Europe

MOSCOW, August 16. /TASS/: The coronavirus vaccine developed by the N. F. Gamaleya Federal Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Health Ministry may enter production for civilian circulation a month after the launch of the third stage (post-registration) of the research, the center’s Director Alexander Gintsburg told TASS.

However, not all Russian citizens will be able to get the vaccine at once, he stressed.

MOSCOW, August 11. /TASS/: Medical workers and teachers will be the first to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said during a session between Russian President Vladimir Putin and members of the government.

"We will begin the stage-by-stage civilian use of the vaccine. First and foremost, we would like to offer vaccination to those who come into contact with infected persons at work. These are medical workers. And also those who are responsible for children’s health - teachers," the minister said.

MOSCOW, August 16. /TASS/: The participation of Chinese representatives in the upcoming round of consultations on strategic stability in Vienna is ruled out, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS on Sunday.

"I absolutely rule out the option that the Chinese representatives could be [present at the consultations] there. They have said this multiple times and I don’t have any grounds to mistrust them," Ryabkov said.

ATHENS, Aug 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Greek and a Turkish warship were involved in a mini-collision on Wednesday during a standoff in the eastern Mediterranean, a Greek defence source said, describing it as an “accident”.

Tensions have risen this week after Turkey sent a survey vessel to the region, escorted by warships, to map out sea territory for possible oil and gas drilling – an area where Turkey and Greece both claim jurisdiction.

PARIS/KABUL, Aug 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France has objected to the release of three men jailed for the murders of French nationals in Afghanistan as part of Kabul’s decision to release 400 Taliban prisoners as the last phase of fulfilling a condition set out in a deal between the Taliban and the US government.

The group of prisoners, whose release has begun, include two men who murdered Bettina Goislard, an employee of the UN refugee agency, in November 2003, and a former Afghan soldier who killed five French soldiers and injured 13 others in Kapisa province eight years ago.

MINSK (Reuters) - Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, speaking at a rally of his supporters in Minsk on Sunday, rejected calls to hold a new presidential election and accused NATO of massing on his country’s western border.

Belarus has been rocked by a week of street protests after protesters accused Lukashenko of rigging a presidential election last Sunday, something he denies.

MINSK (Reuters) - Russia said on Sunday it had told Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko it was ready to offer military assistance if necessary as demonstrators gathered for what was expected to be one of the biggest protests against Lukashenko’s re-election.

A least two protesters have been killed and thousands have been detained since last Sunday’s vote, which opponents of Lukashenko, in power for 26 years, say was rigged to disguise the fact that he has lost public support.

He denies losing, citing official results that gave him just over 80% of the vote.

VIENNA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The so-called trilateral arms control negotiations raised by the United States subvert the international consensus on nuclear disarmament, a Chinese envoy said here Friday.

Wang Qun, Chinese envoy to the United Nations (UN) and other international Organizations in Vienna, made his remarks after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Beijing to take part in the so-called trilateral talks during his visit to Vienna on Friday.

BERLIN (AP) — Hundreds of police officers searched shisha bars, tea houses and illegal gambling halls across western Germany early Sunday.

The officers confiscated 34,000 euros (around $40,000) in cash, 19 gambling machines and three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of shisha tobacco, the German news agency dpa reported. Eleven stores were shut down because of violations against coronavirus measures.

Nobody was detained, but the raids were also connected to suspected money laundering and tax evasion.

WARSAW (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sealed a defense cooperation deal Saturday with Polish officials that will pave the way to deploy more American troops to Poland.

Pompeo, in Warsaw at the end of a four-nation tour of central and eastern Europe, signed the deal with Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak that sets out the legal framework for the additional troops.