Month: February 2023

Netherlands, Denmark, Germany to send Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands say they plan to provide Ukraine with at least 100 refurbished Leopard 1 battle tanks, a pledge that comes as Kyiv anticipates a new Russian offensive around the anniversary of its invasion. The announcement followed Germany agreeing last month to … Read moreRussia-Ukraine updates: EU states promise to send Kyiv more tanks

Ukraine’s allies will agree to provide fighter aircraft to battle Russian forces, the defence minister said, despite recent comments by Western leaders that warplanes would not be forthcoming. Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov also told a news conference on Sunday that Russia will launch a major offensive in the coming weeks, but Ukraine has the soldiers … Read more‘Mission completed’: Ukraine minister says warplanes on the way

Europe has imposed a ban on Russian diesel fuel and other refined oil products, slashing energy dependency on Moscow and seeking to further crimp the Kremlin’s fossil fuel earnings as punishment for invading Ukraine. Sunday’s ban comes along with a price cap agreed by the Group of Seven (G7) allied countries – the United States, … Read moreEuropean Union bans Russian diesel, oil products over Ukraine

Austrian police say five people were killed in avalanches in the west of the country after three deaths were earlier reported despite pleas for caution on the ski slopes. The eight deaths came as resorts are filled during the February school holidays, with the avalanche alert level at four on a scale of five after … Read moreAustria avalanches kill at least 8 people

A fire broke out at an overloaded electrical substation in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Saturday, leaving nearly 500,000 people without power in a new blow to the country’s ailing energy grid that has been hammered by Russian attacks for months. Officials warned that repairs could take weeks. The government said it would … Read moreUkraine power substation fire leaves Odesa’s grid on the brink

Ukraine has released dozens of Russian soldiers as part of a negotiation brokered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Russia’s defence ministry has said, the same day 116 Ukrainian servicemen were also freed as fighting rages in the eastern city of Bakhmut. “A complicated negotiations process resulted in 63 Russian servicemen returned from the Ukrainian … Read moreRussia, Ukraine swap prisoners as battle for Bakhmut rages

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has dismissed one of his secretaries for homophobic comments that the prime minister called “outrageous”. Kishida said the remarks by Masayoshi Arai, in which he said he “doesn’t even want to look at” married same-sex couples, were “outrageous” and “incompatible” with an inclusive society the government is aiming for. “I … Read moreJapan PM dismisses aide over anti-LGBTQ+ comments

Brazil has sunk a decommissioned aircraft carrier in the Atlantic Ocean despite concerns expressed by environmental groups that the ageing warship was packed with toxic materials. The “planned and controlled sinking occurred late in the afternoon” on Friday, some 350 km (220 miles) off the Brazilian coast in the Atlantic Ocean, in an area with … Read moreBrazil sinks aircraft carrier in Atlantic despite pollution risk

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says Spain and Morocco have agreed to set aside their differences as they seek to repair a relationship marked by frequent disputes over migration and territory. Sanchez was speaking on Thursday at a summit in Rabat where the two countries signed about 20 agreements to boost trade and investment, including … Read moreSpain, Morocco seek reset of testy relationship at Rabat summit

Serbia does not plan to join NATO and will stick to its military neutrality, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told a parliament meeting. Serbia has been a candidate to join its single-biggest trade partner and investor, the European Union, since 2012. It is militarily neutral but maintains ties with NATO and has bought weapons from its … Read moreSerbia to maintain ‘military neutrality’, president says