Russia’s health watchdog said no cases of plague have been detected among people who came into contact with a 28-year-old laboratory worker who died last week. The woman, who worked at a Siberian plague research institute, died from pneumonia of an undetermined cause, prompting precautionary measures and international concern. Authorities said extensive testing found no
Russia’s wealthiest individuals have provided more than 471 billion roubles, or over $5.6 billion, to the state budget through what government documents describe as “voluntary receipts” this year, according to Reuters. The contributions followed a closed-door meeting between President Vladimir Putin and leading Russian businesspeople in March, many of whom are under
Bosnia and Herzegovina is set to hold general elections on October 4, with voters choosing representatives for the country’s tripartite presidency, national parliament and regional bodies. The election comes amid economic difficulties, slow progress toward European Union membership and a political crisis that continues to expose divisions within the country. Bosnia remains
School strikes and demonstrations are taking place across Germany in opposition to the possible reintroduction of compulsory military service. Protesters in cities including Hamburg, Berlin, Kiel and Frankfurt have called on the government to rule out mandatory service, with organisers saying more than 100 demonstrations are planned. Germany introduced a voluntary military
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has urged SpaceX owner Elon Musk to expand Starlink satellite internet coverage for Ukraine, including over areas inside Russia where Russian ballistic missile launchers are located. Stubb said such access could help Ukraine identify and strike missile launchers and potentially save lives. Ukraine is facing shortages of air-defense systems
Denmark’s defence intelligence service has warned that Russia is likely to increase its hybrid warfare activities against Western countries and NATO in the coming months. The assessment points to a growing risk of attacks that could have greater consequences for targeted countries, amid heightened European concerns over sabotage and cyber threats. The intelligence service
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned French national Martin Ryan on Wednesday, shortly after the European Union lifted sanctions on Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov. Ryan had been serving a 10-year prison sentence in Azerbaijan after being convicted of espionage in March. It was not immediately clear whether he had been released. European diplomats told Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that Russia’s hybrid attacks targeting France and other European countries have intensified in recent weeks. He said France would respond and has ordered the government to prepare measures to protect critical infrastructure from potential drone and cyber attacks. Macron said Moscow was seeking to intimidate Europe and weaken
Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged citizens to participate in the country’s upcoming parliamentary election, presenting voter participation as a measure of national support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. The three-day election begins on Friday and will determine the 450 seats in the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament. The election is the first […]
A fire has broken out at a weapons storage facility operated by Bulgarian defence company EMCO near the village of Tsareva Livada, prompting an investigation into its cause. Bulgaria’s Interior Minister said the blaze was brought under control and no injuries were reported, while authorities are examining whether the incident could be linked to a […]









