Europe

LONDON, October 14. /TASS/: Activists from the 'Just stop oil' environmental movement threw tomato soup over Sunflowers, a masterpiece by Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890), at London’s National Gallery on Friday, and glued their hands to the wall below the painting afterwards, Sky News reported.

The famous painting has an estimated value of about 73 million pounds ($82 million).

"What is worth more? Art or life?" one of the girls shouted in response to indignant exclamations from onlookers, the TV channel reports.

MOSCOW, October 14. /TASS/: Russia’s COVID-19 case tally rose by 14,736 over the past day to 21,278,816, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Friday.

A day earlier, 15,477 daily cases were recorded.

As many as 1,750 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Russia over the past day, down 4.1% from a day earlier. The number of hospitalized patients dropped in 43 regions, while in 33 regions the figure increased. The situation remained unchanged in nine regions.

MOSCOW, Oct 14 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the West used the methods of diplomatic terror against developing countries to get a resolution against Russia adopted at the UN General Assembly.

Western nations threatening developing countries with all kinds of punishments to vote against referendums in the Donbas republics, as well as in the Zaporozhie and Kherson regions, Lavrov announced Thursday to Russian television’s Pervi Kanal.

GENEVA, Oct 14 (NNN-CGTN) — At least 54 developing countries globally, including 25 in Sub-Saharan Africa, require immediate debt relief to avoid sliding into extreme poverty, according to the United Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP).

The Agency published a paper on Oct 11 titled ‘Avoiding ‘Too Little Too Late’ on International Debt Relief’, which highlights the ripple effects of government responses to the recent economic crisis and warns of the potential impacts.

AMSTERDAM, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Dutch Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia is under heightened security due to concern that she could be targeted by criminals, Dutch news agency ANP reported on Thursday, citing her parents.

"She can hardly leave the house," ANP quoted Queen Maxima as saying during a state visit to Sweden with her husband King Willem-Alexander.

Oct 14 (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned Ukraine and the West on Friday not to force his ally Russia into a corner, saying Moscow had nuclear weapons for a reason.

In extracts of an interview with the American TV channel NBC released by Belarus's state news agency, Lukashenko said: "The most important thing is, don't drive your interlocutor and even your opponent into a corner. So you mustn't cross those lines - those red lines, as the Russians say. You can't cross them."

PARIS, Oct 14 (Reuters) - European foreign ministers will on Monday discuss the transfer of Iranian drones to Russia and could come to a political agreement on future sanctions related to such activity, two diplomats said on Friday.

Ukraine has reported a spate of Russian attacks using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones in recent weeks. Iran denies supplying the drones to Russia, while the Kremlin has not commented.

LONDON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Airbus (AIR.PA) and Qatar Airways fought in court in front of Boeing on Friday as a dispute over damage to A350 jets descended into a tug-of-war over confidential documents while the sums at stake in their unprecedented falling out topped $1.5 billion.

Boeing was dragged into the case for the first time as lawyers quarrelled over access to a preliminary contract for its 737 MAX jets - illustrating the domino effect on a $150 billion global jetliner industry from the rare London legal battle.

BRUSSELS, Oct 14 (Reuters) - NATO said on Friday it would launch its annual nuclear exercise "Steadfast Noon" on Monday, with up to 60 aircraft taking part in training flights over Belgium, the North Sea and Britain to practise the use of U.S. nuclear bombs based in Europe.

The nuclear drills - which do not involve live bombs - are taking place amid heightened tensions after Russia repeatedly threatened nuclear strikes in Ukraine following major military setbacks on the battlefield there.

BRUSSELS, Oct 13 (Reuters) - With Russia expected to soon carry out large-scale drills of its nuclear forces as President Vladimir Putin threatens to use them, the United States and its allies will be challenged to ensure they can spot the difference between exercises and the real thing.

Russia typically holds major annual nuclear exercises around this time of year, and U.S. and Western officials expect them perhaps in just days. They will likely include the test launch of ballistic missiles, U.S. officials say.