World

First post-uprising video of Russian Defense Minister Shoigu released

The Russian government released footage of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu for the first time since the armed uprising against his leadership at the weekend by the mercenary group Wagner. The 47-second video without sound, which shows Shoigu in consultations with other military officers, was recorded during a visit to the combat zone in Ukraine, the ministry said on Telegram on Monday. The minister had visited one of the forward command posts there, said the statement, which could not be independently verified. No information was given as to when the footage was taken. There was no trace of Sho...

Moscow mayor cancels Wagner mutiny anti-terror regime in city

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said he was cancelling a counter-terrorism regime imposed in the Russian capital during what the authorities on Saturday called an armed mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group. Sobyanin made the announcement in a statement posted on the Telegram messaging application on Monday. Russian media cited local Federal Security Service (FSB) offices as saying similar regimes had been cancelled in the Voronezh and Moscow regions. Separately, Russia's National Anti-terrorism Committee said the situation in the country was "stable". Anti-terrorist regimes wer...

'Atlantic on fire:' Unusually hot ocean sparks early hurricane season

The Atlantic Ocean is hot right now. Hotter than it’s supposed to be for this time of year, and hot enough to worry scientists — particularly ones who monitor hurricanes. Those higher-than-normal temperatures help explain why the National Hurricane Center’s tracking map on Tuesday looked a lot more like a snapshot from August than June. It shows two brewing systems east of the Lesser Antilles, including one that has already reached tropical storm strength, Bret. Named storms in June are rare and past ones have typically popped in the Gulf of Mexico or near the Atlantic coast. That hot water is...

Russia seeks calm after aborted mutiny as the West sees cracks in Putin's power

(Reuters) - Russia sought to restore calm on Monday after an aborted mutiny by Wagner Group mercenaries over the weekend, while Western allies assessed how President Vladimir Putin might reassert authority and what it could mean for the war in Ukraine. Ending their short-lived mutiny, Wagner fighters halted their rapid advance on Moscow, withdrew from the southern Russian city of Rostov and headed back to their bases late on Saturday under a deal that guaranteed their safety. Their commander, Yevgeny Prigozhin, would move to Belarus under the deal mediated by Belarusian President Alexander Luk...

Japan protests Russia's declaring Sept 3 as day of victory over 'militaristic' Japan

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan has lodged a protest against Russia over the country's decision to declare Sept. 3 a day of victory over "militaristic Japan" - a move it said would fan mutual antagonism, the top government spokesperson said on Monday. "The passage of this law could not only stir anti-Japanese sentiment among the Russian people, but may also lead to anti-Russian sentiment among the Japanese people," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a press conference on Monday, calling Moscow's move "extremely regrettable". Russia last week renamed the commemoration day of Sept. 3 - the da...

Oil prices shoot up after Russia's mercenary mutiny

By Tom Westbrook SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil nudged higher in early trade on Monday as an abortive weekend mutiny by Russian mercenaries raised questions about crude supply, though other financial markets started steadily with investors unsure of any further immediate implications. Brent crude futures rose 1.3% to $74.78 a barrel and U.S. crude was up by the same margin to $70, recouping a little of losses made last week. S&P 500 futures were 0.2% higher and currency markets were broadly steady. Russian mercenaries made a short-lived rebellion on Saturday, seizing the southern city of Rostov and...

Curfews imposed after 22 dead in night of violence in north Honduras

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) -The Honduran government announced curfews on Sunday in two northern cities after 22 people were shot dead overnight in separate attacks amid escalating violence in the country. Heavily armed men opened fire on Saturday night in a billiards hall in a neighborhood in the northern manufacturing city of Choloma, killing 11 people and seriously wounding three more, police press person Edgardo Barahona told Reuters. An official source not authorized to speak to the media told Reuters there had been at least 11 other killings on Saturday in separate episodes across the northern...

No clear favorite as Guatemala votes for new president

By Sofia Menchu and Diego Oré GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) -Guatemalans began voting on Sunday in a hotly contested presidential election dominated by concerns over corruption, the exclusion of a leading candidate and the cost of living, with the vote set to result in a second round run-off in August. Former first lady Sandra Torres is tipped to win the first round but is expected to fall short of the 50% plus one vote needed for an outright victory in the contest, the fairness of which has come under international scrutiny. She is up against more than 20 other candidates, including Edmond Mulet, ...

Putin faces new dilemma with his international partners after aborted Wagner revolt: retired U.S. general

Appearing on MSNBC on Sunday morning, retired U.S. Army General Barry McCaffery suggested that, not only is Vladimir Putin damaged within his own country after the Wagner Group rebellion was aborted, but that his allies in the international community may be hesitant to help him out in the near future.

Speaking with host Chris Jansing, McCaffery noted that the Russian president has been getting help from outside his country with much-needed military technology following his invasion of Ukraine, but now his precarious position, as evidenced by a threat of a possible coup, may make those sources dry up.

Asked by the MSNBC host if Putin will survive after the rebellion was quelled, McCaffery said the Russian president has a whole new set of problems that he will have to deal with.

"Well, in the long run, it surely doesn't look very good for him," he admitted. "His international partners are going to be very hesitant to back him up with new infusions of military technology. He's an economic disaster zone. The only thing he ever had was energy to sell the world and the Europeans have walked away from that."

"It looks as if he's really in a very weakened position," he added. "I think the internal part was the biggest threat to him."

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US Secretary of State Blinken says Russia turmoil could take months to play out

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday said the turmoil caused by the unprecedented challenge to the authority of President Vladimir Putin by Wagner fighters may not be over yet and could take weeks or months to play out. Blinken in a series of television interviews said tensions that led to the aborted mutiny by forces led by Yevgeny Prigozhin had been rising for months and that the turmoil could affect Moscow's capabilities in Ukraine. "Our focus is resolutely and relentlessly on Ukraine, making sure that it has what it needs to defend itself and to take back...

One killed, several injured in roller coaster accident in Sweden

By Marie Mannes STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -One person was killed and several injured in a roller coaster accident at the Grona Lund amusement park in the Swedish capital on Sunday, the TT news agency reported, citing a park spokesperson. Public broadcaster SVT, citing eyewitnesses, said the park's Jetline roller coaster had partly derailed during a ride. Ambulances, fire trucks and a helicopter were seen arriving at the park, and police said they were investigating. "We are emptying the park and we've started our investigation," a police spokesperson said. Grona Lund said in a statement the 140-year...

Russia says China expressed support after aborted mutiny

BEIJING (Reuters) -Russia said on Sunday that China had conveyed a message of support to Russia's leadership in its efforts to stabilise the domestic situation after Saturday's aborted mutiny by the Wagner group of heavily armed mercenaries. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko held talks in Beijing on "international" issues on Sunday following the most serious challenge to President Vladimir Putin's grip on power since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. "The Chinese side expressed support for the efforts of the leadership of the Russian Federation to stabilise the situation i...

Putin looked like a 'rat in the corner' until he was bailed out with withdrawal: former ambassador

According to the former United States Ambassador to Russia, Vladimir Putin's response to the called-off Wagner Group revolt exposed him as being weak and severely damaged his tough-guy reputation.

Appearing on MSNBC with host Jonathan Capehart, ex-Ambassador Michael McFaul stated the Russian president ended up looking like a "rat in the corner" during the biggest crisis of his career.

Reflecting on the fact that Putin had previously threatened the Wagner Group's leader Yevgeny Prigozhin with arrest only to back off after a deal was brokered by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, Capehart asked, "Do you think Vladimir Putin can let this go? Especially given as you pointed out what he said in that televised speech yesterday?"

"I honestly do not know," McFaul admitted. "I was very surprised that he capitulated so fast."

"By the way, I think that there's a lot about our theories about how he is going to fight in Ukraine, and whether he has an off-ramp and all these arguments about if he is a rat in the corner he'll never negotiate," he continued. "Well, yesterday he was a rat in the corner and he didn't double down, he didn't escalate, he negotiated, and, he looks very weak in terms of whether he is in charge of his own country."

"I suspect he is going to be looking for a way to reassert himself, vis-à-vis Mr. Prigozhin, and the Wagner fighters. I just do not exactly know how," he added.

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