EU Envoys Agree to First Phase of Membership Talks for Ukraine and Moldova

BRUSSELS, June 12 (Reuters) – Ambassadors from the European Union’s 27 ⁠countries ⁠agreed on Friday to advance membership ⁠talks with Ukraine and Moldova, with the first phase of negotiations set to ​begin on Monday. Even as Ukraine continues to fight Russia’s invasion, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has made EU membership a key ‌strategic goal to anchor …

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Officials Say Sprinklers at California Medical Equipment Warehouse Didn’t Work During Blaze

Firefighters responding to a blaze that destroyed a massive medical equipment warehouse in Northern California that was still burning a day later were hindered by sprinklers and hydrants that weren’t working, authorities said Friday. The 1 million-square-foot (93,000-square-meter) warehouse in Tracy, a city about 55 miles (88.5 kilometers) east of San Francisco, supplied medical equipment …

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Soccer-Iran Team Chief Slams FIFA’s ‘Lack of Coordination’ on Visa Issues

MEXICO CITY, June 12 (Reuters) – FIFA President Gianni Infantino has failed to deliver on promises ⁠to ⁠secure full access for the Iranian soccer federation to attend ⁠the team’s three games in the United States, Iran’s World Cup team supervisor told Reuters. Mahdi Mohammad Nabi, who also served as ​Iran’s supervisor in charge of squad …

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UAE to Unlock Billions of Dollars for Iran, Sources Say

By Andrew Mills, Marwa Rashad and Ahmad Ghaddar DUBAI/LONDON, June 12 (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates has agreed to unlock billions of ⁠dollars ⁠for Iran, four sources said, in a tactical shift after weeks ⁠of Iranian attacks on the wealthy Gulf Arab state during the U.S.-Israeli war with the Islamic Republic. Word of the …

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Ukraine Drone Strikes Kills One, Sparks Fire at Russian Port of Temryuk, Governor Says

MOSCOW, June 13 (Reuters) – A ⁠Ukrainian ⁠drone attack ⁠killed one person and sparked ​a fire at a sea terminal ‌in the southern Russian ‌port of Temryuk, in ⁠the ⁠Krasnodar region, governor Veniamin Kondratiev said on ​the Telegram messaging app. Ukraine continues to pummel Russia’s energy infrastructure as peace ​talks to resolve the Ukraine war …

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Putin Says Russia Developing Satellite-Based Drone Control System, Ifax Says

MOSCOW, June ⁠12 (Reuters) – ⁠Russia ⁠is developing a ​satellite-based ‌system for controlling ‌combat ⁠drones, ⁠President Vladimir Putin said ​on Friday during ​a meeting with ⁠military officials, ⁠the ⁠Interfax news ​agency reported. Russian news ​agencies ⁠later said Putin ⁠issued a decree setting the size ⁠of the Russian military at 2,399,130 individuals, including 1,510,000 service ⁠members. …

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US EPA Sends California Emissions Rules to Congress for Potential Reversal

WASHINGTON, June 12 (Reuters) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on ⁠Friday ⁠said it was sending the Republican-controlled ⁠Congress landmark California vehicle emissions rules for potential repeal, its latest effort to prevent tougher ​state tailpipe requirements. The EPA said waivers for the California regulations approved under prior Democratic administrations should have been sent to lawmakers …

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