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By Essi Lehto HELSINKI (Reuters) – Finland’s conservative National Coalition (NCP), winner of April’s parliamentary election, has reached agreement to form a majority government with the eurosceptic, anti-immigration Finns Party and two smaller groups, its leader said on Thursday. “All issues have been resolved and the papers are ready,” said NCP leader Petteri Orpo, a …

Finland’s right-wing parties strike deal to form government Read More »

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -International donors pledged 5.6 billion euros ($6.13 billion) at an EU-hosted conference in Brussels on Thursday to help Syria where an earthquake in February compounded the plight of a poverty-stricken population caught up in conflict since 2011. The pledges include 4.6 billion euros for 2023 and one billion for 2024 and beyond to …

Donors pledge $6 billion for Syria at EU-hosted conference Read More »

UNITED NATIONS/MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia again told the United Nations Security Council on Thursday it wants an international investigation into explosions last September on the Nord Stream gas pipelines connecting Russia and Germany that spewed gas into the Baltic Sea. Russia has said the West was behind the blasts. Western governments have denied involvement as has …

Russia again presses UN Security Council on Nord Stream blast inquiry Read More »

By Emilio Parodi MILAN (Reuters) – Italy’s cabinet on Thursday approved a justice reform aimed at strengthening the rights of defendants, measures long advocated by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi who died this week after years of legal battles with prosecutors. The bill, which Giorgia Meloni’s rightist government dedicated to Berlusconi, curbs the use of …

Italy launches ‘Berlusconi’ legal reform to bolster rights of accused Read More »

By Andrew Gray BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday left open the prospect that his term may be extended as senior officials from alliance member countries openly endorsed the idea – including one of his potential successors. Stoltenberg’s term has already been prolonged three times and he is due to step down …

Stoltenberg leaves open prospect of staying on as NATO leader Read More »

By Antonio Bronic ZADAR, Croatia (Reuters) – Croatian tourism officials are anticipating a record year for the sector after the country joined Europe’s free-movement Schengen zone in January, which has boosted the number of visitors to its picturesque Adriatic coast. Tourism accounts for 20% of Croatia’s economy and following a slump during the COVID-19 pandemic, …

Croatia eying record tourist season after joining Schengen area Read More »

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO’s support for Ukraine is making a difference on the battlefield, said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday, as Ukraine embarks on its counteroffensive against Russia. “The support NATO allies have been giving Ukraine now for many, many months actually makes a difference on the battlefield,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels. (Reporting …

NATO’s support to Ukraine makes a difference on battlefield -Stoltenberg Read More »

By Tom Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) -After a week of heavy fighting, the real tests of Kyiv’s counteroffensive lie ahead, with Ukrainian troops some distance from Russia’s main defensive line and the bulk of forces prepared for the push still on standby. Ukraine struck in two areas along the southeastern front last week as it began …

Ukraine counteroffensive takes shape but main test still to come Read More »

By Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska WARSAW (Reuters) – Abortion rights supporters marched through several cities in Poland on Wednesday after the death of a pregnant woman whose family believe she could have survived if she had been offered a termination. Protesters chanted “stop killing us” as they marched through the capital Warsaw towards the health ministry headquarters, …

‘Stop killing us’: Polish women protest against strict anti-abortion law Read More »