Europe

MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Russian rocket forces have loaded a new Yars intercontinental ballistic missile into a silo at the Kozelsk base in the Kaluga region, southwest of Moscow, the defence ministry said.

The 23-metre long RS-24 (Yars) missile is designed to carry multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs), which allow the missile to deliver multiple nuclear warheads at different targets.

"In the Kozelsky compound, Strategic Missile Forces loaded a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile into a silo launcher," the defence ministry said.

ATHENS, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Greece's parliament approved on Sunday the 2024 state budget, which foresees 2.9 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the new year up from 2.4 percent in 2023, according to data released by the National Economy and Finance Ministry.

The budget passed with the votes of 158 lawmakers in the 300-member strong plenary, Greek national broadcaster ERT reported.

BELGRADE, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Coalition around the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won over 127 out of 250 seats at the snap parliamentary election, announced the country's President Aleksandar Vucic at the headquarters of SNS on Sunday.

"This is an absolute victory that makes me very happy," Vucic said, noting that the coalition around SNS also won the elections in Serbia's northern province of Vojvodina.

BRUSSELS, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- More than two months into the Israel-Hamas conflict, violence in the Middle East has no end in sight and Europe as a neighbor is still struggling to unify around a call for ceasefire in Gaza.

The European Union (EU) summit ended on Friday without a much-expected tougher stance on the conflict or a call for immediate ceasefire, though 17 out of all its 27 members had voted for a resolution calling for a ceasefire at the United Nations (UN) on Tuesday. In October, only eight members voted for a UN resolution advocating for a truce.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia and Ukraine reportedly launched mass drone attacks at each other’s territories for a second straight day Sunday, one of which apparently targeted a Russian military airport.

At least 35 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight over three regions in southwestern Russia, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a post on the messaging app Telegram.

BERLIN (AP) — German farmers gathered in Berlin on Monday to protest against planned cuts to tax breaks for diesel used in agriculture, part of a deal reached by the government to plug a hole in the country’s budget.

Leaders of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition last week agreed on measures to fill a 17 billion-euro ($18.5 billion) hole in next year’s budget, saying they would achieve that by reducing climate-damaging subsidies and slightly reducing some ministries’ spending, among other measures.

MOSCOW (AP) — Delegates from Russia’s ruling party unanimously backed President Vladimir Putin ’s bid for reelection at a party conference in Moscow on Sunday, state agencies reported, just a day after the Kremlin leader’s supporters formally nominated him to run in the 2024 presidential election as an independent.

A little-known Russian presidential hopeful who calls for peace in Ukraine also inched closer towards formally registering as a candidate, securing a nomination from a group of more than 500 supporters in the Russian capital.

LONDON (AP) — A member of Britain’s House of Lords has acknowledged that she repeatedly lied about her links to a company that was awarded lucrative government contracts to supply protective masks and gowns during the coronavirus pandemic.

Underwear tycoon Michelle Mone said that she had made an “error” in denying connections to the company PPE Medpro, and regretted threatening to sue journalists who alleged she had ties to the firm. Her husband, Doug Barrowman, has acknowledged he led the consortium that owns the company.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A gloomy mood hangs over Ukraine’s soldiers nearly two years after Russia invaded their country.

Despite a disappointing counteroffensive this summer and signs of wavering financial support from allies, Ukrainian soldiers say they remain fiercely determined to win. But as winter approaches, they worry that Russia is better equipped for battle and are frustrated about being on the defensive again in a grueling war. Some doubt the judgment of their leaders.

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘s supporters on Saturday formally nominated him to run in the 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate, state news agencies reported.

The nomination by a group of at least 500 supporters is mandatory under Russian election law for those not running on a party ticket. Independent candidates also need to gather at least 300,000 signatures in their support.