Europe

MADRID, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minster Pedro Sanchez said his Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) has "won the future and left the past behind" after the party took lead in Sunday's general election.

According to data published by the Spanish Interior Ministry with over 99 percent of the votes counted, the PSOE won 28.70 percent of the votes to win 123 seats in the 350 seat Spanish Congress of Deputies.

This means the PSOE had 37 more seats than in the June 2016 election when the Socialists won 22.63 percent of the vote and 85 seats.

LONDON (AP) — British opposition leaders are pressuring the government to act on climate change after weeks of protests put the issue at the heart of political debate.

Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon on Sunday declared a “climate emergency” during her party’s conference in Edinburgh, saying she had been inspired by young activists. Sturgeon says “Scotland will lead by example.”

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Spain’s third parliamentary election in less than four years did little to dispel uncertainty over the political future of the eurozone’s fourth largest economy.

The center-left Socialist party won re-election in Sunday’s ballot, collecting nearly 29% of votes, and will try to form a government. It would be one of only a handful of socialist governments in the European Union.

But with only 123 seats in the 350-seat Congress of Deputies, Spain’s parliament, it needs to negotiate the support of smaller rival parties to pass legislation.

MOSCOW, April 28. /TASS/. Jesus Christ’s love for all humanity should become an example for all Orthodox believers, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia said in his traditional Easter address.

"I would like to address everyone who rejoices at Easter. If your heart is enlightened with Easter light, become lamps for those who surround you. Let your lips profess the reality of resurrection. Embrace with your love those who are beside you and offer them your care and attention," the patriarch said.

MOSCOW, April 28. /TASS/. Orthodox Christians in more than 60 countries are celebrating Easter on April 28. The Russian, Serbian, Georgian, Constantinople, Greek, Bulgarian, Jerusalem and other local Orthodox Churches celebrate it according to the Julian calendar.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia carried out Easter service in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior this night.

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, April 28. /TASS/. Russia is ready to back dialogue on nuclear disarmament, but neither the United States nor China have launched these talks, Russian Presidential Aide for International Affairs Yuri Ushakov said in an interview with the program "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin."

In comment on US President Donald Trump’s statement that Russia, China and the US should start nuclear disarmament, Ushakov said: "We are also ready for new [agreements] but serious talks are needed for this, but unfortunately, no one has so far started them".

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, April 28. /TASS/. Russia believes it is beneficial to create a single Greater Eurasia space, involving the European Union, the Eurasian Economic Union and various Chinese integration initiatives, Russian Presidential Aide for International Affairs Yuri Ushakov said on Sunday.

MOSCOW, April 26. /TASS/. The verdict by a US court sentencing Russian national Maria Butina to 18 months behind bars is an "ugly stain" on the US justice system, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"We consider the decision by a Washington court to sentence Maria Butina to 18 months behind bars as politically motivated," the ministry stressed. "This sentence is an ugly stain on the American justice system, which has followed a blatant political order to the letter," the Russian diplomats added.

28 Apr 2019; AFP: French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi on Friday said the European Medicines Agency had conditionally approved its anti-cancer drug Libtayo, the first drug of its kind to be authorised for use in the EU.

The tumour-reducing drug is aimed at patients with the second most common form of skin cancer -- cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) -- whose cancer is advanced, and who are not candidates for surgery or radiation therapy.

27 Apr 2019; AFP: The United States on Friday found backing from rivals Russia and China on the key formula of a peace deal it is negotiating in Afghanistan -- withdrawing troops in return for Taliban pledges not to welcome foreign extremists.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy who is set shortly to hold his latest round of talks with the Taliban, called the consensus a "milestone" in efforts to end the war after he met Russian and Chinese representatives in Moscow.