Europe

London, May 25 (PTI) In another setback to Vijay Mallya, the UK High Court has directed the embattled liquor tycoon to pay British beverage giant Diageo over USD 135 million in relation to a collateral arrangement.

Diageo is seeking a total of USD 175 million from the 63-year-old businessman and was successful in one aspect of that claim as it was awarded a "summary judgment" by Justice Robin Knowles, who dismissed Mallya's reliance on an alleged oral promise from Diageo dating back to February 2016.

Vatican City, May 25 (AP/PTI) Pope Francis says abortion can never be condoned, even when the fetus is gravely sick or malformed. He is urging doctors and priests to support families to carry such pregnancies to term.

During an audience Saturday with participants of a Vatican-sponsored anti-abortion conference, Francis said opposition to abortion isn't a religious issue but a human one: "Is it licit to throw away a life to resolve a problem? Is it licit to hire a hitman to resolve a problem?"

25 May 2019; DW: The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Malta and Latvia are casting their ballots in day three of EU parliamentary elections.

Voters in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Malta and Latvia headed for the polls on Saturday as part of continent-wide parliamentary elections.

The United Kingdom and the Netherlands cast their ballots on Thursday, with Ireland heading to the ballot box on Friday. The Czech Republic is voting over both Friday and Saturday. 

25 May 2019; DW: At least 13 people were injured when an explosive device went off at a bakery in central Lyon, France's third biggest city. President Emmanuel Macron described it as an "attack."

Police in the city of Lyon were searching for a man believed to be responsible for a Friday blast which injured several people. The explosion targeted a bakery on the central street Rue Victor Hugo, in what French President Emmanuel Macron called an "attack."

ULYANOVSK, May 24. /TASS/: Development of renewable energy in Russia’s Arctic regions is possible if local authorities are motivated to cut expenses on diesel fuel, the Russian Association of Wind Power Industry’s President Igor Bryzgunov said.

MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/: Russian scientists opened a new mechanism, explaining influence from salt migration emerging from decomposition of huge gas (methane) hydrates reserves on the Arctic shelf, the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology’s (Skoltech) press service said. Results of the studies are published on Geosciences magazine’s website.

MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/: Russian Human Rights Ombudsperson Tatyana Moskalkova has sent a letter to US Attorney General William Barr, asking that Russian national Konstantin Yaroshenko, who is serving a 20-year sentence in the in the Danbury prison in Connecticut, be transferred to Russia, the ombudsperson’s office said on Friday.

"For humanitarian reasons alone, I would like to ask you to show goodwill and agree to transfer Yaroshenko to his home country, taking into consideration the long time he has spent in prison and his deteriorating health," the letter reads.

MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS/: The prosecution has not used any violence against US national Paul Whelan accused of espionage, his earlier statements relate to "unnatural conditions" of his detainment, attorney Vladimir Zherebenkov told TASS on Friday.

"There have been no direct threats towards Whelan from the side of the investigation. When mentioning a threat, Whelan means that he may be wrongfully charged. He is also talking about tough condition of detention - there are some issues with his living conditions - there is no dentist, no translator," he said.

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Theresa May’s announcement that she will leave 10 Downing Street has set off a fierce competition to succeed her as Conservative Party leader — and as the next prime minister. These are some of the most prominent names on a list of contenders that is expected to grow in the coming days.

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BORIS JOHNSON

The former foreign secretary has made no secret of his desire to take the top job when May departs.

24 May 2019; MEMO: An ex-Israeli soldier wanted in Colombia for heading a child prostitution ring and sex trafficking offences has been arrested in Portugal.