Town Hall News

DAMASCUS (Reuters) -Syria’s foreign ministry on Thursday condemned an overnight Israeli missile attack that hit near the capital Damascus, wounding two soldiers and causing material damage. Syrian state television, citing a military source, reported that a number of missiles were launched from the Golan Heights and that Syrian air defences had shot down some of them. The foreign ministry condemned the attack in a statement later on Thursday, saying it […]

By Victoria Waldersee and Ilona Wissenbach BERLIN (Reuters) -Mercedes-Benz said on Thursday it had signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Spain’s Iberdrola for 140 megawatts (MW) of wind energy from a Baltic Sea wind park, part of automakers’ push to make production costs more predictable. Production chief Joerg Burzer told Reuters that Mercedes was focusing on securing wind capacity in northern Germany and installing solar capacity in the south […]

By Andrew Osborn and Felix Light LONDON (Reuters) -A Moscow court ruled that a U.S. journalist for the Wall Street Journal newspaper should be detained for nearly two months on suspicion of spying for Washington, the most serious move against a foreign journalist since Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia’s FSB security service said earlier on Thursday it had opened a criminal case against U.S. national Evan Gershkovich on suspicion of espionage […]

PARIS (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron sought to rally citizens around a plan to save water on Thursday and stressed that protests will not stop reforms, in a nod to both climate change and an unpopular pension bill. The water-saving plan includes 50 measures, such as fixing leaking pipes, adapting the way farmers and the nuclear industry use water and making water more expensive for those who use it in […]

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Reuters) -Criticism by some European governments of a plan to see a full return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international sport is deplorable and cuts into the autonomy of sport, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said on Thursday. The IOC on Wednesday issued a set of recommendations for international sports federations that will allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return since their ban last year […]

By Crispian Balmer VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – While the Vatican has looked to play down worries over Pope Francis’ health, his sudden hospitalisation has highlighted the 86-year-old pontiff’s increasing frailty. On Wednesday, the pope had appeared in good form at his regular, weekly audience, joking with bishops, hugging a young girl and letting a group of children ride with him in his open-top popemobile. But after returning to his Vatican […]

By Ayenat Mersie NAIROBI (Reuters) -Fresh demonstrations organised on Thursday by opponents of Kenyan President William Ruto were marked again by violent clashes, as stone-throwing protesters battled police and a local office of Ruto’s party was set ablaze. The previous protest called for by opposition leader Raila Odinga on Monday against high living costs and alleged fraud in last year’s election descended into apparent tit-for-tat attacks by both sides and […]

By Andrew Osborn and Felix Light LONDON (Reuters) -Russia’s FSB security service said on Thursday it had detained a reporter for U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal on suspicion of spying for Washington, the most serious public move against a foreign journalist since Russia invaded Ukraine. The Journal said the detention of U.S. national Evan Gershkovich was based on false allegations. The action will worsen already dire relations between Russia […]

By Sarah Marsh BERLIN (Reuters) – King Charles highlighted the historic ties between Britain and Germany while lauding their current unity in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a landmark address to the Bundestag on Thursday. The king, on the second day of a three-day trip to Germany, alternated between German and English for the half-hour speech, which won a standing ovation from lawmakers. The address made no […]