| |  |  | The Reuters Daily Briefing | Monday, April 25, 2022 by Linda Noakes | Hello Here's what you need to know. | | | | | Today's biggest stories  Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy poses for a picture with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin before a meeting in Kyiv, April 24, 2022 RUSSIA AND UKRAINE AT WAR The United States promised to reopen its embassy in Kyiv soon, as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Ukraine's capital and hailed its success so far against Russia's invasion.
Both men said the fact they were able to come to Kyiv was proof of Ukraine's tenacity in forcing Moscow to abandon an assault on the capital last month, and promised more aid to fend off Russian troops now attempting an advance in the east.
Russia has warned the United States against sending more arms to Ukraine, Moscow's ambassador to Washington told Russian state television. Meanwhile, Germany said it will decide soon on whether to approve the delivery of 100 old Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine in what would be the first German heavy weapons shipment.
Russia said it would investigate the cause of a large fire that erupted in the early hours of the morning at an oil storage facility in the city of Bryansk 154 km northeast of the border with Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that light would defeat darkness and Kyiv would triumph over Russia as Ukrainians marked a bitterly emotional Orthodox Easter.
Here's what you need to know about the conflict right now
|  French President Emmanuel Macron reacts on stage next to his wife, first lady Brigitte Macron, in Paris, April 24, 2022
WORLD
Emmanuel Macron pledged to address deep divisions within France as results showed a clear presidential election win over Marine Le Pen, acknowledging that many had voted for him mainly to thwart his far-right challenger. Macron’s easy election victory masks a big challenge, says Breakingviews columnist Pierre Briancon.
A mass COVID-19 testing order in Beijing's biggest district prompted residents in the Chinese capital to stock up on groceries, fearing they could be destined for a lockdown similar to that of Shanghai, which entered a fourth week of bitter isolation.
Inquiries began into what caused the disappearance of a tour boat off Japan's northern coast as search efforts intensified to find the vessel and its missing passengers, with the confirmed death toll rising to 11.
Myanmar ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi is in court accused of funnelling charity money into a real estate investment, a source familiar with her trial said, one of nearly a dozen graft cases against her carrying lengthy jail terms.
Charred bodies were left scattered among burnt palms, cars and vans after a weekend explosion which killed more than 100 people at an illegal oil refining depot on the border of Nigeria's Rivers and Imo states.
U.S.
Former President Donald Trump is weighing how much to spend and how many Republican candidates to fund in this year's elections as he faces pressure to use his war chest to help Republicans gain control of Congress, two sources familiar with the matter said.
The U.S. Supreme Court today addresses the religious rights of government employees as it weighs an appeal by a Christian former public high school football coach in Washington state who was suspended from his job for refusing to stop leading prayers with players on the field after games.
The first all-private astronaut crew to fly aboard the International Space Station is headed for splashdown off the coast of Florida, wrapping up a two-week mission that NASA has touted as a landmark in commercial spaceflight.
Hollywood star Johnny Depp returns to the witness stand today to answer additional questions from attorneys for ex-wife Amber Heard in front of a jury that will decide the actors' dueling defamation claims.
Comedian Jon Stewart became the 23rd recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center, with tributes from late night television hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel plus music from singer Bruce Springsteen.
| | | | | | | | | | | Quote of the day "It seems that China is the elephant in the room. The tightening COVID-zero restrictions in Shanghai, and fears Omicron has spread in Beijing, torpedoed sentiment." Jeffrey Halley Analyst at brokerage OANDA Oil slides as Shanghai lockdowns stoke demand fears | | | | Video of the day  Drone footage shows devastation in Chernihiv Clean-up operations have been underway in Ukraine's Chernihiv since Russian troops lifted their siege of the city earlier this month. | | | Thanks for spending part of your day with us. | | | | | |
