Reuters Daily Briefing.

"Putin no-show, Gaza, Iran."

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Daily Briefing

By Edson Caldas

Hello. After keeping the world guessing for days, the Kremlin named a lower-level delegation that did not include Vladimir Putin to attend talks with Ukraine. You can follow our live updates here.  We're also covering news from the Middle East, where Israeli military strikes killed scores in Gaza, and Donald Trump said the US was close to a nuclear deal with Iran.

Today's Top News   Members of Turkish police's special forces walk outside the Turkish Presidency's Dolmabahce working office, where Russia-Ukraine talks might happen. REUTERS/Murad Sezer Russia-Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin sent aides and deputy ministers to hold talks with Ukraine in Turkey, spurning Kyiv's challenge to go there in person to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. It was unclear how Ukraine would respond.  US President Donald Trump had dangled the possibility of making a side trip to Turkey to join the peace talks before returning to Washington after his Gulf visit, but a US official said that he would not make that stop. Middle East Israeli military strikes killed at least 60 people in the Gaza Strip earlier today, Palestinian medics said, as the United States and Arab mediators pushed for a ceasefire deal. Separately, Trump said that the US was getting very close to securing a nuclear deal with Iran, and Tehran had "sort of" agreed to the terms. An Iranian source familiar with the negotiations said there were still gaps to bridge in the talks with the US. The US president ended a brief trip to Qatar with a speech to US troops. His next stop: the UAE, where leaders hope for US help to make the wealthy Gulf nation a global leader in AI. Meanwhile in Syria, an end to US sanctions following Trump's surprise announcement is expected to mark a new era for an economy devastated by war. Business executives, Syria's finance minister and analysts anticipate an influx of capital. In other news Multiple states have sued the Trump administration over the executive order banning birthright citizenship, and those cases have now worked their way up to the Supreme Court. Legal Reporter Andrew Chung joins the Reuters World News podcast with what to expect as the court hears arguments later today.  Valeria Marquez, a young Mexican influencer known for her videos about beauty and makeup, was brazenly shot to death during a TikTok livestream, in an incident that sent shockwaves through a country that faces high levels of gender-based violence.

Business & Markets   Britain's economy grew more strongly than expected in early 2025, giving a boost to the government and finance minister Rachel Reeves, who nevertheless faces a stiffer test ahead due to her tax hike on businesses and Trump's trade wars. Europe Inc has weathered the turbulence sparked by Trump's tariffs to deliver resilient first-quarter earnings, but in spite of the newly-minted trade truce, investors still face a fog of uncertainty. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation grouping warned that exports from a region that accounts for around half of world trade will slow sharply, and barely grow at all, in the wake of the tariffs. Buyers and sellers are heading into this year's Cannes Film Market under a cloud of uncertainty as the initial shock of Trump's proposed 100% tariff on foreign-made films has faded into a cautious business-as-usual approach. Pauses, tweaks and can-kicking seem to be the new trade norms. The US recently inked a deal with the UK and agreed to freeze triple-digit tariffs on China. On this week's Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists explain what these agreements reveal about the Trump administration's negotiating hand. For more, watch our daily rundown on financial markets.

Analysis: Nissan is rolling out big cuts. Turning around sales will prove harder   Analysts say Nissan's new model launches will take time. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa Nissan's new chief executive Ivan Espinosa faces an uphill task turning around the troubled automaker with no guarantee it can reverse sliding top-line sales, even as he moves to slash costs. With a lack of fresh models, new tariffs in its biggest market and sharp competition from rivals, Nissan will be hard-pressed to shore up sales, which have plunged 42% since the 2017 business year. Read full report

And Finally... Rare migratory birds lure watchers to Greece's Lesbos island. REUTERS/Elias Marcou The Greek island of Lesbos gives birdwatchers the chance to see around 200 European migratory species, from crakes to pelicans, as they pause to rest and feed on their way back from Africa northwards through the eastern Mediterranean Sea. But spotting birds involves a great deal of fortune and patience. Read more

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