EUROPE

The sordid secrets of the Loire chateaux – and how to visit the area in style

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It is constructed in the shape of a cross containing 12 symmetrical apartments accessed from a central staircase. This is a double-helix formed of two intertwining stairs, which allow you to go up one flight and come back down the other. In truth, there is an elegant mathematical logic to it, but in practice it … Read more

Turkey’s Erdogan discusses concerns with NATO hopefuls Sweden and Finland

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Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of his ruling AK Party (AKP) during a meeting at the parliament in Ankara, Turkey May 18, 2022. Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register ISTANBUL, May 21 (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has objected to Sweden and Finland … Read more

Biden, South Korea’s Yoon vow to deter North Korea but offer COVID aid

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SEOUL, May 21 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden and his new South Korean counterpart agreed on Saturday to hold bigger military drills and deploy more US weapons if necessary to deter North Korea, while offering to send COVID-19 vaccines and potentially meet Kim Jong An. Biden and Yoon Suk-yeol said their countries’ decades-old alliance needed … Read more

U.S., others walk out of APEC talks over Russia’s Ukraine invasion

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BANGKOK, May 21 (Reuters) – Representatives of the United States and several other nations walked out of an Asia-Pacific trade ministers meeting in Bangkok on Saturday to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, officials said. The walkout was “an expression of disapproval at Russia’s illegal war of aggression in Ukraine and its economic impact in the … Read more

Factbox: The Great Rebrand: Western business reborn in Russia under new names

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May 20 (Reuters) – McDonald’s Corp (MCD.N) is selling its restaurants in Russia to one of its current local licenses, who will reopen the branches under a new name yet to be decided – the most high-profile rebranding so far of companies extricating themselves from Russia. read more Scores of Western brands have said they … Read more

Ukraine’s Zelenskiy proposes formal deal on compensation from Russia

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (not pictured), as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 8, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register May 20 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday proposed a formal deal … Read more

U.S. says Turkey’s approach to Sweden, Finland NATO bid not a bilateral topic

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WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) – Turkey’s approach to the NATO accession process of Sweden and Finland is not a bilateral issue between Washington and Ankara, the US State Department said on Friday, but added that Washington was speaking with Ankara and it remained confident that the dispute would be overcome. Finland and Sweden say they … Read more

Russia advances in Ukraine’s Donbas as Mariupol steelworks siege ends

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Weeks-long siege ends at Azovstal, Russia says Russia intensifies offensive in Donbas Zelenskiy seeks deal to secure Russian compensation Russia stops Finland gas flows over payment dispute KYIV, May 21 (Reuters) – Russia pressed for control of Ukraine’s Donbas region, claiming victory in the months-long battle for Mariupol’s steel plant and launching a major offensive … Read more

Russia says Azovstal siege is over, shows video of defenders surrendering

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May 20 (Reuters) – Russia’s defense ministry on Friday said the last group of Ukrainian forces holed up in Mariupol’s Azovstal steel works had surrendered, marking an end to a weeks-long attack that left the city in ruins. The complete abandonment of the bunkers and tunnels of the bombed-out plant by the Azov Regiment means … Read more

Is Russia fielding laser weapons in Ukraine? Pentagon does not think so

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Participants are seen at the stand of Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom during the International military-technical forum “Army-2021” at Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center in Moscow Region, Russia August 23, 2021. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) – The Pentagon said on Friday there were no … Read more