Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin ‘creating new defences’ amid ‘growing concerns’ over Kyiv counteroffensive
Russia is likely building new defences in southern Ukraine, amid “growing concern” among Vladimir Putin’s forces about Kyiv’s success in breaching its first defensive line, Britain’s Ministry of Defence has said. Moscow’s troops are believed to be “deploying additional checkpoints, ‘hedgehog’ anti-tank defences and digging new trenches” near the Zaporizhzhia village of Tokmak, which is situated just 16km from Ukraine’s forces, and is set to become a “lynchpin” of Russia’s second defensive line, the ministry said. In Donetsk, Ukraine’s armed forces celebrated the recapture of Andriivka, a village near Bakhmut, after a battle in which they claimed Russia had suffered “significant losses” – a liberation the military said was “key to success in all further directions”. The comments came as Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the destruction of a Russian air defence system in the annexed Crimea peninsula, as a Ukrainian minister vowed that “there will be more drones, more attacks, and fewer Russian ships”. Read More Kim Jong Un stops to see a fighter jet factory as Russia and North Korea are warned off arms deals She danced with Putin at her wedding. Now the former Austrian foreign minister has moved to Russia What is a Storm Shadow cruise missile?
2023-09-17 14:50
Romania to Build Power Link to Harness Flood of Green Power
Romania is racing to build a new multi-billion-euro high-voltage cable to transport power across the country and to
2023-09-17 13:54
ECB’s Stournaras Urges Governments to Help Bring Down Inflation
European Central Bank Governing Council member Yannis Stournaras said governments must do their part in reining in consumer
2023-09-17 13:48
ECB’s Muller Sees ‘Strong’ Case to Quicken Balance-Sheet Rolloff
Sign up for the New Economy Daily newsletter, follow us @economics and subscribe to our podcast. The European
2023-09-17 00:23
Week That Started With WTO Warning Ended With Trade Battle
The warning from the World Trade Organization in Geneva early this week was unambiguous: A global economy split
2023-09-16 22:24
EU Finance Ministers Closer to Breakthrough on Debt Rules
European Union finance ministers are moving closer to an agreement this year on implementing new fiscal rules as
2023-09-16 22:23
Lampedusa: Italy recovers body of newborn baby from migrant boat
The child's mother is likely to have given birth on the journey to Lampedusa, reports say.
2023-09-16 20:53
Watch live: Munich Oktoberfest opens for 188th edition of world’s largest beer festival
Watch live as Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival, opens for the 188th time in Munich, Germany, on Saturday (16 October). The festivities, which go on for two weeks until 3 October, will kick off with a traditional keg tapping ceremony at noon local time. Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter will tap the first barrel of Oktoberfest beer in the Schottenhamel Festhalle. The long-standing tradition, dating back to 1950, involves the mayor of Munich attempting to insert the tap in as few blows as possible to fill up the first beer glass, which then given to the incumbent Bavarian state premier. Mr Reiter shares the current record for the perfect tapping ceremony - two blows - wih former mayor Christian Ude. After the tapping ceremony, 12 gunshots will be fired to signal to the other festival tents that Oktoberfest is officially open and they can start serving beer. On Sunday, thousands of people dressed in traditional costumes will parade through the city. Read More Ukraine war: ‘Significant losses’ for Putin as Kyiv vows more drone strikes UK officially bans Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group as terrorist organisation The cost of damage from the record floods in Greece's breadbasket is estimated to be in the billions
2023-09-16 18:20
Three Nations Challenge EU Move With Own Bans on Ukraine’s Crops
Poland, Hungary and Slovakia defied the European Union’s decision to end a ban on imports of crops from
2023-09-16 18:15
Ukraine Recap: EU Grain Import Ban Ends; Kim Meets With Shoigu
The European Union ended a ban on Ukrainian crop imports in five of its eastern countries, prompting Poland,
2023-09-16 16:17
Unesco adds two locations in war-ravaged Ukraine on its list of historic sites in danger
The UN's World Heritage Committee has placed two major historical sites in Ukraine on its list of such sites that it considers to be in danger. The iconic Saint Sophia Cathedral in the capital, Kyiv, and the medieval center of the western city of Lviv, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites central to Ukraine's culture and history. The decision announced on Friday to put those two on the body's list of sites “in danger” has no enforcement mechanism, but could help deter Russian attacks. Neither site has been directly targeted since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and Lviv has largely been spared from the fighting. But Russia has unleashed waves of strikes on Kyiv and other cities, hitting residential areas and critical infrastructure with Iranian-made attack drones. The decision was taken at the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, which is being held in Saudi Arabia. The committee maintains UNESCO's World Heritage List and oversees conservation of the sites. The gold-domed Saint Sophia Cathedral, located in the heart of Kyiv, was built in the 11th century and designed to rival the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The monument to Byzantine art contains the biggest collection of mosaics and frescoes from that period, and is surrounded by monastic buildings dating back to the 17th century. The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves, is a sprawling complex of monasteries and churches — some underground — that were built from the 11th to the 19th century. Some of the churches are connected by a labyrinthine complex of caves spanning more than 600 meters (2,000 feet). The two sites on the Dnipro River, a 15-minute drive from one another, are “a masterpiece of human creative genius," according to Unesco, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The other site is the historic center of Lviv, near the Polish border. A 5th-century castle overlooks streets and squares built between the 13th and 17th centuries. The site includes a synagogue as well as Orthodox, Armenian and Catholic religious buildings, reflecting the city's diversity. “In its urban fabric and its architecture, Lviv is an outstanding example of the fusion of the architectural and artistic traditions of Eastern Europe with those of Italy and Germany,” Unesco said. “The political and commercial role of Lviv attracted to it a number of ethnic groups with different cultural and religious traditions.” Lviv is more than 500km from Kyiv and even further from any front lines, but it has not been spared. Russian cruise missiles slammed into an apartment block in the city in July, killing at least six people and wounding dozens. Unesco added Ukraine's Black Sea port city of Odesa to its list of endangered heritage sites in January. Russian forces have launched multiple artillery attacks and airstrikes on the city, a cultural hub known for its 19th-century architecture. Russia says it only strikes military targets. Under the 1972 Unesco convention, ratified by both Ukraine and Russia, signatories undertake to “assist in the protection of the listed sites” and are “obliged to refrain from taking any deliberate measures” that might damage World Heritage sites. Inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger is meant to rally urgent international support for conservation efforts. The list includes more than 50 sites around the world. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: ‘Significant losses’ for Putin’s forces as Kyiv retakes village and attacks ships Ukraine recaptures another village from Putin’s forces – as it keeps up attacks on Russia’s ships Putin meets the leader of Belarus, who suggests joining Russia's move to boost ties with North Korea Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide
2023-09-16 14:58
Ukraine-Russia war – live: ‘Significant losses’ for Putin’s forces as Kyiv retakes village and attacks ships
Ukraine has claimed fresh success in its counteroffensive against Vladimir Putin’s forces, with the recapture of another village – a liberation that the army says is “key to success in all further directions”. The announcement by the General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said that Russian forces had faced “significant losses” in the battle. Kyiv’s forces are seeking to reclaim land occupied by Moscow across multiple areas of southern and eastern Ukraine. The village of Andriivka is about 10 kilometres south of the Donetsk town of Bakhmut, which Russia captured in May after some of the bloodiest fighting of the war. Meanwhile, Britain’s most senior military officer said Ukraine had taken the initiative over Russia with its offensive, even if gains are gradual. Sir Tony Radakin said: “In the north they are holding and fixing Russian forces there and in the south they are making progress between 10 and 20km.” His comments came as Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky hailed Ukraine’s destruction of a Russian air defence system in the annexed Crimea peninsula. Read More Kim Jong Un stops to see a fighter jet factory as Russia and North Korea are warned off arms deals She danced with Putin at her wedding. Now the former Austrian foreign minister has moved to Russia What is a Storm Shadow cruise missile?
2023-09-16 14:16