Month: August 2022

Firefighters Battle Blazes in Southeast France

French firefighters tackled wildfires raging in the country’s southeast Saturday as officials kept a wary eye on a huge blaze that appeared to be contained farther west. France has been buffeted this summer by a historic drought that has forced water use restrictions nationwide, as well as a series of heatwaves that experts say are being driven by climate change. On Saturday, a reignited “virulent” fire in the Aveyron department near Toulouse forced the evacuation of more than 130 people, officials said, while another blaze in the department of Drome, south of Lyon, progressed. The Aveyron and Drome fires have …

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МЗС про ДТП з українськими дипломатами в Австрії: посольство взаємодіє з поліцією

«Позиція МЗС України чітка: дипломатичний статус не надає право співробітникам українських дипломатичних установ порушувати правила дорожнього руху і наражати інших на небезпеку» …

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Russia, Ukraine Trade Accusations of Firing at Nuclear Plant

The United Nations is calling for immediate access to a nuclear power plant as Russia and Ukraine again Friday accused the other of firing weapons near the plant. Ukrainian officials said Russian forces fired more than 40 rockets at the city of Marhanets, which is across the Dnieper River from the power plant. The region’s governor, Valentyn Reznichenko, said three civilians, including a 12-year-old boy, were wounded in the attack. Russia accuses Ukraine of firing at the plant. Heavy fighting and artillery shelling in the area of the plant were reported Friday. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency …

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Gunman in Montenegro Kills 10, Is Shot Dead by Passerby

A man went on a shooting rampage Friday in the streets of this western Montenegro city, killing 10 people, including two children, before being shot dead by a passerby, officials said. Montenegrin police chief Zoran Brdjanin said in a video statement shared with media that the attacker was a 34-year-old man he identified only by his initials, V.B. Brdjanin said the man used a hunting rifle to first shoot to death two children ages 8 and 11 and their mother, who lived as tenants in his house in Cetinje’s Medovina neighborhood. The shooter then walked into the street and randomly …

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Zaporizhzhia, the Nuclear Plant in the Eye of the War in Ukraine

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has been shelled in recent days, opening up the possibility of a grave accident about 500 kilometers from the site of the world’s worst nuclear accident, the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. On Thursday United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on both Russia and Ukraine to halt all fighting near the plant after fresh shelling that day. What is it? The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has six Soviet-designed water-cooled and water-moderated reactors containing Uranium 235, which has a half-life of more than 700 million years. It is Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant and one …

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Germany Suspends Elements of Military Mission in Mali

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said in a statement that because Malian leaders of the U.N. mission to Mali, MINUSMA, denied overflight rights, the German mission must stop all reconnaissance and transport operations until further notice. The comments from Lambrecht were posted Friday to the defense ministry’s Twitter account. In them, Lambrecht said she had spoken with Malian Defense Minister Sadio Camara, “to describe to him the irritations” about problems with denial of flight permissions. Lambrecht also said that “Germany can only stay involved with MINUSMA in Mali if this doesn’t happen again and we are welcome in the country.” …

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Turkey’s Engagement With Afghanistan Has Grown Since Taliban Takeover

While many countries cut diplomatic ties with Afghanistan after the Taliban’s return to power last year, Turkey, the only NATO member with a diplomatic presence in the war-torn country, has been active on many fronts. Recently, the second phase of the Kajaki hydroelectric dam in Helmand province was completed by the Turkish company 77 Construction, which has invested $160 million in the project. Several senior Taliban officials attended the opening ceremonies for the dam, including Abdul Ghani Baradar and Abdul Salam Hanafi, acting deputy prime ministers of the Taliban government. Turkey’s ambassador in Kabul, Cihad Erginay, also was present. “Although …

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