Europe

MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/: Russian energy giant Gazprom and its Turkish partners are currently in talks on how the TurkStream pipeline can be used for deliveries to the European market, said Elena Burmistrova, the chief executive of the Russian holding’s export arm Gazprom Export.

"We are now in talks on the issue with our Turkish colleagues," she said at a conference with investment banks, when asked how the pipeline will be used for European deliveries.

MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/: The first regiment of Avangard hypersonic missile systems that went on combat alert in late 2019 in the Orenburg Region will assume its full strength in late 2021, a source in the domestic defense industry told TASS on Wednesday.

"The first regiment of the Yasny division of the Strategic Missile Force will have six silo-based launchers by the end of next year. Therefore, it will be brought to its assigned strength," the source said.

MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/: Russia’s coronavirus cases rose by 27,250 in the past day and the total case tally reached 2,933,753, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Wednesday.

The growth rate in cases dropped to 0.9% for the first time since October 8.

The lowest growth rates were registered in the past 24 hours in the Chukotka Autonomous Region (0.2%), the Republics of Altai, Tuva and the Nenets Autonomous Region (0.4%).

23 Dec 2020; MEMO: Germany opposes a request submitted by Greece to impose an arms embargo on Turkey over tensions between the two countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said yesterday.

In remarks to Germany's DPA news agency, Maas said Greece's request to the European Union (EU) to impose an arms embargo on Turkey was "strategically incorrect".

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron’s health is showing signs of improvement after he tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 17, his office said on Wednesday.

Macron has been has been self-isolating at Versailles, and BFM TV this week broadcast live images of him chairing a government ministerial meeting via an audiovisual link.

He has said that although he will be working at a slower pace as he recovers, he will continue to tackle top-priority issues such as France’s response to the COVID pandemic and Brexit.

MOSCOW, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Russia has declared two employees of the Colombian diplomatic mission in Moscow "persona non grata" in tit-for-tat retaliation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry said it summoned the Colombian ambassador on Tuesday to protest against the "groundless decision" of the Colombian side to expel two diplomats from the Russian embassy in Bogota.

"This step does not correspond to the spirit of the traditionally friendly and mutually respectful relations between Russia and Colombia," the ministry said in a statement.

LONDON, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Rapid turnaround lateral flow tests on lorry drivers with the help of the British military are expected as part of the measures to unblock cross-channel trade between Britain and France, British media reported Tuesday.

A deal to resume travel with France following a shutdown over the new coronavirus variant found in Britain could come later Tuesday, according to Sky News.

BERLIN (AP) — German doctors treating Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after he was poisoned with a nerve agent have detailed the case in an article for a major medical journal.

Berlin’s Charite hospital said Wednesday that Navalny had given his permission for the article to be published in The Lancet journal.

Navalny fell ill suddenly on a domestic flight in Russia on Aug. 20. Following an emergency landing and treatment at a Siberian hospital in Omsk, after two days of political wrangling Navalny was flown to Berlin on a private air ambulance on Aug. 22.

BIHAC, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — A huge fire broke out Wednesday at a temporary migrant camp in northwestern Bosnia that has been strongly criticized by rights groups as unsuitable due to its lack of resources.

Thick black smoke could be seen rising from the Lipa tent camp near the Croatian border that currently houses 1,200 migrants. Residents were seen running away in panic but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

PARIS (AP) — A gunman who had beaten and threatened his wife in southern France killed three policemen who came to the woman’s aid and then fled, prompting a wide manhunt, authorities said. The suspected assailant was later found dead.

The unusual killing of three police officers on duty drew national concern Wednesday, notably from French leaders who are under pressure from police to do more to protect them. President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: “They are our heros.”