Europe

19 April 2024; AP: CAPRI, Italy; The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received “last minute” information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, Italy’s foreign minister said.

MOSCOW, April 18. /TASS/. Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian command post and two S-300 surface-to-air missile launchers over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

CARACAS, April 18. /TASS/. The Ukrainian trace is obvious in the Crocus City Hall attack case, and the law enforcement employees exert efforts to identify the instigators of this crime, Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov said during the meeting with the Venezuelan Ministry of Interior, Justice and Peace Remigio Ceballos Ichaso in Caracas.

MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/. Russia will not announce pauses in fighting if new talks on Ukraine begin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Sputnik, Govorit Moskva and Komsomolskaya Pravda radio stations.

He also noted that the Ukrainian authorities could not be trusted. "First, he (Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky - TASS) banned himself from holding talks," Lavrov noted, adding: "Second, they cannot be trusted."

18 April 2024; MEMO: Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, on Thursday accused the US of “taking hostage” the entire Middle East region, where tensions have escalated between Iran and Israel besides the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Anadolu Agency reports.

ANCIENT OLYMPIA /Greece/, April 16. /TASS/. The ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris has taken place in Ancient Olympia, a TASS correspondent reports from the scene.

In attendance at the ceremony were Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, President of the Greek National Olympic Committee Spyros Capralos and other officials.

MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated the West’s growing concern about the work of the BRICS countries to develop their independent financial mechanisms.

BRATISLAVA, April 17. /TASS/. Donbass and Crimea will remain part of Russia forever, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico told members of the European Affairs Committee of the country’s National Council (parliament).

MOSCOW, April 18. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky admitted that Russian forces were advancing and asked the West to provide his country with everything that can help Ukrainian troops hold the frontline.

"They are putting pressure on us at the front and are gradually moving [forward]," Zelensky said in his address to European leaders during an informal summit in Brussels.

He also said that Russia is feeling its strength in almost everything related to the armed component, including artillery, equipment and ability to operate in the sky.

UNITED NATIONS, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) on Wednesday launched a flash appeal worth 2.822 billion U.S. dollars for the occupied Palestinian territory.

The money will be used to provide assistance to 3.1 million people in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, through the end of the year, said UNOCHA.