Reuters. Ukrainian air defences shot down about 15 drones launched by Russia in its third attack on the Ukrainian capital in four days, Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, said on Thursday (August 29) and air sirens rung across the capital in the early hours of the morning. Drone debris damaged the windows…
The European Union’s foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, has proposed imposing sanctions on Israeli government members to the 27 EU member states, dpa reports. The proposed sanctions target Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, dpa learned from EU officials shortly before an EU foreign ministers’ meeting on Thursday. …
A meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Budapest next month could be canceled over mounting anger at Hungary’s love-in with Russia, POLITICO reports. The head of the gathering, Irish Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe, will decide by next week whether or not it will go ahead, two EU officials granted anonymity to discuss ongoing…
Ukraine has shown great strategic boldness by launching attacks inside Russian territory, the European High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said, Josep Borrell, upon his arrival at the informal Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, at a press point together with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, Nova News reports. “The Kursk operation…
Britain and Germany’s leaders agreed in Berlin on Wednesday to work on an ambitious treaty covering issues from defence to trade that would be part of a reset of British relations with the European Union, France 24 reports. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s trip to the EU’s top powers, Germany and France, aims to help…
During the weekly briefing, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, commented on the destruction of the monuments of Armenian heroes and participants of the Great Patriotic War in Stepanakert. “We called and we call and confirm that we will continue to work with both sides in the direction of including…
Ukraine carried out a successful test of the first domestic-made ballistic missile, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 27, The Kyiv Independent reports. “It may be too early to talk about it but I want to share it with you,” the president said at the Ukraine 2024 Independence forum in Kyiv. …
A Ukraine drone attack sparked a fire at an oil depot in the Kamensky district of Russia’s southern region of Rostov, its governor said on Wednesday, confirming media reports that several tanks were on fire, Reuters reports. “There are no casualties,” the governor, Vasily Golubev, said on the Telegram messaging app. “Firefighters are extinguishing…
Georgian President, Salome Zourabichvili, on Thursday, signed a decree declaring October 26 as the date for the 2024 parliamentary elections, Georgia’s Public Broadcaster reports. “The day of decision, choice, and salvation is near. Today, we are not dealing with ordinary elections in which citizens vote for the political party that best represents their viewpoint,…
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reacted on another massive drone and missile attack from Russia. “This morning, Russia launched a massive missile and drone strike on 15 Ukrainian regions, primarily targeting critical civilian infrastructure and our energy system. There have been civilian deaths and injuries, as well as damage to energy facilities. Russia…
PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos has reacted to the announcement by the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan that certain members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will be considered as personae non gratae in the country. The press handout from PACE press office reads Rousopoulos as saying: “This is a more…
The arrest of Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the messaging app Telegram, on suspicion of allowing criminal activity on his platform has nothing to do with the company’s obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a spokesperson for the European Commission told Euronews on Monday, Euronews reports. “Criminal prosecution is not…
Ukraine is preparing a response to today’s massive Russian shelling, which killed and injured civilians, says Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov on Facebook. “Russia struck our cities again overnight. Civilians were injured, homes were destroyed, and critical infrastructure was damaged,” he said. The minister adds this is another proof of Ukraine’s…
Ahead of the COP29 climate summit, Azerbaijan has banned several dozen PACE deputies from entering the country. Baku explained that those deputies voted in favor of limiting the powers of the Azerbaijani delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan announced that 76 politicians from…
On August 19-22, Lilit Makunts, Ambassador of Armenia to the US, attended the National Convention of the US Democratic Party held in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to participating in the main program of the Convention, Ambassador Makunts attended the discussions on the domestic and external political priorities of the Democratic Party, organized for representatives…
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday (August 24) that the perpetrator of a stabbing rampage in the western town of Solingen must be punished to fullest extent of the law, Reuters reports. “One thing is very clear: such acts must be harshly punished,” Scholz said. “We must never accept this in our society…
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday (August 24) held a meeting with top military officials ‘on countering the enemy forces that invaded the territory of the Kursk Region and the measures taken to destroy them,’ the Kremlin press-service said, Reuters reports. In a video released by the Kremlin, Putin was seen receiving reports from…
The Ukrainian parliament on Aug. 20 passed a bill banning activities of religious organizations connected to Russia, The Kyiv Independent reports. The legislation, supported by 265 lawmakers in its second and final reading, could effectively prohibit the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP). The UOC-MP’s clergy has been…
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Ukraine, officials said Monday, weeks after he made his first trip to Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, CNN reports. His forthcoming visit to Ukraine – also his first since the start of the war – comes at a crucial moment, as Kyiv’s troops push…
The first supermoon of 2024 was visible over Germanan city of Dortmund on Monday (August 19), Reuters reports. A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the time of year when the Moon is closest to the Earth. A blue moon happens once every two or three years on average, according to…
A bid to break up Alphabet Inc.’s Google is one of the options being considered by the Justice Department after a landmark court ruling found that the company monopolized the online search market, according to people with knowledge of the deliberations, Bloomberg reports. The move would be Washington’s first push to dismantle a company…
Reuters. Ukraine has the right to defend itself and thus conduct a military operation in Russia’s Kursk region, said Finnish Prime Minister, Petteri Orpo, backed by Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal, at a press conference in Helsinki on Wednesday (August 14). “Ukraine has the right to self-defence and it’s clear that they can do…
Turkey is preparing a bill on making fingerprinting mandatory for foreigners entering the country. The Minister of Internal Affairs Ali Yerlikaya told Sabah. He also announced plans to chip the ID cards of people, who have received temporary protection status in the republic, especially Syrians. Yerlikaya said that it is impossible to forge such…
President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen referred to the transfer of more than €4 billion to Ukraine. “Today, we’re disbursing nearly €4.2 billion to Ukraine from the €50 billion Ukraine Facility. To keep the Ukrainian state running as you fight for your survival. With our Member States, we’ve provided support of…
Russian President Vladimir Putin met Mahmoud Abbas during his official visit to Russia. In addition to discussing current issues of further development of bilateral cooperation, Putin and Abbas exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East in light of the current aggravation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in the…
Reuters. Ukraine has received a new 4.2 billion euro tranche from the European Union’s lending facility, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday. Shmyhal said that the government expected to receive one more tranche from the EU’s four-year facility by the end of this year and would channel the funds to finance social and…
Reuters. Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump expressed anger that Vice President Kamala Harris had been swapped in for Biden on the Democratic ticket during his Monday (August 12) interview with Elon Musk. “She hasn’t done an interview since this whole scam started,” Trump said, claiming that Biden dropping off the…
Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas who is paying an official visit to Moscow, having arrived on the previous day, TASS reports. In addition to pressing issues of bilateral cooperation, the sides are expected to exchange views on the situation in the Middle East in light of the…
U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, State Department’s Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a statement. “Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan about the importance of Hamas’ return to negotiations on August 15 to finalize the framework for achieving an…
Reuters. Ukraine detained one of its four deputy energy ministers and three other suspects as they were caught “red-handed” receiving a tranche of a $500,000 bribe, state prosecutors and anti-graft police said on Monday. Ukraine has stepped up a wartime campaign against official corruption to prove the country’s credentials for joining the European Union,…
