Europe

MINSK, February 13. /TASS/: Participants of Wednesday’s eastern Ukraine reconciliation talks in the Belarusian capital of Minsk managed to agree on the first out of three new disengagement areas along the line of contact, the Ukrainian delegation’s spokesperson Darya Olifer said.

"We have practically agreed on one of the disengagement zones in the area of the Gnutovo village, which was earlier proposed by the Ukrainian side," she wrote on her Facebook page. "Work is under way to agree on others."

TOMSK, February 13. /TASS/: The upgraded T-90M Proryv tank, developed by UralVagonZavod (UVZ), might be displayed to the public during the Army 2020 forum, UVZ CEO Alexander Potapov said.

"I think we will see them [T-90M] soon. This year, we have 75th anniversary of the Victory [over Nazism during the Great Patriotic War], the 100th anniversary of tank building industry, and the Army forum," Potapov said.

In early February, UVZ press service said that the company already commenced shipping the upgraded T-90M tanks to the military, in accordance with the contract.

13 February 2020; AFP: Germany will mark 75 years since the destruction of Dresden in World War II on Thursday, with the far right seeking to inflate victim numbers and play down Nazi crimes.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will give a speech at Dresden's Palace of Culture, walking a fine line between remembering those killed in the Allied air raids on the eastern city and stressing Germany's responsibility for the war.

13 February 2020; AFP: Airbus on Thursday reported a net loss of 1.36 billion euros in 2019 after being hit by a 3.6-billion-euro fine over a bribery scandal and extra development costs for the A400M transport aircraft.

The firm said operating profits rose to 6.9 billion euros ($7.5 billion), adding that it expected to deliver about 880 commercial planes in 2020 against 863 in 2019.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s Big Ben tower at the Houses of Parliament was more badly damaged by German bombs during World War Two than originally thought, experts said on Thursday, as the bill for its restoration rose by nearly 20 million pounds ($25 million).

The 177-year-old tower has been swathed in scaffolding for the past three years as craftsmen refurbish its stonework and famous 12-tonne clock.

Being able to get close to the 315-foot (96m) tower has allowed them to spot other problems like damage caused by pollution and asbestos.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s financial regulators are probing historical links between Barclays Chief Executive Jes Staley and the U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, the bank said on Thursday.

Barclays said its board had looked into media reports on Staley’s relationship with Epstein, and probed Staley’s characterization of that relationship.

The Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority are investigating.

MOSCOW, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Defense Ministry denied in a statement on Wednesday the accusations of attacks on civilians in Idlib.

"The activities of the Russian military and, above all, the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of the warring parties in the Idlib de-escalation zone, are carried out solely on the basis of the Sochi agreements," the Ministry's Zvezda broadcasting service said.

LONDON, Feb 12 (APP): Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Farogh Naseem has said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government was committed to eradicating corruption and ensuring rule of law for socio-economic prosperity and wellbeing of the people in the country.

He stated this while addressing as chief guest at a reception hosted by the Pakistan High Commission on Tuesday evening to celebrate the victor of fifteen elected members of the British Parliament of Pakistani origin in the recent United Kingdom (UK) general elections held in December 12,2019.

MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/: President Vladimir Putin marked positive trends in Russia’s macroeconomic indicators and instructed the government to launch a new investment cycle, which will help the national economy grow above the global average.

"Our common main task is to make economic growth more solid, high-quality and sustainable, taking into account external challenges and risks," the head of state said at a meeting on economic issues on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte held a phone conversation to exchange views on the situation in Libya, the Kremlin press service said on Wednesday.

"A substantive exchange of views was held on the situation in Libya, including in the context of implementing the outcome of the January 19 international conference in Berlin," the press service said.