Europe

MADRID, June 26 (Xinhua) -- An anti-North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) group composed of various members from around the world concluded its congress in Madrid on Saturday, with a declaration calling for widespread peace.

"The new NATO has certified that it is willing to intervene outside the mandates of the United Nations charter, as was done in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq or Libya," said Willy Meyer, a representative of "Nato, no."

ELMAU, GERMANY (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) kicked off their three-day annual summit on Sunday in Schloss Elmau in south Germany's Bavarian Alps amid lower expectations and protests.

The summit will focus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, climate and others, while the host dampened expectations.

LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization said the escalating monkeypox outbreak in more than 50 countries should be closely monitored but does not warrant being declared a global health emergency.

In a statement Saturday, a WHO emergency committee said many aspects of the outbreak were “unusual” and acknowledged that monkeypox — which is endemic in some African countries — has been neglected for years.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — While Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is certain to dominate an upcoming NATO summit in Madrid, Spain and other member nations are quietly pushing the Western alliance to consider how mercenaries aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin are spreading Moscow’s influence to Africa.

As the host of the summit taking place from Tuesday to Thursday, Spain wants to emphasize its proximity to Africa as it lobbies for a greater focus on Europe’s southern flank in a new document outlining NATO’s vision of its security challenges and tasks.

OSLO, Norway (AP) — Norway’s prime minister and members of the royal family joined mourners at a memorial service in Oslo Cathedral Sunday for the victims of a shooting in the capital’s nightlife district.

A gunman opened fire in central Oslo’s bar area early Saturday, killing two people — a man in his 50s and and another in his 60s — and wounding more than 20 in what the Norwegian security service called an “Islamist terror act” during the capital’s annual LGBTQ Pride festival. A suspect is in custody.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital in the early hours of Sunday morning, striking at least two residential buildings, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, as elsewhere Russian troops consolidated their gains in the east.

Associated Press journalists in Kyiv saw rescue services battling flames and rescuing civilians. Klitschko said four people were hospitalized with injuries and a 7-year-old girl was pulled alive from the rubble. Culture minister Oleksandr Tkachenko said on Telegram that a kindergarten was hit in the attacks.

ELMAU, Germany (AP) — President Joe Biden said Sunday that the United States and other Group of Seven leading economies will ban imports of gold from Russia, the latest in a series of sanctions that the club of democracies hopes will further isolate Russia economically over its invasion of Ukraine.

A formal announcement was expected Tuesday as the leaders hold their annual summit.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces were seeking to swallow up the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in the eastern Luhansk region, pressing their momentum after taking full control Saturday of the charred ruins of Sievierodonetsk and the chemical plant where hundreds of Ukrainian troops and civilians had been holed up.

Russia also launched dozens of missiles on several areas across the country far from the heart of the eastern battles. Some of the missiles were fired from Russian long-range Tu-22 bombers deployed from Belarus for the first time, Ukraine’s air command said.

MINSK, June 25. /TASS/: President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the states, noting the good results on the path of integration cooperation.

"Our countries have traveled a long joint path during this time, laying a solid foundation for a comprehensive strategic partnership and deep integration," according to the statement as quoted by the BelTA agency on Saturday.

MOSCOW, June 25. /TASS/: Anna Kikina, the only woman in the Roscosmos cosmonaut team, may fly the US’ Crew Dragon spacecraft for the first time during the flight, planned for September 1, Roscosmos said in its press release Saturday.

"The launch of the Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying the Crew 5 mission, which may include Anna Kikina, is planned for September 1," Roscosmos said on its Telegram channel.

According to the space corporation, Kikina will depart to the US Saturday to undergo the next training stage for the US spacecraft.