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Dramatic Zelenskiy call prompted EU move to provide arms

Early on Saturday morning, some 48 hours after Russian military forces had pushed into his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy put in a call from Kyiv to Brussels with a…

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FACTBOX-Stranded assets: How many billions are stuck in Russia?

NEW YORK (Reuters) - So far global companies, banks and investors have announced that they have exposure in some form to Russia of more than $110 billion. That number could rise. Data from research…

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FACTBOX-European and U.S. companies mobilize to help Ukrainians fleeing war

March 4 (Reuters) - Companies across Europe and North America have begun offering aid to Ukrainian authorities and people fleeing war following Russia's invasion, as over a million leave their homes and…

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FACTBOX-European and U.S. companies mobilise to help Ukrainians fleeing war

Companies across Europe and North America have begun offering aid to Ukrainian authorities and people fleeing war following Russia's invasion, as over a million leave their homes and head to…

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Five facts about Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

VIENNA, March 4 (Reuters) - Below are five facts about the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the biggest in Europe by capacity, which Russian troops have seized, according to the regional…

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FACTBOX-Emergency measures announced by Russia’s central bank

MOSCOW, Feb 28 (Reuters) - The Russian Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina spoke at an online news conference after the central bank hiked its key rate to 20% in an emergency move…

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Why the Chernobyl disaster site is important for Russia

Russian and Ukrainian forces fought on Thursday for control of Chernobyl, the still radioactive site of the world's worst nuclear accident and a factor in the collapse of the Soviet…

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EXPLAINER-How Western sanctions target Russia

Feb 25 (Reuters) - The United States, Britain and other Western nations have hit Russia with new sanctions following Russian's invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. The European Union broadly agreed new measures,…

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Factbox – Russian gas pipeline leading to Europe

(Reuters) - Europe’s gas market remains volatile amid tensions between Moscow and the West over Ukraine, a key route for Russian gas, as Gazprom, source for 40% of Europe’s needs,…

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How a Russia-Ukraine conflict might hit global markets

A potential invasion of Ukraine by neighbouring Russia would be felt across a number of markets, from wheat and energy prices and the region's sovereign dollar bonds to safe-haven assets…

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Why has France been at war for a decade in the West African desert?

France and military allies are leaving Mali after using it for almost a decade as a base for fighting Islamist insurgents who continue to wreak havoc and control swathes of…

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FACTBOX – Commodity supplies at risk if Russia hit by sanctions

MOSCOW, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Escalating tensions between Moscow and Western countries over Ukraine and the possibility of sanctions against Russia have fuelled fears supplies of key commodities produced and exported by…

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FACTBOX – UK inflation at 30-year high – what’s changed since 1992?

LONDON, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Britain's inflation rate hit its highest since March 1992 in January when it rose to 5.5% and is expected to extend its climb to above 7% in…

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Why Putin is so preoccupied with Ukraine and why he has chosen to bring the crisis to a head now

Ukraine has become the main flashpoint in Moscow's relations with the West, with Russian troops massed near its border and NATO's forces on standby in case Russia attacks its neighbour.…

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Explainer: Why Europe faces climbing energy bills

LONDON (Reuters) - Households across Europe are facing much higher energy bills this year and beyond due to a global surge in wholesale power and gas prices, with consumer groups…

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The military balance: How Ukraine’s armed forces shape up against Russia’s

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has signed a decree on increasing the size of Ukraine's armed forces by about 100,000 troops over three years and raising soldiers' pay. Ukraine's armed forces are…

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A look at the Ottawa protests: What you need to know about the anti-vaccine convoys

Horn-blaring demonstrations demanding an end to Canadian COVID-19 vaccine mandates have caused gridlock in the capital Ottawa since late January. The protests by truckers and others are now spilling to…

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EXPLAINER – Europe’s banks fear payment system could be casualty of Russia-Ukraine crisis

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, Italy's UniCredit has backed out of a potential acquisition in Russia and Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International has set aside…

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Factbox: Key nominations for 94th Academy Awards

Nominations for the 94th Academy Awards, the highest honors in the film industry, were announced this week. The awards will be presented on March 27. Following is the list of…

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FACTBOX – From sleaze scandal to lockdown parties: trying times for UK PM Johnson

LONDON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's leadership credentials have been badly tarnished by controversies and missteps in recent months, leading to calls from some of his…

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Factbox: NATO troops and possible reinforcements in Eastern Europe, Baltics

PRAGUE (Reuters) - The United States has announced plans to send nearly 3,000 extra troops to Poland and Romania to shield NATO allies in Eastern Europe from a potential spillover…

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What is the EU’s sustainable finance taxonomy?

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Supporters say it's the world's most ambitious green investment rulebook and could direct huge sums of money into fighting climate change. Critics say it's a "greenwashing" exercise…

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EXPLAINER-Why Europe faces climbing energy bills

(Reuters) - Households across Europe are facing much higher energy bills this year and beyond due to a global surge in wholesale power and gas prices, with consumer groups warning…

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Islamic State’s status in Iraq and Syria after the loss of second leader in two years

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The death of its second leader in just over two years has dealt another blow to Islamic State, the extremist jihadist group which once ruled large parts…

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FACTBOX – Europe’s efforts to shield households from soaring energy costs

LONDON - Energy prices for millions of British households are set to soar from April after the country's regulator Ofgem said on Thursday that it would raise its cap on…

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FACTBOX-Which UK Conservative lawmakers have called for confidence vote in PM Johnson?

LONDON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is fighting to shore up his authority after five aides quit his administration, including one of his closest advisers who…

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Factbox: Five potential flashpoints between Russia and Ukraine

MOSCOW/KYIV (Reuters) - Are Russian forces getting ready for war in Ukraine? That is certainly the fear among Western leaders and in Ukraine as Russia and the West prepare for…

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EXPLAINER-Flurry of missile tests displays N.Korea’s increasingly diverse arsenal

This January has been one of the busiest months ever for North Korea's missile testing, with launches displaying a dizzying array of weapon types, launch locations, and increasing sophistication. From…

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EXPLAINER – Could more LNG supplies get to Europe in the event of a crisis?

The United States, the world's top natural gas producer, is in talks with major energy-producing countries and companies over a potential diversion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe if…

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FACTBOX-What are Europe’s options in case of Russian gas disruption?

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have heightened concerns about Russian gas flows, prompting the United States to assure European allies it will help them find alternative supplies. The U.S. administration…

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How a Russian-Ukraine conflict might hit global markets

A potential invasion of Ukraine by neighbouring Russia would be felt across a number of markets, from wheat and energy prices and the region's sovereign dollar bonds to safe have…

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FACTBOX- How the complex vote for the Italian President takes place

ROME (Reuters) - The Italian parliament will convene on Jan. 24 to begin voting for a new head of state to replace the outgoing Sergio Mattarella. The voting procedure is…

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EXPLAINER-How Western sanctions might target Russia

Growing tensions between Moscow and Western powers have raised the prospect of new sanctions being imposed on Russia, possibly the severest yet, if it attacks neighbouring Ukraine. U.S. Senate Democrats…

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Factbox: Russian military drills in Belarus create new threats for Ukraine

Joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus in the coming weeks will provide Russian President Vladimir Putin with new options if he decides to attack Ukraine and will further stretch…

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SCENARIOS-Italian parties look to solve presidential conundrum, avoid political chaos

ROME (Reuters) - The Italian parliament will convene on Jan. 24 to begin voting for a new head of state to replace the outgoing Sergio Mattarella. The president is highly…

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FACTBOX-How could UK PM Johnson be ousted by unhappy lawmakers?

LONDON, Jan 12 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing increasing anger among his lawmakers, many of whom believe he is squandering his Conservative Party's successes by self-inflicted…

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EXPLAINER-Do 5G telecoms pose a threat to airline safety?

Major international airlines rushed to rejig or cancel flights to the United States ahead of a 5G wireless rollout on Wednesday that has triggered safety concerns, despite wireless carriers saying…

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FACTBOX-Who could be Britain’s next prime minister if Johnson is ousted?

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is fighting a rebellion among his own lawmakers over revelations of lockdown-breaching parties at his official residence, putting his future as leader into question. Below…

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Factbox: Former Kazakh leader’s family wealth in spotlight after unrest

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hinted on Tuesday that associates of his predecessor and former patron Nursultan Nazarbayev needed to share their wealth with the public to help alleviate discontent after…

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Lockdown party allegations facing UK PM Johnson

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologised for attending a "bring your own booze" gathering at his official residence during Britain's first coronavirus lockdown, and an internal inquiry is being carried…

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Factbox: How Americans can get free COVID-19 tests promised by Biden

Americans will be able to order free COVID-19 tests online beginning Jan. 19, part of a plan by President Joe Biden to distribute 1 billion at-home rapid kits to fight…

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‘Keep the defender guessing’: Russia’s military options on Ukraine

Russia's deployment of tens of thousands of troops to the north, east and south of Ukraine is fuelling fears in Kyiv and Western capitals that Moscow is planning a new…

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Ukraine crisis: what next after a week of talks and tension?

A burst of East-West diplomacy this week produced no breakthrough on the Ukraine crisis and tensions are arguably higher than before, with Ukraine suffering a massive cyberattack and Russia rehearsing…

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What military titles and patronages has Prince Andrew lost?

Prince Andrew has been effectively removed from all his connections as a working royal as he faces a civil sexual assault case in the United States. The 61-year-old, who is the…

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Explainer: What we know about Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against Britain’s Prince Andrew

A U.S. judge on Wednesday rejected a bid by Britain's Prince Andrew to dismiss a lawsuit by Virginia Giuffre accusing Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager.…

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Factbox: From sleaze scandal to lockdown parties: trying times for UK PM Johnson

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's leadership credentials have been badly tarnished by controversies and missteps in recent months, leading to warnings from some of his lawmakers that he must sharpen…

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FACTBOX-Front runners in development of antibody drugs against COVID-19

AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Regeneron and GlaxoSmithKline are among the biggest pharmaceutical companies to have developed COVID-19 treatments using a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies, but the spread of the…

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EXPLAINER – From stability to turmoil – what’s going on in Kazakhstan

Jan 8 (Reuters) - Dozens of people have died and thousands have been detained in Kazakhstan over the past week during the worst violence seen in the Central Asian nation…

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From stability to turmoil – a snapshot of Kazakhstan, its economy and political system

Soldiers shot at protesters in Kazakhstan's biggest city Almaty on Thursday after days of violent unrest that prompted the government to declare a state of emergency and appeal for help…

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What happens after Ghislaine Maxwell’s guilty verdict?

British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell on Wednesday was convicted of recruiting and grooming teenage girls for sexual encounters with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein between 1994 and 2004. Below is an…

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FACTBOX-Countries weigh need for COVID-19 booster shots

Dec 31 (Reuters) - Many countries are expanding COVID-19 vaccine booster programmes or shortening the gap between shots as governments scramble to shore up protection against the new Omicron variant…

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‘Keep the defender guessing’: Russia’s military options on Ukraine

Russia's deployment of tens of thousands of troops to the north, east and south of Ukraine is fuelling fears in Kyiv and Western capitals that Moscow is planning a new…

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Factbox: How rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine have grown closer to Russia

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Moscow has cultivated close ties with pro-Russian rebels controlling swathes of the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine but denies being a party to their seven-year war with…

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‘No walkover’: Ukraine could extract high price for any Russian attack

Ukraine's armed forces are heavily outnumbered and outgunned by Russia's but could put up a level of resistance that would force Russian President Vladimir Putin to pay a price of…

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North Korea after 10 years of Kim Jong Un: Better armed but more isolated than ever

Ten years after Kim Jong Un assumed power North Korea is better armed but deeply isolated and more dependent on China, despite actions by the young leader that raised -…

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EXPLAINER-How worried should we be about the Omicron variant?

The Omicron coronavirus variant has been detected in 77 countries since it was first identified three weeks ago, fueling concerns that its large number of mutations will help it spread…

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FACTBOX-Countries making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory

(Reuters) - Governments have been making COVID-19 shots mandatory for health workers and other high-risk groups, pushed by a sharp upturn in infections caused by the Delta variant and a…

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