Europe

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s leader petitioned for more powerful Western weapons as he prepared to meet with top U.S. officials in the war-torn country’s capital Sunday and Russian forces concentrated their attacks on the east, including trying to dislodge the last Ukrainian troops holding out in the battered port city of Mariupol.

24 April 2022; MEMO: Hundreds of people on Saturday gathered in Sweden's capital to protest the burning of the Muslim holy book in the country, Anadolu Agency reported.

About 500 people attended the protest organized by the Party of Different Colors (Nyans) in front of the country's parliament in Stockholm.

The protesters were holding banners that read "Stop the burning of the Holy Quran" and "Stop insulting Muslims".

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/: Russia’s COVID-19 case tally rose by 8,729 over the past day to 18,128,691, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Saturday.

In relative terms, the figure reached 0.05%.

As many as 2,682 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Russia over the past day, 0.8% fewer than in the previous day. The number of hospitalized patients declined in 44 regions, while in 35 other regions the figure increased. A day earlier, 2,660 people were rushed to hospitals.

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/: Russian air defense systems shot down Ukrainian Su-25 aircraft in the Kharkov region. At the same time, Pantsir-S crew shot down two Tochka-U tactical missiles in the air around the settlement of Chernobaevka, Major General Igor Konashenkov announced on Saturday.

"Russian air defense systems shot down Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Forces in the Novaya Dmitrovka area of the Kharkov region," he said.

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/: US Boeing X-37 orbital spacecraft may carry reconnaissance tools or weapons of mass destruction, Director General of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said on Saturday.

"It may carry some kind of reconnaissance tools or weapons of mass destruction. This is a new category of carriers of mass destruction weapons. Attacks from space pose the most serious danger," he said in an interview with Rossiya 24 TV channel, mentioning the vehicle returning from space.

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/: The Federal Air Transport Agency has extended temporary flight restrictions at 11 airports in the southern and central parts of the Russian Federation until May 1, the Agency reported on Saturday.

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/: The United States is preparing provocations to accuse the Russian side of using chemical, biological, or tactical nuclear weapons, Chief of Russian Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Force Igor Kirillov announced on Saturday.

"The Russian Ministry of Defense has information about the United States preparing provocations to accuse the Russian Armed Forces of using chemical, biological, or tactical nuclear weapons," he said.

LONDON, April 23 (Reuters) - Russia's top state investigative body said on Saturday it was looking into a Russian media report alleging that sabotage experts from Britain's SAS special forces have been deployed to western Ukraine.

The Special Air Service is an elite military force trained to conduct special operations, surveillance and counter-terrorism. Russia's RIA Novosti news agency on Saturday quoted a Russian security source as saying about 20 SAS members had been sent to the Lviv region.

ZURICH, April 23 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Ukrainians lined up for food handouts in central Zurich on Saturday as wealthy Switzerland struggles to cope with the arrival of around 40,000 refugees since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.

Refugees in official accommodation receive some financial support from the state, although this is often not enough to live on in a country where the cost of living is among the highest in the world.

AMSTERDAM, April 23 (Reuters) - Amsterdam's Schiphol airport urged travellers to stay away for several hours on Saturday as a strike by ground personnel at the start of a school holiday caused chaos at Europe's third-busiest airport.

"The terminal is too full at the moment ... Schiphol is calling on travellers not to come to the airport anymore," airport authorities said in a statement issued shortly before noon (1000 GMT).

Almost three hours later the airport said passengers were welcome again but would still face long waiting times and possible delays or cancellations.