By John Geddie and Tim Kelly TOKYO, May 1 (Reuters) – Japan’s relaxation of its weapons-exports rules opens a path for talks that could one day lead to Tokyo supplying military equipment to help Ukraine resist Russia’s invasion, Kyiv’s ambassador to Japan told Reuters. “This allows us to talk,” Yurii Lutovinov said in an interview…
The Panama Canal has emerged as the latest maritime flashpoint, with the United States and China exchanging barbs in recent weeks over influence in what is one of the world’s most important shipping routes. Earlier this week, Washington and its allies in the region accused Beijing of detaining and holding up Panama-linked ships – and…
BEIJING, April 30 (Reuters) – Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng had “candid, in-depth and constructive exchanges” with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer over a video call on Thursday, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported. The Chinese side “expressed serious concern over the recent U.S. restrictive trade measures against China”, but…
BEIJING, April 30 (Reuters) – China and the U.S. should prepare for “important high-level exchanges”, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, while warning the Taiwan issue is “the biggest point of risk” for relations. “The Taiwan issue concerns China’s core interests,” Wang told…
By Humeyra Pamuk and Tala Ramadan WASHINGTON/DUBAI/ISLAMABAD, April 29 (Reuters) – Iran said on Thursday that if Washington renewed attacks it would respond with “long and painful strikes” on U.S. positions, complicating U.S. plans for an international coalition to open the Strait of Hormuz. Two months into the war that started with U.S.-Israeli strikes on…
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s national rial currency hit a record low Wednesday of 1.8 million to the dollar as a shaky ceasefire with the U.S. and Israel holds. The rial had remained stable in the early weeks of the war that began Feb. 28, in part because there was little trading or imports. The…
ATHENS, April 29 (Reuters) – Greece said on Wednesday it had agreed with Qatar to bolster cooperation in areas including trade, energy and defence, extending a deal first struck in 2024. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani discussed bilateral ties and investment opportunities in Greek infrastructure, energy and…
China has detained nearly 70 Panamanian-flagged ships after a Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Canal, US officials say. Published On 29 Apr 202629 Apr 2026 Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States have released a joint statement in support of Panama, while criticising Chinese economic retaliation, after a Hong…
April 28 (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been invited to attend next month’s summit of the European Political Community (EPC) in Armenia, European Council President Antonio Costa said on Tuesday, adding that this marked the first time that a non-European country was taking part in the event. • “Europe and Canada are…
WASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump discussed a new Iranian proposal on resolving the war with Tehran with his top national security aides on Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. Answering questions at a briefing, Leavitt did not offer an opinion of the proposal, in which the Strait of…