Tag: Europe

Russia Arrests US Musician, Former Paratrooper Michael Travis Leake on Drug Dealing Charges

MOSCOW—A U.S. musician and former paratrooper has been arrested in Moscow on drug dealing charges and his court appearance, locked in a metal cage, has been shown on Russian state television. Russia’s court system named the detained American as Michael Travis Leake, 51, who was formerly a songwriter and musician in the Russian “Lovi Noch”…


Zelenskyy Says ‘Counteroffensive, Defensive Actions’ Taking Place in Ukraine

KYIV, Ukraine—Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that counteroffensive and defensive actions are underway against Russian forces, asserting that his top commanders are in a “positive” mindset as their troops engaged in intense fighting along the front line. The Ukrainian leader, at a Kyiv news conference alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, responded to a…


Iga Swiatek Beats Karolina Muchova in the French Open Final for Her 3rd Trophy in Paris, 4th Slam

PARIS—Iga Swiatek suddenly seemed lost in the French Open final. Her strokes were awry. Her confidence was gone. Her big early lead vanished, too. She kept looking up into the stands, seeking guidance from her coach and her sports psychologist. So much was amiss right up until she was two games from defeat against unseeded…


Putin Says Russia Will Place Nuclear Weapons in Belarus Next Month

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Moscow will start deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus when the necessary special storage facilities in the former Soviet republic are completed early next month. The announcement comes several months after Putin first described plans to move tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus in March, pointing to U.S….


US Announces $2.1 Billion More Military Assistance for Ukraine

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Defense announced an additional $2.1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine on Friday, including air defense and ammunition capabilities. The package includes additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems, Raytheon HAWK air defense systems and missiles, 105mm and 203mm artillery rounds, small AeroVironment drones that can be launched by hand, laser-guided…


French ‘Backpack Hero’ Says His Faith Gave Him Strength to Fight Knifeman

PARIS—A modern-day pilgrim on a walking tour of France’s cathedrals told journalists on Friday his Catholic faith gave him the strength to fight a man who stabbed four children in a park in Annecy. Dubbed “the backpack hero”—”le héros au sac a dos”—by media, the 24-year-old who only gave his name as Henri said he…


NATO Members Can ‘Individually’ Send Troops to Ukraine, Ex-Alliance Chief Says

Individual NATO members could send troops to Ukraine if the alliance fails to provide Kyiv with security guarantees at an upcoming summit in Vilnius, former NATO Secretary-General Anders Rasmussen said this week. “If NATO cannot agree on a clear path forward for Ukraine, there is a clear possibility that some countries individually might take action,”…


Italy Rescues 1,400 Illegal Immigrants in the Ionian Sea

The Italian coast guard rescued 1,400 illegal immigrants off the east coast of Calabria, southern Italy, in an operation lasting more than 24 hours, according to a coast guard press release on Wednesday. The statement said that rescue operations started late Monday and ended in the early hours of Wednesday. Illegal immigrants were on overcrowded…


Russia Reports Heavy Fighting in Southern Ukraine, Kyiv Silent on Counterattack

KYIV—Russia reported heavy fighting along the front in southern Ukraine on Friday. With virtually no independent reporting from the front lines, it was impossible to assess whether Ukraine was having success in penetrating Russian defences to drive out Russian forces. The counteroffensive is ultimately expected to involve thousands of Ukrainian troops trained and equipped by…


Australia Willing to Walk Away as EU Trade Negotiation Stalls

The Australian government has expressed that it will stop pursuing a free trade agreement with the European Union (EU) if the deal is not in the country’s national interest. This comes after Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell returned from his recent trip to Belgium to negotiate the trade deal. The EU has demanded Australia…