By Anatolii Stepanov KOSTIANTYNIVKA, Ukraine, Dec 8 (Reuters) – Hunkered in the basement of his battle-scarred building in eastern Ukraine, 65-year-old Volodymyr rarely emerges as Russian forces press at the doorstep of his city of Kostiantynivka. “Everything around us has been hit, it all burned up,” he said. “It’s scary, but we’re living on – …
A struggle to survive in Ukraine’s east, with Russia at the gates Read More »
PRISTINA, Dec 9 (Reuters) – Kosovo prosecutors on Tuesday charged three suspects over an explosion last year at a water canal supplying the country’s two main power plants, the state prosecutor’s office said. The suspects allegedly detonated 20 kilograms of TNT at the canal, damaging its concrete structure, cutting off drinking water, and disrupting the …
Kosovo charges three for canal explosion threatening power plants Read More »
By Andrius Sytas VILNIUS, Dec 9 (Reuters) – Lithuania on Tuesday declared a state of emergency and asked parliament to authorise military support for police and border guards after a wave of smuggler balloons from Belarus repeatedly disrupted air traffic in recent months. Vilnius airport has been closed several times due to the weather balloons, …
Lithuania declares state of emergency over balloons from Belarus Read More »
PARIS, Dec 9 (Reuters) – A vote against France’s 2026 social security budget on Tuesday could plunge the minority government into deeper political crisis while leaving welfare, pension and healthcare spending in limbo. Here is what is at stake. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LEGISLATION? If the National Assembly, parliament’s lower house, rejects the bill, the …
Explainer-What happens if French social security bill fails Read More »
By Andrius Sytas VILNIUS, Dec 9 (Reuters) – Smuggling balloons drifting over the Belarusian border have forced repeated shutdowns at the airport in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius, in what authorities call a “hybrid attack” by Belarus, a Kremlin ally. Since October, the airport just 30 km (19 miles) from Belarus has closed more than a dozen …
Factbox-What are the smuggling balloons that have disrupted air traffic in Lithuania? Read More »
JERUSALEM, Dec 9 (Reuters) – Israel is set to reopen the Allenby Crossing with Jordan to the passage of goods and aid on Wednesday, an Israeli security official said on Tuesday. The border crossing has been closed to aid and goods since September, when a driver bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza opened fire and killed …
Israel to reopen Jordan border crossing for passage of aid and goods Read More »
By Louise Rasmussen PARIS, Dec 9 (Reuters) – Suspected drones were seen flying above a French military intelligence base on three separate nights last month, the French Air and Space Force said on Tuesday, in the latest possible incursions over sensitive sites in the country. French prosecutors last week launched an investigation into drones that …
Suspected drones seen over French military intelligence base, armed forces say Read More »
PRAGUE, Dec 9 (Reuters) – Czech President Petr Pavel appointed the billionaire leader of the populist ANO party, Andrej Babis, as prime minister on Tuesday, a key step in the formation of a government after ANO won an October parliamentary election. Babis will take power from a strongly pro-Ukrainian centre-right administration after his full cabinet …
Czech populist billionaire Babis returns as prime minister, will take power next week Read More »
By Dmitry Antonov MOSCOW, Dec 9 (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Tuesday that European claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to restore the Soviet Union were wrong and that claims Putin plans to invade a NATO member were complete stupidity. Putin, who was born in the Soviet Union, in 2005 cast the collapse …
Putin does not want to restore the U.S.S.R. or attack NATO, the Kremlin says Read More »
By Markus Wacket BERLIN, Dec 9 (Reuters) – A senior German lawmaker on Tuesday urged Germany and France to salvage a 100 billion euro ($116 billion) defence project by developing a shared combat system while allowing each country to use its own fighter jets. Time is ticking for Berlin and Paris to agree a way …
Germany and France could use own fighter jets to save defence project, lawmaker says Read More »
