Turkey, Iran and Russia to meet in Doha on Saturday to discuss Syria, Turkish source says

ANKARA (Reuters) – The foreign ministers of Turkey, Iran, and Russia will meet in Doha on Saturday to discuss a lightning rebel advance in Syria, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Friday. Syrian rebels have made their biggest battlefield gains since the civil war began 13 years ago, striking a devastating blow to President Bashar …

Turkey, Iran and Russia to meet in Doha on Saturday to discuss Syria, Turkish source says Read More »

Factbox-South Korean President Yoon dogged by scandals before botched martial law

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was already grappling with controversies, including calls for his impeachment, before this week’s botched martial law declaration crushed his approval ratings to a record low 13%. Yoon’s quarterly approval rating fell to 24% this year, the lowest for a president’s third year in office since Roh …

Factbox-South Korean President Yoon dogged by scandals before botched martial law Read More »

Slowdown in German construction reaching ‘bottom of trough’, industry group says

BERLIN (Reuters) – German construction companies expect to see sales slump for a fifth year running in 2025 but there is some relief on the horizon, the ZDB industry association said on Friday. “Companies are no longer looking deeper into the valley of the crisis, but are increasingly orientating themselves along the bottom of the …

Slowdown in German construction reaching ‘bottom of trough’, industry group says Read More »

Ugandan shilling little changed, bias on weaker side

KAMPALA (Reuters) – The Ugandan shilling was little changed on Friday, with a slight bias towards weakening because of hard-currency appetite from commercial banks, traders said. At 0740 GMT commercial banks quoted the shilling at 3,665/3,675 to the dollar, compared to Thursday’s closing level of 3,663/3,673. (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Alexander Winning)

Philippines holds drills with allies after South China Sea confrontation

MANILA (Reuters) -The Philippines held maritime drills with the United States and Japan inside its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, its military said on Friday, two days after a maritime confrontation with Beijing around a disputed shoal. The drills, which brought together a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft, Philippine Navy ship BRP …

Philippines holds drills with allies after South China Sea confrontation Read More »

Global music stars head to India as young, affluent Indians pack concerts

By Jaspreet Kalra MUMBAI (Reuters) – Young, well-to-do Indians’ booming appetite for live entertainment is attracting global music stars as they seek out new audiences in the world’s most populous nation. Dua Lipa and Maroon 5 performed in India’s financial capital Mumbai in the past seven days, while Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes and Green …

Global music stars head to India as young, affluent Indians pack concerts Read More »

German carmakers vow to keep factories in Hungary running, Hungary PM Orban says

BUDAPEST (Reuters) – German carmakers have agreed to not shut down their factories in Hungary, the Central European country’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday. A slew of automotive companies across Europe have announced plant closures and big layoffs recently as they struggle with weak demand, high costs, competition from China and a slower-than-expected …

German carmakers vow to keep factories in Hungary running, Hungary PM Orban says Read More »

Ahead of expected war games, Taiwan urges China to ‘unclench its fists’

By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te urged China on Friday to “unclench its fists” and not take any unilateral actions, saying ahead of expected Chinese war games around the island that Beijing would not win any respect for military drills. China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own …

Ahead of expected war games, Taiwan urges China to ‘unclench its fists’ Read More »