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(Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Friday that the prisoner exchange deal to swap Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner should not be seen as a step towards improving bilateral relations between Moscow and Washington, Russian state news agencies reported. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said relations between the two countries …

Kremlin: Griner-Bout swap not sign of improving U.S.-Russia relations Read More »

ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will no longer attend a summit of southern EU countries in the Spanish city of Alicante on Friday after coming down with the flu, and will be replaced by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, her office said on Friday. The EU Med-9 format includes Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, …

Italy’s Meloni to skip EU Med-9 summit due to flu Read More »

By Nandita Bose, Humeyra Pamuk and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) -After months of painstaking negotiations with Moscow, it became clear to President Joe Biden’s administration that it faced a grave choice – to exchange notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner or else get no American to bring home. Thursday’s …

For Brittney Griner, months as Russian prisoner end on UAE tarmac Read More »

BERLIN (Reuters) – The risk of Russian President Vladimir President Putin using nuclear weapons as part of his war in Ukraine has decreased in response to international pressure, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in an interview published on Thursday. The war was continuing with “undiminished brutality” though, for now, one thing had changed, Scholz told …

Scholz: Risk of Russia using nuclear weapons has diminished, for now Read More »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Paul Whelan, an ex-U.S. Marine detained in Russia, expressed dismay on Thursday that more had not been done to secure his release and urged President Joe Biden to act fast following a prisoner swap that freed U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner. Griner was released in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout, a transaction …

Detained American Whelan says he’s disappointed more not done to free him Read More »

By Marco Aquino and Anthony Esposito LIMA (Reuters) – Peru’s first female president Dina Boluarte, who unexpectedly came to power on Wednesday after her former boss was ousted and arrested, will need to tread carefully to avoid her recent predecessors’ fate of being forced out of office early. In a day of high drama, Pedro …

Analysis-Peru’s presidential curse will prove hard to lift despite Castillo ouster Read More »

KINSHASA (Reuters) -The European Union has added eight individuals to its sanctions list relating to the conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo, including rebel leaders and a Belgian businessman, it said on Thursday. It extended existing sanctions against ten people until December 2023. The restrictions include an asset freeze and a ban on entering European …

EU adds eight people to Congolese sanctions list Read More »

(Reuters) -U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner was released on Thursday in a prisoner swap with Russia after the two-time Olympic champion and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) player spent more than nine months detained on a drug possession offense. Here are some comments in reaction to her release: U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN “Moments ago I …

Reaction to Brittney Griner’s release from Russian prison Read More »