Europe

DONETSK, February 12. /TASS/: The situation in Donetsk is calm now, and the reports about an explosion that appeared on social networks have not been confirmed, a source in the law enforcement agencies of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) told TASS on Saturday.

"The situation is calm in Donetsk, the reports of an explosion in the city, which are circulating on the social media, have not been confirmed," he said.

MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/: Russia’s Defense Ministry has summoned a US military attache over the incident with Virginia-class US nuclear-powered submarine detected on Saturday morning near the Pacific Fleet’s drills near Iturup Island of the Kuril Chain.

"The attache for defense issues at the US Embassy in Moscow has been summoned to the Russian Defense Ministry in connection with the violation of the Russian state border by the US Navy’s submarine," the ministry said in a statement.

LONDON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not be distracted from focusing on tensions between Ukraine and Russia by receipt of a police questionnaire about lockdown parties at his Downing Street office, a government minister said on Saturday.

The Metropolitan Police are contacting more than 50 people believed to have attended the parties to explain their involvement. On Friday, Johnson's spokesperson confirmed he had received a questionnaire and would respond as required.

BUDAPEST, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday extended a fuel price cap and flagged more generous family support measures if he is re-elected at an April 3 election where he faces the biggest challenge so far to his 12-year-long rule.

Orban, in his annual state of the nation speech, accused his opponents of planning a return to economic mismanagement that pushed the country to the brink of financial collapse in 2008.

PARIS, Feb 12 (Reuters) - French troops killed 40 militants on the Benin-Burkina Faso border in West Africa's Sahel region, the French government said on Saturday.

The action followed an attack on park rangers in northern Benin on Tuesday in which a French national was among eight people killed.

FRANKFURT, Feb 12 (Reuters) - The crisis between Russia and Ukraine is escalating, but Germany is making all efforts to find a diplomatic solution, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Saturday.

"We must be prepared for all scenarios," Baerbock said during a news conference in Cairo.

She was speaking as Berlin urged citizens to leave Ukraine and ahead of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to Ukraine and Russia for talks next week.

MOSCOW, Feb 12 (Reuters) - A Russian naval vessel chased away a U.S. submarine in Russian waters in the Pacific after the submarine ignored the ship's orders for it to surface, Interfax news agency cited the defence ministry as saying on Saturday.

Russia accused Washington of breaking international law and creating a national security threat over the incident, which came at a time of high tensions between Moscow and Washington over a Russian military buildup near Ukraine.

There was no immediate comment from the United States.

PARIS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron held a high-level summit aimed at protecting the world's oceans on Friday, with representatives of more than 100 countries.

The One Ocean Summit in Brest brought together heads of state and government, leaders of multilateral institutions, shipping companies and civil society policymakers to unite in supporting the "Brest Commitments for the Oceans."

During the summit, panels were held on various commitments to marine protection and tackling climate change.

PARIS (AP) — Paris police intercepted at least 500 vehicles attempting to enter the French capital Saturday, in defiance of a police order, to take part in protests against virus restrictions inspired by Canada’s horn-honking “Freedom Convoy.”

The police said on Twitter that several convoys were stopped from entering at key city arteries and over 200 motorists were handed tickets.

Elsewhere, at least two protesters were detained amid a seizure of knives, hammers and other objects in one central Parisian square.

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden are to hold a high-stakes telephone call on Saturday as tensions over a possibility imminent invasion of Ukraine escalated sharply and the U.S. announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital.

Before talking to Biden, Putin is to have a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the crisis.