Europe

VIENNA (AP) — A law requiring most adults in Austria to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is ready to take effect, but the sense of urgency that accompanied its announcement in November has largely evaporated. Few other countries look likely to go as far as attention turns to loosening restrictions.

MOSCOW (AP) — When the U.S. and NATO rejected the Kremlin’s security demands over Ukraine last week, fears of an imminent Russian attack against its neighbor soared.

But instead of sending armored armadas across the Ukrainian border as the U.S. and its allies worried, Moscow bombarded Western capitals with diplomatic letters about an international agreement that the Kremlin sees as a strong argument for its position in the standoff.

MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/: Russian ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin on Thursday said the UK is more sensible about the purported Russian threat to Ukraine, compared to the US.

"They are more about news hype, but they don’t issue the kind of calls that emanate from Washington, such as preparation for war," he said on Channel One. "They go about the situation in a more sensible way, although alarmist statements - what if there’s war - are voiced quite often."

DONETSK, February 3. /TASS/: The intelligence of the People’s Militia of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) has information that the Ukrainian military command expects heavy casualties in its planned aggression in Donbass, Deputy Head of the DPR People’s Militia Eduard Basurin said on Thursday.

"It can be said already now that the command [of the Ukrainian armed forces] expects heavy losses among Ukrainian soldiers in an offensive," he said.

MINSK, February 3. /TASS/: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko received the credentials of new Russian Ambassador Boris Gryzlov and diplomats from seven other countries on Thursday, the BelTA news agency said on Thursday.

According to BelTA, the envoys of Vietnam, the Dominican Republic, Laos, Morocco, Nigeria, Russia, Chad and Sri Lanka presented their credentials to the Belarusian leader.

MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/: Argentina is one of Russia’s key partners in Latin America, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference following talks with his Argentine counterpart Alberto Fernandez on Thursday. 

"I would like to point out that Argentina is one of Russia’s key partners in Latin America. For over 150 years, our countries have been maintaining good and friendly relations based on equality, respect, and concern for each other’s interests," Putin said.

STOCKHOLM, Feb 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sweden will lift pandemic restrictions next week despite record levels of infections as it banks on booster shots and high rates of past COVID-19 infections to keep hospitalisation rates manageable.

Current restrictions, which include bars and restaurants having to close early and a cap of 500 people inside larger indoor venues, were extended last month until Feb 9.

“It’s time to open Sweden up again,” Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told a news conference.

 COPENHAGEN, Feb 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two years after the outbreak of Covid-19, Europe could soon enter a “long period of tranquility” due to high vaccination rates, the milder Omicron variant and the end of winter, the WHO said on Thursday.
 
   “This context, that we have not experienced so far in this pandemic, leaves us with the possibility for a long period of tranquility,” WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told reporters, adding: “This period of higher protection should be seen as a ‘ceasefire’ that could bring us enduring peace.”

 LONDON, Feb 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain, France and Germany condemned a battery of “provocative” missile tests by North Korea and urged it to comply with UN resolutions ahead of Security Council talks.

  “We strongly condemn these provocative actions, which undermine regional as well as international peace and security and are in clear violation of multiple unanimously adopted UN Security Council resolutions,” the European powers said in a joint statement.

LONDON, Feb 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Top oil-producing countries led by Saudi Arabia and Russia announced another modest increase in output on Wednesday despite soaring crude prices and geopolitical tensions rattling the markets.

   The 23-nation OPEC+ group said in a statement that it will increase production by 400,000 barrels per day in March, the same amount as in previous months.