Europe

27 Feb 2023; MEMO: A senior official in the Swedish Security Service (SAPO) confirmed on Sunday that the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, and like-minded Kurdish groups receive significant funding in Sweden.

SAPO's deputy head of counter-terrorism, Susanna Trehorning, told a television journalist, "I will not disclose the amount, but I can say that the PKK organisation receives a large amount of funding in our country."

KUPIANSK, Ukraine (AP) — A tank carrying Ukrainian infantry speeds toward a target position marked with a metal sheet. The soldiers climb down, hurl grenades and unleash a crackle of machine-gun fire. Then they repeat the moves, getting faster with every iteration.

LONDON (AP) — The U.K. and the European Union sealed a deal on Monday to resolve their thorny post-Brexit trade dispute over Northern Ireland, hailing the agreement as the start of a “new chapter” in their often fractious relationship.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the grandly titled “Windsor Framework” after agreeing to the final details in Windsor, near London.

Von der Leyen told a news conference it was “historic what we have achieved today.” Sunak said there had been a “decisive breakthrough.”

LONDON (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak traveled to Belfast on Tuesday to sell his landmark agreement with the European Union to its toughest audience: Unionist politicians who fear post-Brexit trade rules are weakening Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom.

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/: MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. Denis Pushilin, the interim head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, on Monday said Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s statement that Kiev was preparing military efforts to capture Crimea is nothing but a publicity stunt.

"It’s more like a PR stunt. It’s more like an effort to <...> raise the morale of Ukraine’s armed formations. Maybe, [the statement is meant] for the radical portion of society. It’s unlikely to result in any real actions," he said on Rossiya-24 television.

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/: Russia’s COVID-19 case tally rose by 9,580 over the past day to 22,262,717, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Monday.

As many as 786 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Russia over the past day, 10.7% fewer than in the previous day. The number of hospitalized patients declined in 45 regions, while in 28 other regions the figure increased. A day earlier, 880 people were rushed to hospitals.

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/: Crimea is an integral part of Russia and its return to Ukraine is impossible, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.

When asked if Moscow could imagine a situation where Crimea would become part of Ukraine again, he answered in the negative. "It is an integral part of the Russian Federation," the presidential spokesman stressed.

US President Joe Biden assumed earlier that potential agreements on the Ukraine issue could include a provision on Kiev taking control of Crimea and some other territories in the future.

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/: Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev arrived in Algeria on a visit on Monday.

He is set to "hold a number of meetings on the issues of Russia-Algerian security cooperation," the Security Council said.

The Russian Security Council secretary maintains regular communication with counterparts from other countries regarding security issues. That includes regular talks with the representatives of Algeria.

GENEVA, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Russia's decision to suspend its participation in the new START nuclear arms control treaty shows it is not a responsible nuclear partner, a U.S. official said on Monday at the United Nations disarmament conference in Geneva.

"Only a few days ago, President (Vladimir) Putin announced that Russia was unilaterally suspending the implementation of the New START treaty. Russia is once again showing the world that it is not a responsible nuclear power," said Bonnie Jenkins, U.S. Under-Secretary for Arms Control and International Security.

BERLIN, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The majority of flights at Germany's Duesseldorf and Cologne Bonn regional airports were grounded by a 24-hour strike by the Verdi trade union on Monday, the airports said.

The Duesseldorf airport on Monday said only 89 flights of a planned 330 were taking place while 29 were diverted to other airports and seven were rescheduled for the next day.

Of Monday's usual 136 daily passenger flights scheduled for Cologne Bonn airport, only two were set to operate as scheduled.