Turkey, Turkiye, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Riyadh, Turkey's

☆ EU regulators extend Amazon, iRobot decision deadline to Dec. 13
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, July 19 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators have extended their deadline for a decision on Amazon's (AMZN.O) $1.7 billion acquisition of robot vacuum cleaner maker iRobot (IRBT.O) to Dec. 13 after the companies requested more time. "The deadline for the (European) Commission to take a decision has been extended by additional 20 working days in agreement with the notifying party," the EU competition enforcer said in a statement. Companies can ask for an extension of up to 20 working days. The EU watchdog earlier this month warned that the deal may reduce competition in robot vacuum cleaners and also reinforce Amazon's position as an online marketplace provider. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Foo Yun, Peter Graff Organizations: Commission, EU, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS

☆ Britain's banks slow in passing higher rates to savers -watchdog
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 19 (Reuters) - Britain's banks are not passing on higher interest rates to savers fast enough, though this is expected to accelerate in coming months as a new duty to provide good outcomes for consumers comes into force, UK financial regulators said on Wednesday. Interest rates in Britain have risen from record lows near zero percent during the COVID-19 pandemic to 5%, with more rises expected to quell inflation, sending borrowing costs higher. "The pace has simply not been fast enough," Financial Conduct Authority Chief Executive Nikhil Rathi told parliament's Treasury Select Committee. The duty comes into force on July 31 and Rathi told lawmakers it was the watchdog's most significant intervention across all types of firms in two decades. There is no need for a formal "savings charter" among banks on savings rates given the watchdog needed to be careful about coordinating pricing decisions in what is a "reasonably competitive market", Rathi said.

Persons: Nikhil Rathi, parliament's, Rathi, Ashley Alder, Alder, Huw Jones, Peter Graff, Bernadette Baum Organizations: FCA, Thomson Locations: Britain

☆ Russia strikes Ukraine grain port after exiting export deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Olena Harmash | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Ukraine and Russia are both among the world's biggest exporters of grain and other foodstuffs. If Ukrainian grain is again blocked from the market, prices could soar around the world, hitting the poorest countries hardest. Russia says it could return to the grain deal, but only if its demands are met for rules to be eased for its own exports of food and fertiliser. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for the grain deal to continue without Russia, effectively seeking Turkey's backing to negate the Russian blockade. Any attempt to reopen Ukrainian grain shipments without Russia's participation would depend on insurance companies agreeing to provide coverage.

Persons: Andriy Yermak, Antonio Guterres, Moscow, Dmitry Peskov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Tayyip Erdogan, Ukraine's counterassault, Hanna Maliar, Serhiy Cherevatyi, Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan, Alex Richardson Organizations: UN, United Nations, Local, Kyiv, Russian Federation, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Moscow, KYIV, Ukrainian, Odesa, Ukraine, Crimean, Mykolaiv, Crimea, Russia's, Kupiansk, Kyiv, Bakhmut, Turkey, Russian, Kharkiv

☆ Russia halts grain deal in what UN calls blow to needy people everywhere
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres signalled that Russia's withdrawal meant that the related pact to assist Russia's grain and fertilizer exports was also terminated. Moscow said it would consider rejoining the grain deal if it saw "concrete results" on its demands but that its guarantees for the safety of navigation would meanwhile be revoked. REUTERS/StringerUkrainian forces have been striking Russian supply lines as it pursues a counteroffensive to drive Russian forces out of its south and east. On Monday it reported two more civilians killed by Russian forces, which it said had begun a major push in the northeast. The grain deal was hailed as preventing a global food emergency when brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last year.

Persons: Dmitry Peskov, Antonio Guterres, Moscow, Antony Blinken, Saraf, Halima Hussein, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Stringer, Hanna Maliar, Serhiy Cherevatyi, Vladimir Putin, Marat Khusnullin, Putin, Artem Dekhtyarenko, Max Hunder, Michelle Nichols, Abdi Sheikh, Ron Popeski, Lidia Kelly, Peter Graff, Philippa Fletcher, Alex Richardson, Grant McCool Organizations: UN, Russian Federation, International Rescue, REUTERS, Stringer Ukrainian, Lyman, Ukrainian Armed Forces, TV, Reuters, Ukraine's Security, Ukraine, United, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Crimea, Ukraine, Russian, KYIV, Russia, Moscow, Ukrainian, Washington, AFRICA Ukraine, East Africa, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia's, Mogadishu, Kyiv, Turkey, Kerch, Kupiansk, Kharkiv, United Nations, New York

☆ Russia says West is sponsoring 'nuclear terrorism' after Ukrainian drone strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MOSCOW, July 14 (Reuters) - Russia accused the West on Friday of sponsoring "nuclear terrorism" after authorities said a Ukrainian drone had struck the western Russian town of Kurchatov, where a nuclear power station similar to the ill-fated Chernobyl plant is located. "A drone crashed in the town of Kurchatov overnight," Starovoit said on the Telegram messaging app. There was no immediate reaction from Ukraine, which is regularly subjected to massed Russian drone attacks and seldom comments on its own suspected drone and sabotage attacks inside Russia. "People in NATO countries should realise that their governments are sponsoring nuclear terrorism by the Kyiv regime." Russia and Ukraine have long accused each other of risking a nuclear catastrophe at another facility - the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Russian-controlled territory in southern Ukraine - through shelling.

Persons: Roman Starovoit, Starovoit, Maria Zakharova, Dmitry Peskov, Alexei Likhachev, Andrew Osborn, Gareth Jones, Peter Graff Organizations: RUSSIAN, Kremlin, Russian Foreign Ministry, Foreign, NATO, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russia, Ukrainian, Russian, Kurchatov, Roman, Russia's Kursk, Ukraine, Soviet, Kyiv

☆ Ukraine's spymaster comes out of the shadows
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

For an intelligence chief running Ukraine's spy operations during war with Russia, Kyrylo Budanov, 37, has built up an unusually public profile that he has used to get his message out and to menace Russia from afar. These days, a spy boss cannot stay in the shadows, he says. "It's not possible without this, not anymore," the head of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) told Reuters in an interview at his heavily defended headquarters in the capital. The prospect of a spy agency sending assassins to hunt down Ukraine's enemies has drawn comparisons with Israel's Mossad. Budanov began his military career as a special forces operative and served in the east after Russia illegally annexed Crimea and its proxies took over Ukraine's eastern fringes.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kyrylo Budanov, GUR, Budanov, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin, haven't, Tom Balmforth, Sergiy, Mike Collett, White, Peter Graff Organizations: Kyiv, Ukraine's Main Intelligence, Reuters, Russian Interior Ministry, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, RUSSIA, Russian, Crimea, Rybalskyi

☆ Russian leadership suffers 'friction and confusion' since mutiny, US general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Idrees Ali | Thomson Reuters | National Security Correspondent Focusing On The Pentagon In Washington D.C. Reports On U.S. Military Activity | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"At the strategic level it is pretty clear that you have a significant amount of friction and confusion," General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a small group of reporters traveling with him in Asia. Milley said that lower-level Russian troops in Ukraine were likely more focused on the situation on the ground and surviving day to day. Since the mutiny, which posed the biggest domestic challenge to the Russian state in decades, President Vladimir Putin has so far kept Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov in their jobs. In the latest surprise, the Kremlin said this week that Putin met Prigozhin and his commanders just five days after the mutiny. Lukashenko first announced Prigozhin was in Belarus, then said last week that he was back in Russia.

Persons: Wagner, Stringer, group's, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Alexander Lukashenko, Prigozhin, Mark Milley, Milley, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Shoigu, Staff Valery Gerasimov, Putin, Lukashenko, Idrees Ali, Peter Graff Organizations: Southern Military District, REUTERS, U.S, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Staff, Thomson Locations: Rostov, Don, Russia, Ukraine, United States, Moscow, Asia, Russian, decamp, Belarus

Economic output fell 0.1% in May from April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, after growth of 0.2% in the previous month. All sectors of the economy contracted with the exception of services, which showed no growth. Finance minister Jeremy Hunt said high inflation continued to hamper the economy and he called for patience in bringing it down. Some companies in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector said they had benefited from the extra bank holiday, as well as hotels and restaurants, the ONS said. Britain's economy often shows some rebound in subsequent months when output is temporarily dented by extra bank holidays.

Persons: Maja Smiejkowska, King Charles, Paul Dales, Dales, BoE, Jeremy Hunt, Andy Bruce, William Schomberg, Kate Holton, Peter Graff, Toby Chopra Organizations: Charing Cross, REUTERS, National Statistics, Bank of England, Capital Economics, Reuters, ONS, European Union, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Germany

☆ Protesters clash with Kenya police over tax hikes, two killed, officers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in the capital Nairobi, the port city of Mombasa and several other towns, according to Reuters reporters and footage aired on Kenyan television stations. Police officers patrolling the expressway, who did not give their names, told Reuters they had shot dead two protesters as they sought to repel an advancing crowd. You promised them that you are going to help them, but you didn't," Bernard Ochieng, a protester in Nairobi's informal Kibera settlements, told Reuters. The government says the tax hikes, which include a doubling of the fuel tax and the introduction of a levy to fund affordable housing, are needed to deal with growing debt repayments and to fund job-creation initiatives. At least six people were killed last Friday during protests called for by opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Persons: Raila Odinga, William Ruto, Young, Bernard Ochieng, Odinga, Thomas Mukoya, Jefferson Kahinju, Humphrey Malalo, Aaron Ross, Alex Richardson, Peter Graff, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Kenya Alliance, Police, Kenyan, Reuters, Kenya's, Thomson Locations: Read, NAIROBI, Nairobi, Mombasa

☆ Where to invest $10,000 right now if you want to generate the most income, without a ton of risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Meanwhile, preferred securities can see yields around 7%. The Fed's rate hikes also sweetened yields on money market funds and certificates of deposit . Yet what is the best avenue for someone who is looking to generate the most income on a $10,000 investment — without taking on a lot of risk? The ICE BofA Fixed Rate Preferred Securities index, which tracks the performance of fixed-rate preferred securities, has a yield to maturity of 7.1%. "Right now you can't do better … than just owning short- to intermediate term high-grade fixed income," he said.

Persons: There's, Tom Graff, Mitch Goldberg, Goldberg, laddering, you'll, Ian Weinburg, Weinberg, Tim Ghriskey, Snyder, haven't, Ghriskey, Bonds, he'd, Graff Organizations: Treasury, Federal Reserve, Federal, CNBC Pro, Family Wealth, Pension Management, Ingalls, ICE, Securities, Citigroup, XIII, Index, SEC Locations: Baltimore, Melville , N.Y, Woodbury , N.Y, New York, Treasurys, preferreds

☆ Frontline videos offer grim, close-up view of Kyiv's counteroffensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Dan Peleschuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak /File PhotoKYIV, July 11 (Reuters) - Vivid helmet camera videos filmed by Ukrainian soldiers at the front line can give viewers a visceral feel of combat as Kyiv's counteroffensive finally unfolds, even though experts warn against drawing strong conclusions about how the war is going. The information vacuum has been partially filled by a steady stream of video filmed by soldiers themselves and often compiled, edited and released by their units. Later, an exhausted commander lets out an expletive at the camera after a Russian artillery strike on his unit's position. Reynolds added that the videos can also provide a feel for the artillery-scarred terrain Ukrainian troops are fighting on. 'SO YOU ALL KNOW THE PRICE'Troops releasing videos say that depicting the intensity of combat helps convey to the public their forces' commitment, bolstering support.

Persons: Oleksandr Ratushniak, Nick Reynolds, Reynolds, Oleh, Valerii Markus, we'll, Dan Peleschuk, Peter Graff Organizations: REUTERS, Separate Assault Brigade, Royal United Services Institute, Reuters, Troops, Mechanized Brigade, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Neskuchne, Donetsk region, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Russian, London, Crimea, Russia

☆ Court says Semenya can appeal testosterone limit for female athletes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

July 11 (Reuters) - Europe's top human rights court ruled in favour of Olympic runner Caster Semenya on Tuesday, saying courts in Switzerland should give her a new chance to fight a requirement that female athletes with high natural testosterone take drugs to lower it. The ECHR ruled, by a slender majority of four votes to three, that Semenya's original appeal against World Athletics regulations had not been properly heard. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in 2019 that World Athletics' rules were necessary for fair female competition. At the time, Semenya said the rules were discriminatory, and contraceptive pills made her feel "constantly sick". Semenya won gold in the women's 800 metres at the 2016 Olympics and is also a three-time world champion in the distance.

Persons: Semenya, Hritika Sharma, Nick Said, Ed Osmond, Peter Graff Organizations: South, European, of Human Rights, Swiss Federal, ECHR, World Athletics, Chamber, Swiss Government, Sport, Thomson Locations: Switzerland, Swiss, relaunching, Hyderabad, Cape Town

☆ Oil steady as demand woes from weak economic data offset by OPEC+ cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HOUSTON, July 10 (Reuters) - Oil prices were little changed on Monday in choppy trading as demand woes after weak economic data from top consumers the United States and China were offset by expected crude supply cuts from Saudi Arabia and Russia. "Oil traders may be cautious ahead of the U.S. CPI (Consumer Price Index) and China's slew of economic data later this week," CMC Markets analyst Tina Teng said of inflation data due on Wednesday. Higher interest rates increase borrowing costs for businesses and consumers, which could slow economic growth and reduce oil demand. However, crude prices could rebound after producer group OPEC+ announced plans to reduce supply further, Teng added. Money managers stepped up net long positions in oil futures and options contracts in the latest weekly data.

Persons: Brent, Tina Teng, Loretta Mester, Teng, Ole Hansen, Hansen, Arathy Somasekhar, Noah Browning, Florence Tan, Emily Chow, Alexander Smith, David Goodman, Peter Graff Organizations: . West Texas, U.S . CPI, Consumer, CMC, U.S . Federal Reserve, Federal Reserve Bank, Cleveland, OPEC, International Energy Agency, Saxo Bank, Money, Thomson Locations: United States, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, ., Saudi, WTI, Brent

☆ Iran accuses U.S. Navy of defending fuel smuggling in Gulf incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, July 10 (Reuters) - An Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commander accused the U.S. Navy on Monday of defending fuel smuggling in the Gulf by trying to interfere when Iran intercepted a ship last week. On July 7th, Iran's Fars news agency reported that the Revolutionary Guards had seized a vessel carrying 900 tons of smuggled fuel with 12 crew members, following a court order. The incident was one of several involving Iranian forces and Gulf shipping last week. Chevron denied the tanker was involved in a collision and said it had not been notified of legal proceedings or court orders by Iran regarding the ship. Reporting by Dubai Newsroom Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ramazan Zirrahi, Iran's, Tim Hawkins, Peter Graff Organizations: Iranian Revolutionary Guards, U.S . Navy, Revolutionary Guards, Navy, NADA, . 5th Fleet, Iranian, Richmond, Chevron, Dubai, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Iranian, Gulf, Iran, Persian, Fars, Bushehr, Bahamas, U.S, Chevron

☆ Hunter Biden prosecutor says Justice Dept didn't interfere in probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Sarah N. Lynch | Thomson Reuters | Sarah N. Lynch Is The Lead Reporter For Reuters Covering The U.S. Justice Department Out Of Washington | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"I have not requested Special Counsel designation," wrote Weiss, who was appointed by Republican former President Donald Trump. Weiss' office last month revealed that it was charging Hunter Biden with two misdemeanor tax charges, to which the president's son is expected to plead guilty later this month. Hunter Biden also has agreed to enter into a pretrial diversion program to avoid facing a more serious felony count of possessing a firearm while he was using illegal drugs. Their criticism has been fueled in part by claims from Gary Shapley, an IRS criminal supervisory agent who worked on the Hunter Biden investigation. Hunter Biden's attorney has also denied that his client received any special treatment.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Hunter, David Weiss, Lindsey Graham, General Merrick Garland, Hunter Biden, Weiss, Donald Trump, Gary Shapley, Shapley, Trump, Garland, Sarah N, Lynch, Scott Malone, Peter Graff Organizations: U.S, Justice Department, Internal Revenue Service, Delaware U.S, Republican, Attorney, D.C, Thomson Locations: Delaware, Washington, California

☆ BBC sex photo claims are 'rubbish', young person's lawyer tells broadcaster
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Allegations that an unnamed BBC presenter paid a young person to pose for explicit photos are "rubbish", a lawyer acting for the young person has told the broadcaster in a letter. The presenter, who has not been named by the BBC or the Sun newspaper, was suspended on Sunday following the claims. The BBC reported on Monday, however, that a lawyer for the young person had written to the broadcaster stating that the allegation was "rubbish". The lawyer said the young person sent a denial to the Sun newspaper on Friday evening, when it first published the allegation, saying there was "no truth" to it, the BBC said. BBC News said it did not know the identity of the young person and had not spoken directly to them, nor had it seen the Sun's evidence.

Persons: Rupert Murdoch's Sun, It's, Paul Sandle, Kate Holton, Peter Graff, Christina Fincher Organizations: Sun, BBC, Monday, Metropolitan Police, Thomson Locations: England

☆ Russian, Turkish ministers talk after Turkey sends Ukrainian commanders home
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 9 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey spoke by telephone on Sunday, a day after Ankara angered Moscow by sending five Ukrainian commanders home with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in what Russia called a violation of a prisoner exchange agreement. The Russian and Turkish foreign ministries said Sergei Lavrov and Hakan Fidan discussed the situation in Ukraine, as well as a Black Sea grain export agreement that lifted a Russian de facto blockade of Ukrainian ports last year. Russia captured the city last year after laying it to waste, killing thousands of civilians in a three-month siege. The captured Azov commanders, lionized as heroes in Ukraine and vilified in Russia, were released in a prisoner swap in September, under terms that required them to stay in Turkey until the war ends. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that Turkey had violated agreements in permitting their release, and had failed to notify Russia in advance.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Sergei Lavrov, Hakan Fidan, Tayyip Erdogan, Ankara's, Zelenskiy, Dmitry Peskov, Alexander Marrow, Peter Graff Organizations: United Nations, Kremlin, Russia, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Turkey, Ankara, Moscow, Turkish, Ukraine, Russian, Ukrainian, Mariupol, Kyiv, Azov

Turkey, along with Hungary, has been a stumbling block to Sweden's bid, which requires unanimous approval by all NATO members. Biden "conveyed his desire to welcome Sweden into NATO as soon as possible," the White House said in a statement. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he would convene a meeting between Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Vilnius on Monday. While Finland's NATO membership was green-lighted in April, Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden's bid. During their call, Biden and Erdogan also discussed the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, and Ukraine's aim to join NATO, according to the Turkish presidency's readout.

Persons: Joe Biden, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Biden, Jens Stoltenberg, Ulf Kristersson, Ezgi Erkoyun, Kanishka Singh, Hugh Lawson, Peter Graff, Leslie Adler Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, White, Monday, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, WASHINGTON, Sweden, Turkey, Hungary, Stockholm, Ankara, Turkish, Vilnius, Lithuania, Swedish, Finland, Ukraine

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy brings home Azovstal commanders released to Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks with commanders of defenders of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol Denys Prokopenko, Sviatoslav Palamar, Denys Shleha, Serhii Volynskyi and Oleh Homenko inside a plane as they return to Ukraine from Istanbul, Turkey July 8, 2023. Ukrainian... Read moreKYIV, July 8 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, returning home from a visit to Turkey, brought with him five commanders of Ukraine's former garrison in Mariupol, forced to live in Turkey under the terms of a prisoner exchange last year. The commanders, lionised as heroes in Ukraine, led last year's defence of the port, the biggest city Russia captured in its invasion. "We are returning home from Turkey and bringing our heroes home," said Zelenskiy who met Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for talks in Istanbul on Friday. Zelenskiy gave no explanation for why the commanders were being allowed to return home now.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Mariupol Denys Prokopenko, Sviatoslav Palamar, Denys Shleha, Serhii, Read, Zelenskiy, Tayyip Erdogan, Denys Prokopenko, Svyatoslav Palamar, Serhiy Volynsky, Oleh Khomenko, Maksym Zhorin, Olena, Peter Graff Organizations: Steel, Turkey's, Communications, Thomson Locations: Mariupol, Ukraine, Istanbul, Turkey, KYIV, Russia, Kyiv, Ankara, Moscow, Czech

BRUSSELS, July 4 (Reuters) - NATO decided on Tuesday to extend Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s contract by a further year, opting to stick with an experienced leader as war rages on the alliance’s doorstep rather than try to agree on a successor. In a tweet, Stoltenberg said he was honoured by the decision to extend his term to October 1, 2024. "NATO member states have decided logically enough that the best secretary general currently on the market place is the one they already have. Others pressed the case for a first secretary general from eastern Europe. So NATO - and above all its predominant power, the United States - turned back to Stoltenberg.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg’s, Stoltenberg, Jamie Shea, Donald Trump, Ben Wallace, Mette Frederiksen, Shea, Andrew Gray, Marine Strauss, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Peter Graff Organizations: NATO, Diplomats, House, British, Danish, European Union, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Norway, Ukraine, Russian, Europe, North America, Kyiv, Afghanistan, Balkans, Asia, United States, China, France, Vilnius, Lithuania

It also defies protests from a minority of activist investors who want oil companies to be more closely aligned with global efforts to mitigate climate change. An oil and gas price rally driven by energy producer Russia's invasion of Ukraine translated into record profits for the energy majors. That has increased confidence in the most costly, high-risk offshore exploration that can also deliver the highest rewards. Wood Mackenzie analysts predict a continued increase in activity, forecasting offshore exploration and drilling activity to grow by 20% by 2025. Wood Mackenzie meanwhile predicts the commitment of up to $185 billion to develop 27 billion barrels of oil reserves, with international oil companies focused on the higher-cost, higher-return deepwater developments.

Persons: Olivier Le Peuch, Baker Hughes, Wood Mackenzie, Leslie Cook, TotalEnergies, Yujnovich, QatarEnergy, Shell, Graff, La Rona, Ron Bousso, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Shell, BP, SLB, Reuters, International Energy Agency, Barclays, West Africa –, Nambia's Petroleum, Thomson Locations: Namibia, Ukraine, Gulf of Mexico, South America, West Africa, NAMIBIA, Canada

☆ Poland arrests Russian ice-hockey player on spying charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, June 30 (Reuters) - Poland has detained a Russian professional ice-hockey player on spying charges, prosecutors said on Friday, describing him as the 14th person that had been arrested from one espionage network. The player for a first division Polish team was taken into custody in the southern Polish region of Silesia, prosecutors said in a statement. "Russian spies are falling in one by one!" Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow had demanded an explanation from Poland over its arrest of Russian citizens, state news agency RIA reported. In April it said it was introducing a temporary 200 metre exclusion zone around its Swinoujscie Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal, citing concerns about Russian espionage.

Persons: Zbigniew Ziobro, Maria Zakharova, Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz, Felix Light, Peter Graff Organizations: WARSAW, Polish, Prosecutors, Twitter, Russian Foreign Ministry, Thomson Locations: Poland, Russian, Polish, Silesia, Ukraine, Moscow, Warsaw

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