Europe

KYIV, May 4 (Reuters) - Kyiv will be ready if Belarus's armed forces join Russia's war effort in Ukraine, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian State Border Service said on Wednesday.

Belarus, a close ally of Russia, said its military had begun large-scale drills on Wednesday to test their combat readiness and that they posed no threat to its neighbours. 

ROME, May 5 (Reuters) - An Italian parliamentary panel has opened an investigation into "disinformation" on television amid a heated debate over the frequent appearance of Russian guests on the country's news programmes during the war in Ukraine.

The Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic (Copasir) which oversees the intelligence services, said on Wednesday it had summoned the heads of Italy's state TV network, state security agency and communications watchdog.

ROME, May 5 (Reuters) - An Italian parliamentary panel has opened an investigation into "disinformation" on television amid a heated debate over the frequent appearance of Russian guests on the country's news programmes during the war in Ukraine.

The Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic (Copasir) which oversees the intelligence services, said on Wednesday it had summoned the heads of Italy's state TV network, state security agency and communications watchdog.

BELFAST, May 7 (Reuters) - Northern Ireland's largest pro-British party will decide next week whether to consider entering a power-sharing government after the British government announces its plans regarding its trade spat with the European Union, its leader said on Saturday.

May 7 (Reuters) - Russia's most senior lawmaker on Saturday accused Washington of coordinating military operations in Ukraine, which he said amounted to direct U.S. involvement in military action against Russia.

"Washington is essentially coordinating and developing military operations, thereby directly participating in military actions against our country," Vyacheslav Volodin wrote on his Telegram channel.

May 7 (Reuters) - U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns said on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes doubling down on the military conflict in Ukraine will improve his outcome in the war.

"He's in a frame of mind in which he doesn't believe he can afford to lose," said Burns, who was speaking at a Financial Times event in Washington. "I think he's convinced right now that doubling down still will enable him to make progress."

May 7 (Reuters) - At least eight people died in Siberia on Saturday as fires ripped through hundreds of buildings in several villages, with high winds hampering efforts to extinguish the blazes.

In the Krasnoyarsk region, about 3,000 km (1,900 miles) east of Moscow, fires killed five people in 16 settlements across the Kazachinskoe and Sharypovsky districts, the local branch of Russia's Investigative Committee said in a statement, leading it to launch criminal proceedings for causing death by negligence.

May 7 (Reuters) - All women, children and elderly people have been evacuated from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the southern port of Mariupol, Ukraine's deputy prime minister said on Saturday.

"This part of the Mariupol humanitarian operation is over," Iryna Vereshchuk wrote on the Telegram messaging service.

Ukraine announced on Friday an evacuation plan from Azovstal and other parts of Mariupol for Saturday.

KIEV, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country stands ready to resume talks on settling the conflict with Russia after Russian forces return to the positions they held before Feb. 24, the Ukrinform news agency reported Friday.

"They need to withdraw to those temporary contact lines or dividing lines - they must withdraw troops there. Then we can start the full-scale talks," Zelensky was quoted as saying.

He emphasized that "not all the bridges" for peace talks with Russia have been destroyed.

PARIS (AP) — President Emmanuel Macron was inaugurated for a second term on Saturday, vowing to first take action to avoid any further escalation of Russia’s war in Ukraine before going on to focus on promoting France and Europe on the world stage.

Macron was reelected for five years on April 24 in a runoff that saw him beat out far-right rival Marine Le Pen.

“The time ahead will be that of resolute action for France and for Europe,” Macron said. He promised to “first take action to avoid any escalation following Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.”