Europe

BERLIN (AP) — Germany is forecast to record its biggest rise in greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 this year as the economy rebounds from the pandemic-related downturn, according to a report by an environmental think tank Sunday.

Berlin-based Agora Energiewende said the country’s emissions will probably rise by the equivalent of 47 million tons of carbon dioxide.

HOBOKEN, Belgium (AP) — Young urban shepherd Lukas Janssens guides his flock among the graves in Schoonselhof, one of Belgium’s iconic cemeteries, knowing sheep are kinder to nature than lawnmowers.

Limiting emissions of carbon dioxide, a key contributor to climate change, and promoting biodiversity are two key goals of De Antwerpse Stadsherder — The Antwerp City Shepherd, Janssens’ company of one human and 270 sheep.

“We won’t stave it off with a flock of sheep,” Janssens said of global warming. “But it is another step to build an more ecological society.”

MOSCOW, August 14. /TASS/: Russia’s coronavirus fatalities grew by 819 in the past 24 hours reaching 169,683, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Saturday.

This is the highest number since the start of the pandemic. On Thursday, the crisis center reported 808 coronavirus deaths, and on Friday - 815.

The conditional mortality rate stands at 2.58%, based on data provided by the crisis center.

VLADIKAVKAZ, August 14. /TASS/: The Leninsky District Court of Vladikavkaz has placed Vladimir Pliev, the chief physician of North Ossetia’s republican hospital where nine patients died to a failure in the oxygen supply system, under house arrest, a source in court informed TASS.

"The head physician has been placed under house arrest for two months," the source said.

LONDON, August 14. /TASS/: Moscow will issue a working visa to BBC journalist in Russia, Sarah Rainsford, if London does the same for the Russian correspondent, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel on Saturday.

"Once the Russian correspondent is given a visa, Sarah will be given it, too. That is exactly what we suggested when calling on London to unblock the visa impasse for journalists," Zakharova said.

MOSCOW, August 14. /TASS/: All those on board of the Be-200 amphibious aircraft that crashed in Turkey were killed, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Saturday.

"The five crew members of the Russian Be-200 aircraft that crashed in the Republic of Turkey and three citizens of the Republic of Turkey who were pointing out fire locations were killed," the ministry said.

MOSCOW/ANKARA, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Eight people were killed when a Russian firefighting Be-200 plane crashed in Turkey on Saturday, the Russian defence ministry was cited by Interfax news agency as saying.

The Russian military said last month a Be-200, part of the Russian naval air forces, had been sent to help Turkey fight wildfires raging through southern coastal regions.

Turkey has been fighting the fires for the past two weeks, with most of them now brought under control.

WARSAW, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Poland's president has decided to sign a bill that would set limits on the ability of Jews to recover property seized by Nazi German occupiers and retained by post-war communist rulers, a move likely to fuel tensions with Israel and the United States.

"I made a decision today on the act, which in recent months was the subject of a lively and loud debate at home and abroad," Andrzej Duda said in a statement published on Saturday. "After an in-depth analysis, I have decided to sign the amendment."

PARIS, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Protesters marched in cities across France for a fifth consecutive weekend in what could the biggest demonstration yet against rules compelling them to show a COVID-19 health pass for daily activities.

They rallied through the streets of Paris, Marseille, Nice, Montpellier and other towns waving placards reading "Pass=Apartheid" and chanting "Freedom, freedom".

Since last Monday, citizens have been required to show the pass in public places, proving that they have been vaccinated or have recently been tested negative for the coronavirus.

KYIV, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Police clashed with protesters from a nationalist party near the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday when they tried to break through a police cordon.

Reuters TV footage from the scene showed members of Ukrainian police and protesters spraying tear gas at each other. The protesters attacked with long sticks and threw car tires and stones while the policemen barely fought back.