Europe

MOSCOW, March 8. /TASS/: About forty companies in Russia were attacked by using vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server software, press service of Kaspersky Lab reports on Sunday.

"On March 2, Microsoft reported a series of attacks using vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Exchange Server. Kaspersky Lab specialists register an increase in attempts to exploit these vulnerabilities in order to penetrate corporate networks for purpose of stealing confidential data and probably for use of cryptoware. As much as 40 companies have already been attacked in Russia," Kaspersky said.

MINSK, March 7. /TASS/: Belarus plans to launch mass production of the Sputnik V anti-coronavirus vaccine on March 30-31. A pilot batch is being examined by experts in Russia, Belarusian Deputy Health Minister Dmitry Cherednichenko said on Sunday.

MOSCOW, March 8. /TASS/: More than 300 mln people worldwide have already been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, according to TASS estimates based on government, expert and mass media reports.

Approximately 301.4 mln people have been vaccinated by now, which is 2.5 times above the number of COVID-19 infection case. Therefore, about 3.8% of the planet population was vaccinated.

About 70% of the global population should be vaccinated to achieve the herd immunity, the World Health Organization (WHO) said earlier.

MOSCOW, March 8. /TASS/: The number of coronavirus cases in Russia per day increased by 10,253 over the past day, this is the lowest figure since October 3. The total number of cases has reached 4,333,029, the federal operational headquarters for the fight against coronavirus told reporters on Monday.

In relative terms, the increase in new cases, according to the headquarters, was 0.24%.

The lowest growth rates were recorded per day in the Sakhalin region (0.02%) and the Republic of Tyva (0.03%).

08 Mar 2021; MEMO: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will today embark on a four-day official visit to the Gulf region which will include visits to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, his ministry announced yesterday.

LONDON (Reuters) - Meghan, the wife of Prince Harry, accused Britain’s royal family of raising concerns about how dark their son’s skin might be and pushing her to the brink of suicide, in a tell-all television interview that will send shockwaves through the monarchy.

The 39-year-old, whose mother is Black and father is white, said she had been naive before she married into royalty in 2018, but that she ended up having suicidal thoughts and considering self harm after pleading for help but getting none.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union and the United States have concluded negotiations to adjust the EU’s World Trade Organization agricultural quotas following Britain’s exit from the bloc, the European Commission said on Monday.

The agreement, covering billions of euros of trade, including beef, poultry, rice, dairy produce, fruit, vegetables and wine, was the result of two years of negotiations. The idea is to keep the previous import quota volumes unchanged and to share them between the European Union and Britain.

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Child soldiers and other victims of convicted Congolese militia leader Bosco Ntaganda should get a total of $30 million compensation, International Criminal Court judges ruled on Monday, in their highest ever reparation order.

The judges said Ntaganda did not have the resources to pay the compensation himself. Instead they asked the tribunal’s own Trust Fund to help set up and finance vocational and other programmes to support victims of his crimes.

MOSCOW, March 7. /TASS/: Joint Russian-Belarusian drills of the Russian Airborne Troops and the Belarusian Special Operations Forces will be conducted in March in the territory of the two countries, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters.

According to the ministry, the first joint Russian-Belarusian tactical exercise held in 2021, dedicated to peacekeeping, will be conducted from March 9 to 20 at the Polivno training range in the Ulyanovsk Region.

MOSCOW, March 7. /TASS/: Confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia grew by 10,595 in the past twenty-four hours to 4,322,776, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Sunday.

The coronavirus growth rate equaled 0.25%, the crisis center said.

The lowest growth rates were registered in the past twenty-four hours in the Republic of Tyva (0.04%) and the Magadan Region (0.06%), the latest figures indicate.