Europe

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The top U.S. military officer said Friday that calls he made to his Chinese counterpart in the final stormy months of Donald Trump’s presidency were “perfectly within the duties and responsibilities” of his job.

In his first public comments on the conversations, Gen. Mark Milley said such calls are “routine” and were done “to reassure both allies and adversaries in this case in order to ensure strategic stability.” The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke to The Associated Press and another reporter traveling with him to Europe.

17 Sep 2021; MEMO: With only a month to go until its pandemic-delayed opening, Dubai Expo 2020 has come under fire in Europe, and there is a real possibility that several countries will boycott the five-month long event.

Washington, Sep 17 (AP-PTI) President Joe Biden's decision to form a strategic Indo-Pacific alliance with Australia and Britain to counter China is angering France and the European Union. They're feeling left out and seeing it as a return to the Trump era.

The security initiative, unveiled this week, appears to have brought Biden's summer of love with Europe to an abrupt end. AUKUS, which notably excludes France and the European Union, is just the latest in a series of steps, from Afghanistan to east Asia, that have taken Europe aback.

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s Assembly, or parliament, on Friday approved Cabinet dominated by women, aiming to bring the country back to economic growth focusing on tourism and agriculture, infrastructure and energy.

Following a 20-hour debate, the 140-seat parliament voted 77-53 for Prime Minister Edi Rama’s new Cabinet and program.

The left-wing Socialist Party secured a record third consecutive mandate in an April 25 parliamentary election, with 74 seats. The main opposition center-right Democratic Party got 59 seats.

GOLSSEN, Germany (AP) — A mill owner in eastern Germany hopes the next government will restore supply chains disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. A brewer in the country’s south wants a more predictable strategy for responding to the virus and a better cellphone network. A hotel owner in the west wants money, fast, to clean up after devastating floods.

VIENNA (AP) — A civil trial opened Friday in Austria over the government’s handling of a coronavirus outbreak at an Alpine ski resort during the early stages of the pandemic that relatives say resulted in unnecessary infections and deaths.

The widow and son of a 72-year-old Austrian man are seeking about 100,000 euros ($117,000) compensation from the government in a test case for a larger class action suit involving hundreds of people who fell ill with COVID-19 following a trip to Ischgl in February and March 2020.

PARIS, September 16. /TASS/: The European Parliament has approved a report calling on the European Union’s authorities to review relations with Russia. As many as 494 parliament members voted in favor of the report at a plenary session in Strasbourg, another 103 voted against it and 72 abstained from voting.

MOSCOW, September 16. /TASS/: Moscow calls on Prague to refrain from politicizing the case of Russian national Alexander Franchetti, detained in the Czech Republic, and release him, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday.

TYUMEN, September 16. /TASS/: The advanced S-500 Prometey air defense system is now being rolled out to Russian troops after the completion of state trials, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov told journalists on Thursday.

"The state trials have just completed, and the first supplies of this complex have started. That is not yet the full range as the Almaz-Antey Concern requires. The configurations of the complex were discussed," Borisov said.

MOSCOW, September 16. /TASS/: Moscow expects that Canberra, being a nuclear-free country, will continue to comply with its obligations, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.