Europe

MOSCOW, April 30. /TASS/: Russia is concerned over the tensions arising in the area of the Turkish-Syrian border under the control of Ankara, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a commentary published on the ministry’s website on Thursday.

"We are concerned over the periodical spikes in tensions in the area of the Syrian-Turkish border, currently under the control of Ankara," she pointed out.

NOVO-OGAREVO, April 30. /TASS/: The government should take into consideration the new reality related to the coronavirus pandemic when drafting the action plan on economic recovery, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

"We must address the new reality when planning the long-term action strategy," the head of state said. It is also required to take into account changes on market and in cooperation ties, use new business models and scientific achievements, Putin added.

MOSCOW, May 1. /TASS/: The number of coronavirus cases in Russia rose by 7,933 to 114,431 in the past 24 hours, the anti-coronavirus crisis center said in a statement on Friday. Meanwhile, 13,220 people have recovered, 1,169 people have died.

"In Russia, a total of 114,431 cases (+7.4%) coronavirus cases were detected in 85 regions. Over the past day, 1,601 people recovered and were discharged, for the entire period - 13,220 people. At the same time, 96 deaths were confirmed per day. For the entire period 1,169 people died from coronavirus," the center said.

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary needs to prepare for a potential second wave of coronavirus cases in October and November after a likely slowdown in the outbreak’s infection rate in the summer, the prime minister told state radio on Friday.

Viktor Orban also said restrictions on movement in Budapest and surroundings, where 80% of the country’s coronavirus deaths have been recorded, would not be eased until the fatality rate fell in that area.

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ryanair plans to cut 3,000 jobs and talk to Boeing (BA.N) about delaying plane deliveries as it does not expect European air traffic to recover fully from the coronavirus crisis until 2022, the Irish airline said on Friday,

Two weeks ago, Europe’s biggest budget airline said it could make bumper profits in 2021 and had no plans to defer jet orders.

OSLO (Reuters) - The fate of Norwegian Air (NWC.OL) was in the balance on Friday after a deadline passed overnight for bondholders to vote on a rescue package for the transatlantic budget airline.

Bondholders were set to start a meeting at 1400 GMT on Thursday to vote on the airline’s debt-to-equity plan, the first major test of its rescue efforts amid the coronavirus outbreak.

But the airline sent a revised offer at 1359 GMT, calling it final, and pushed back the deadline to accept to 2100 GMT. Since then, Norwegian Air has sent no messages about the outcome.

BELGRADE, April 30 (Xinhua) -- At a ceremony held here on Thursday, Serbia awarded military memorial medals to the six-member Chinese medical expert team for their contribution to Serbia's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Serbian army's most prestigious military awards were handed out to the doctors by Serbia's Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin at the "Dom Garde" military facility in the presence of military officials and Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo.

MOSCOW, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said he has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Kremlin on Thursday.

"I just learned that I have tested positive for the coronavirus," Mishustin told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a video conference, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The prime minister said he has to self-isolate and follow the doctors' orders. "The government will continue to operate normally," he added.

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov will temporarily perform Mishustin's duties.

30 April 2020; MEMO: Finnish customs officers have rejected 104,000 kilogrammes of oranges from Israel after discovering traces of Bromopropylate, a pesticide banned in the EU, on the produce.

Authorities say they rejected eight of 16 consignments of oranges received from Israel between February and mid-April because of the presence of the banned pesticide.

PRAGUE, April 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Czech Republic is facing its worst drought in 500 years and some communities could see their supplies run dry, Environment Minister Richard Brabec said.

A map presented by the ministry showed that just 0.1 per cent of the Czech Republic had a normal level of water in the soil in mid-April while extreme drought was found in 75.4 per cent of the country.

Drought conditions have persisted since 2015, as temperatures rise and rainfall dwindles.