Europe

KIEV, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has deployed its permanent monitoring mission at Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant in western Ukraine, thus completing the establishment of its representation in the country, Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday.

The mission's main tasks are to maintain nuclear and radiation safety at the facility amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine said in a statement.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Several senior Ukrainian government officials lost their jobs as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought Tuesday to contain a burgeoning corruption scandal amid the nearly 11-month-old Russian invasion.

The high-level shakeup came as Poland formally requested permission from Germany to transfer a modest number of its Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine. Germany builds the high-tech armor and Warsaw needs Berlin’s permission to send them to a non-NATO country.

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland’s top diplomat appeared to suggest Tuesday that the country may have to join NATO without Sweden after Turkey’s president cast doubt on the expansion of the military alliance.

“We still have to evaluate the situation if it turns out that Sweden’s application is stalling for a long time to come,” Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told Finnish broadcaster YLE.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Poland has officially requested permission from Germany to transfer its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine where they can help fight Russia’s invasion, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said Tuesday.

Berlin has received Warsaw’s request, Błaszczak said in a tweet, though German officials did not immediately confirm that.

The development on possible tank deliveries came as Ukrainian authorities moved to crack down on corruption, with three senior officials announcing their exit Tuesday.

23 Jan 2023; MEMO: The European Union is going to hold a big summit in Istanbul on 22 February, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the head of the EU delegation in Turkiye, Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut said, Turkish local media reports.

According to the report, he said that a Ukrainian government official would be invited, while a Turkish representative would also be present at the summit, which will deal with the geopolitical and economic consequences of the war.

24 Jan 2023; MEMO: The Irish foreign minister demanded on Monday that the Israeli authorities should pay compensation for their systematic destruction of buildings funded by the European Union in occupied Palestine.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office quit Tuesday, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pledged to launch a staff shake-up amid high-level corruption allegations during the war with Russia.

Kyrylo Tymoshenko asked to be relieved of his duties, according to an online copy of a decree signed by Zelenskyy and Tymoshenko’s own social media posts.

Neither gave a reason for the resignation.

22 Jan 2023; MEMO: The leader of the Danish far-right party Stram Kurs (Hard Line) on Saturday (January 21) burnt a copy of the Holy Quran in the Swedish capital.

Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu criticised Sweden for giving Paludan a permit for burning the Quran, adding that racism and hate crimes do not count as freedom of thought.

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/: Vyacheslav Volodin, the Speaker of the Russian State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, will pay an official two-day visit to Iran, the State Duma’s press service said.

"On January 22-23, the delegation of the State Duma headed by State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin will visit the Islamic Republic of Iran with an official visit," the press service said. Heads of relevant committees of the State Duma are among delegation members, it noted.

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/: Russia’s COVID-19 case tally rose by 5,729 over the past day to 21,894,157, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Sunday.

As many as 427 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Russia over the past day (down by 48.8%). The number of hospitalized patients declined in 52 regions, while in 14 other regions the figure increased. The situation remained unchanged in 19 regions. A day earlier, 834 people were rushed to hospitals.