Europe

MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/: The Russian Armed Forces have destroyed with Kalibr cruise missiles an ammunition depot in the Odessa Region, where missiles for US multiple rocket launchers HIMARS were stored, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Sunday.

"High-precision sea-based long-range Kalibr missiles near the village of Mayorskoye in the Odessa Region destroyed an ammunition depot with missiles for the American HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems and Western-made anti-aircraft systems," Konashenkov said.

SEVASTOPOL, August 21. /TASS/: Ukraine’s armed forces attempted to strike Belbek military airfield in Sevastopol on Sunday with air defense systems deflecting the attack, the city’s Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev said on his Telegram channel.

"Our air defense systems took down new targets approaching Belbek from Yevpatoria. The request is the same - for everyone to remain calm," he wrote.

LONDON, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UK has announced £36 million (approx. US$ 42 million) in UK humanitarian funding to help people in Ukraine, East Africa, and Syria.

 People whose lives have been upended by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, drought and food shortages in East Africa, and conflict in Syria will be among those to benefit from £36 million in UK humanitarian funding announced Friday.

PARIS, Aug 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Extreme weather is wreaking havoc upon virtually all of the world’s largest cotton suppliers.

In India, the top-producing country, heavy rains and pests have cut into cotton crops so much that the nation is importing supplies. A heat wave in China is raising concerns about the upcoming harvest there.

BERLIN, Aug 21 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday called the monthly 9 euro ticket for public transport that his government introduced to help offset soaring inflation a "big success" and announced talks for a follow-up scheme.

Germany's coalition government of Scholz's Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats introduced the tickets that cover all local and regional public transport nationwide for June, July and August as part of a series of measures to help households.

LONDON, Aug 21 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the leaders of the United States, France and Germany on Sunday stressed the importance of ensuring the safety of nuclear sites in Ukraine in a call, Johnson's office said.

"On a joint call, the Prime Minister, President (Joe) Biden, President (Emmanuel) Macron and Chancellor (Olaf) Scholz underlined their steadfast commitment to supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia's invasion," a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement.

BERLIN, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Around two thirds of Germans are unhappy with the work of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his fractious coalition, which has faced crisis after crisis since taking office in December, according to a survey published on Sunday.

Only 25 % of Germans believe the Social Democrat is doing his job well, down from 46% in March, according to the poll by Insa for "Bild am Sonntag" weekly newspaper.

LONDON, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Lisa O'Neill scrutinizes her bank account to look for possible ways to economize, reviewing her income and outgoings, fearing her family may no longer be able to make ends meet with a staggering rise in energy bills just around the corner.

The working mom-of-four is preparing for a sweeping cost-of-living crisis in the UK.

"We have cancelled a private pension and are using the money we were paying on that to go towards our bills," said O'Neill, who lives just outside Liverpool, in a recent interview with Xinhua.

LONDON (AP) — The first day of a planned strike at Britain’s biggest container port started Sunday, joining a series of walkouts by transportation workers that have disrupted economic activity across the country.

Almost 2,000 workers at the Port of Felixstowe, located about 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of London, walked off the jobs over pay, raising fears of severe supply chain problems. The port handles around 4 million containers a year from 2,000 ships – almost half of the country’s incoming shipping freight.

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia’s president called on NATO on Sunday to “do their job” in Kosovo or he says Serbia itself will move to protect its minority in the breakaway province.

The fiery televised address to his nation by President Aleksandar Vucic followed the collapse of political talks between Serbian and Kosovo leaders earlier this week mediated by the European Union in Brussels.