Europe

BRUSSELS, February 14. /TASS/: The European Union has included Russia into the list of countries viewed as tax havens, the EU Council said in its statement released on Tuesday.

"The EU continues to promote fair tax competition and address harmful tax practices. The Council today decided to add British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Marshall Islands and Russia to the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes," the EC Council said.

MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/: Russia is currently under pressure of endless sanctions of unfriendly countries but is coping with them unnervingly, President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday at the meeting of judges of arbitration, military, and common jurisdiction courts.

"We are living under the constant pressure from abroad - I mean all these endless sanctions," the President said. "As we all see, we are passing through all these sanctions with a cool head," Putin noted.

LONDON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed a mega deal by Air India to buy 250 jets from Airbus (AIR.PA), saying it would create jobs and boost exports from Britain, where the French planemaker designs and makes aircraft wings.

The deal should create 450 manufacturing jobs and bring more than 100 million pounds ($122 million) of investment to Wales, where Airbus manufactures wings, the British department for business and trade said.

KYIV, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Russian forces bombarded Ukrainian troops and towns along front lines in the eastern Donetsk region on Tuesday in what appeared to be early salvoes of a new offensive as Western allies met in Brussels to discuss sending more arms to the Kyiv government.

Bakhmut, a city in Donetsk province and a principal target for Russian President Vladimir Putin's invading army, was in a precarious position.

CHISINAU, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Moldova closed its air space for undisclosed safety reasons on Tuesday before later reopening it, a day after the small east European country accused Russia of plotting to bring down its government.

Russia denied the accusation by President Maia Sandu, who has repeatedly expressed concern about Russia's intentions towards the former Soviet republic since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Ukraine on Tuesday renewed its appeal to Western countries for fighter jets to help frustrate Moscow’s invasion, but the United States and its NATO allies and partners are more concerned about Kyiv’s needs for large amounts of ammunition as the war with Russia is set to enter its second year.

Ahead of the meeting of the Ukraine contact group at NATO headquarters, Ukraine made its requirements clear. Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, when asked what military aid his country is seeking now, showed reporters an image of a fighter jet.

BERLIN (AP) — Ford said Tuesday that it will cut 3,800 jobs in Europe over the next three years in an effort to streamline its operations as it contends with economic challenges and increasing competition on electric cars.

The automaker said 2,300 jobs will be eliminated in Germany, 1,300 in the United Kingdom and 200 elsewhere on the continent. It said its strategy to offer an all-electric fleet in Europe by 2035 has not changed and that production of its first European-built electric car is due to start later this year.

14 Feb 2023; MEMO: NATO countries must speed up military production to be able to keep supporting Ukraine and maintain stockpiles, the alliance chief said on Monday, reports Anadolu Agency.

14 Feb 2023; MEMO: The European Union expects Egypt to maintain "relatively high volumes" of liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries to Europe, EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said yesterday.

Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of an energy conference in Egypt, Simson said: "Now we have to solve some of the bottleneck issues."

MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/: Russian forces liberated the community of Krasnaya Gora in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Monday.

"In the Donetsk direction, volunteers of assault units with the fire support of missile troops and artillery of the southern battlegroup liberated the settlement of Krasnaya Gora in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.