The surprise announcement of a new US-Russia summit casts doubt over the prospect.

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Daily Briefing

Daily Briefing

By Linda Noakes

Hello. A Reuters investigation has uncovered an Assad-era conspiracy to hide thousands of dead, which turned a remote Syrian desert into a mass grave.

We also bring you the latest developments as Zelenskiy heads to the White House, and look at why US bank stocks are plunging.

Plus, scientists move closer to confirming the existence of dark matter.

 

Today's Top News

 
Mechanic Ahmed Ghazal stands beside what he said was an incomplete trench dug for bodies at the Dhumair site in eastern Syria

Mechanic Ahmed Ghazal stands beside what he said was an incomplete trench dug for bodies at the Dhumair site in eastern Syria. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

Special Report

  • Reuters has discovered a mass grave near Damascus that was created in a clandestine campaign to conceal atrocities under Bashar al-Assad.
  • From 2019 to 2021, thousands of bodies were dug up from a known mass grave and trucked to a vast new site in the desert. It was called ‘Operation Move Earth.’
  • This is the story of how it was done.

More Top Stories

  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy heads to a meeting with US President Donald Trump today, armed with a wishlist. However, as Jeff Mason tells the Reuters World News podcast, news of Trump's upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin could change Zelenskiy's hand.
  • John Bolton, Trump's former national security adviser, was charged in a sweeping indictment that accuses him of sharing sensitive government information with two of his relatives for possible use in a book he was writing.
  • Trump's administration has promised tens of thousands of federal agents carrying out his immigration crackdown that they will be paid during the government shutdown, according to emails seen by Reuters, even as other federal workers go without pay.
  • The US military carried out a new strike against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean, and in what is believed to be the first such case, there were survivors among the crew.
  • French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu won a temporary reprieve for his days-old government and the chance to deliver a budget. Our Chart of the Week shows how many times President Emmanuel Macron has changed his prime ministers.
  • Madagascar's coup leader Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as president to cheers, blaring trumpets and raised swords, days after taking control of the island nation in the wake of youth-led protests that forced out his predecessor.
  • Thousands of mourners attended a state funeral for Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga under heavy security after a deadly day that saw officers open fire to disperse crowds at a stadium hosting a public viewing of his body.
 

Business & Markets

 
A chart showing the performance of bank stocks
    • Global financial stocks slid as a rout in US regional banking shares heightened concerns about credit quality and mounting risks in the sector.
    • Novo Nordisk shares fell as much as 6.4% after Trump signaled the price of the Danish drugmaker's weight-loss drugs would be lowered.
    • Micron plans to stop supplying server chips to data centers in China after the business failed to recover from a 2023 government ban on its products in critical Chinese infrastructure, two people briefed on the decision said.
    • The boom in investment in artificial intelligence is starting to be felt for the first time in currency markets across Europe, and analysts reckon the Swedish crown and sterling stand to benefit the most.
    • A growing wave of bankruptcies in Germany's stuttering economy is spurring Czech and Polish businesses to snap up struggling companies across the border to fuel expansion into Europe's largest market and beyond.
    • Porsche named Michael Leiters, former CEO of McLaren, as a potential successor to CEO Oliver Blume, in a move to end Blume's dual leadership role after criticism from investors.
 

The Week Ahead

  • The US government shutdown extends into another week, earnings season is in full swing, and there's plenty of data to mull over.
  • Japan's parliament votes on a new prime minister and Bolivia holds a key election.
  • The elite Central Committee of China's ruling Communist Party will hold a closed-door meeting to discuss, among other things, the country's 15th five-year development plan.
  • Here's all you need to know about the week ahead in world markets. 
  • What’s next for global diplomacy and development in the Middle East? Register now to watch the live broadcast of the inaugural #ReutersNEXTGulf summit in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
 

English winemakers toast warmest summer

 
The Nyetimber vineyard in the village of West Chiltington, Britain

The Nyetimber vineyard in the village of West Chiltington, Britain. REUTERS/Hannah McKay 

English winemakers are betting that surging exports can sustain their once novelty product after domestic sales growth slowed, hoping for a boost as climate change optimizes conditions.

Days before pickers started to harvest this year's crop, sparkling wine from southern England beat French Champagne to win one of the industry's most prestigious awards.

Read more
 

And Finally...