Europe

BERLIN, Dec 16 (Reuters) - The German Foreign Office tweeted screenshots on Friday of the accounts of journalists suspended by Twitter, warning the platform that the ministry had a problem with moves that jeapordised press freedom.

Twitter suspended the accounts of several prominent journalists who had posted about its new owner Elon Musk, prompting protests from their media organisations.

LONDON, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Retail sales volume in Britain is estimated to have fallen by 0.4 percent in November despite Black Friday shopping events, as non-store retailing sales volumes fell by 2.8 percent, statistics showed on Friday.

Retail sales fell overall in November, driven by a notable drop for online retailers, with Black Friday offers failing to provide their usual lift in this sector, said Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics at the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

LONDON (AP) — Four people were hospitalized in critical condition on Friday after hundreds of people forced their way into a London concert venue during a performance by Nigerian Afrobeats star Asake.

Police said eight people were taken to hospitals after being caught in a crowd of people trying to get into the O2 Brixton Academy. Two other injured people were treated at the scene.

Ukraine (AP) —With the war in Ukraine grinding through its 10th month, both sides are locked in a stalemated battle of attrition, which could set the stage for a new round of escalation.

Many observers see the current deadlock as beneficial to Ukraine, allowing it to receive more state-of-the-art weapons from the West and prepare for new counteroffensives. In Russia, there is a growing sense of desperation among hard-liners about what they see as President Vladimir Putin’s hesitancy and lack of a clear strategy.

BERLIN (AP) — A huge aquarium in Berlin burst, spilling debris, water and hundreds of tropical fish out of the AquaDom tourist attraction in the heart of the German capital early Friday.

Police said parts of the building, which also contains a hotel, cafes and a chocolate store, were damaged as 1 million liters (264,000 gallons) of water poured from the aquarium shortly before 6 a.m. (0500 GMT). Berlin’s fire service said two people were slightly injured.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces launched at least 60 missiles across Ukraine on Friday, officials said, reporting explosions in at least four cities, including Kyiv. At least two people were killed by a strike on a residential building in central Ukraine, where a hunt was on for survivors.

Electricity and water services were interrupted in the capital and Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv. Thousands of people sought shelter in subway stations deep underground during the bombardment.

MOSCOW, December 15./TASS/: Moscow is concerned about the Lachin Corridor being blocked and expects that this transport link will be re-opened soon, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Thursday.

BRUSSELS, December 15. /TASS/: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded to top EU diplomat Josep Borrell’s call for Turkey to join sanctions on Russia by saying the European politician has no authority over relations between Moscow and Ankara, the TRT television channel reported on Thursday.

BRUSSELS, December 15. /TASS/: Albin Kurti, the prime minister of unrecognized Kosovo, on Thursday submitted an application in Prague to the Czech Republic, which holds EU’s rotating presidency, to join the bloc, Reuters reported.

MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/: Russia is working on establishing a visa-free regime with a number of Persian Gulf and Asian states, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Ivanov told TASS Thursday.

He underscored that the work on achievement of visa-free regime with more countries never stops.