Russia Closing Nord Stream One for Annual Maintenance   

Russia is shutting down the Nord Stream One pipeline for annual maintenance beginning Monday morning. The pipeline from Russia, which under the Baltic Sea, is Germany’s main source of gas, and is scheduled to be offline until July 21. German officials have expressed doubts about Russia’s intentions, especially given the fact that Nord Stream operator …

Ukraine: Russian Strikes Hit School, Residential Building in Kharkiv

Ukrainian officials said Russian airstrikes on the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, early Monday destroyed a school and a residential building, killing at least three people and wounding 28 others. Oleh Syneihubov, governor of the Kharkiv region, said on Telegram that the missile strikes, which also included one that landed near warehouse facilities, were launched against …

Ukraine ‘Disappointed’ by Canada’s Decision to Return Repaired Turbine for Russian Gas Pipeline

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is “deeply disappointed” by a Canadian government decision to return a repaired Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline turbine to Germany after completing maintenance on the equipment. The decision sets a “dangerous precedent” and will “strengthen Moscow’s sense of impunity,” the ministry said Sunday in a statement. The statement warns that the …

Portugal Battles Wildfires Amid Drought, Heat; 29 Injured

More than 3,000 firefighters and 30 aircraft battled wildfires Sunday in Portugal that authorities say have injured 29 people. Authorities said 12 firefighters and 17 civilians required medical assistance to treat minor injuries caused by the blazes, as reported by Portuguese state television RTP and other local media. By Sunday afternoon, Portugal’s Civil Protection Agency …

Anxiety Grows for Ukraine’s Grain Farmers as Harvest Begins

Oleksandr Chubuk’s warehouse should be empty, awaiting the new harvest, with his supply of winter wheat already shipped abroad. Instead, his storage bins in central Ukraine are piled high with grain he cannot ship out because of the war with Russia. The green spikes of wheat are already ripening. Soon, the horizon will look like …

Ukrainian Soldiers Train in UK as War With Russia Rages On

The first cohort of Ukrainian soldiers, many of whom have no previous military experience, have arrived in the U.K. for combat training as the eastern European nation races to replace troops killed and wounded in the war against Russia. The first few hundred recruits are receiving instruction at sites across Britain in the first phase …

French Women Push to Cement Abortion Rights After US Ruling

The right to abortion in France hardly seems under threat — it’s been inscribed in law for 47 years and enjoys broad support across the political spectrum. But more and more French women are asking: Could what happened in the U.S. happen here? The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to strip women of the …

Spain Swelters as Temperatures Reach 43C in Second Heatwave

Spaniards stayed in the shade in parks, headed for the beach or sipped iced drinks to tackle stifling temperatures as high as 43C (110F), as the country experiences its second heatwave this year. Warm summer sunshine combined with a hot air front from North Africa have sent temperatures soaring, state metereological forecasters AEMET said on …

Djokovic Subdues Kyrgios to Win Fourth Wimbledon Title

Novak Djokovic withstood early brilliance from Australian showman Nick Kyrgios to secure a fourth successive Wimbledon title with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) victory on a sun-drenched Centre Court on Sunday. The 35-year-old Serb stretched his unbeaten streak at Wimbledon to 28 matches as he calmly seized the initiative after being eclipsed in an opening …

German Police Probe Incident at Scholz Party Event

German police are investigating after several women reported feeling unwell following an event hosted by the parliamentary group of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party. Berlin police said Saturday that the investigation was triggered by a 21-year-old woman, who felt dizzy and unwell several hours into Wednesday’s summer party for the Social Democrats and then was unable …

UN: Russia and Ukraine Share Blame for Nursing Home Attack

Two weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Russian forces assaulted a nursing home in the eastern region of Luhansk. Dozens of elderly and disabled patients, many of them bedridden, were trapped inside. The March 11 assault set off a fire that spread throughout the facility, suffocating people who couldn’t move. A small number of …

Colorful Pride March Returns to Madrid

Hundreds of thousands of people waved rainbow flags and danced to music at Madrid’s Pride march Saturday as the event returned following two years of COVID-enforced restrictions. Across Europe, in Romania, an estimated 15,000 took to the streets of Bucharest to demand equal rights for gender and sexual minorities, under the heavy supervision of police. …

Italy Relocates Migrants After Lampedusa Center Overwhelmed

The Italian navy Saturday began relocating the first 600 migrants from the Sicilian island of Lampedusa after its refugee identification center became overwhelmed with new arrivals and photos circulated of filthy conditions. July has seen a sustained uptick in daily migrant arrivals in Italy compared to recent years, according to Interior Ministry statistics. Overall, migrant …

Russia Intensifies Attacks in South and East Ukraine  

Ukraine reported heavy Russian missile and rocket strikes in the east and south on Saturday. A missile strike on the northeastern city of Kharkiv wounded three civilians, its governor said, though Russia’s main attacks appeared focused on the eastern industrial region of Donbas.    Ukrainian officials reported strikes in both Luhansk and Donetsk, while Britain’s …

UN Aid to Millions of Syrians in Jeopardy

Humanitarian assistance for more than 4 million Syrians living in opposition-held areas appeared in jeopardy Friday, after Russia vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have extended the mission for another year. “This was a life-or-death vote for the Syrian people, and Russia chose the latter,” U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. The authorization for …

Germany Lawmakers Approve NATO Expansion

Lawmakers in Germany voted overwhelmingly Friday to approve Finland’s and Sweden’s membership in NATO, with Poland’s lower house moving the ratification forward as well. NATO allies meeting in Madrid last week signed the accession protocols for the two countries to join the alliance. The move must now be ratified by the governments of all member …

Europe Offers Mixed Adieu to Outgoing British PM Johnson

The European Union has had a bumpy ride with Britain’s outgoing prime minister, Boris Johnson. The EU and Britain see eye to eye in supporting Ukraine militarily and politically against Russia’s invasion — with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanking Johnson as a “true friend” of the country.       Russian politicians are celebrating Johnson’s departure. …

Swiss Court Acquits Two Former Soccer Power Brokers of Fraud

A Swiss court acquitted former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and France footballing legend and former head of UEFA Michel Platini of corruption charges Friday, ending a seven-year investigation. Both were accused of fraud over an alleged 2011 payment of $2 million from Blatter to Platini for consulting fees. The Swiss judge Friday said the payment …

Photo of Boy Becomes Symbol of Russian Aggression in Ukraine

A photo of 6-year-old Vlad standing near the grave of his mother in the yard of his house in Bucha, Ukraine, shocked the world. Bucha witnessed some of the ghastliest scenes of Russian aggression. Vlad’s mother, Marina Naumetz, died when the family was forced to shelter in the basement during the Russian occupation. Maxim Moskalkov …