Europe

Aug 14 (Reuters) - Russia is in the process of equipping its new nuclear submarines with hypersonic Zircon missiles, the head of Russia's largest shipbuilder told the RIA state news agency in an interview published on Monday.

"Multi-purpose nuclear submarines of the Yasen-M project will ... be equipped with the Zircon missile system on a regular basis," , Alexei Rakhmanov, chief executive officer of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), told RIA.

"Work in this direction is already underway."

CATANIA, Sicily, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Flights serving the eastern Sicilian city of Catania were halted on Monday after an eruption from nearby Mount Etna, local authorities said, bringing fresh travel woe to the crisis-plagued Italian airport.

The 3,330 metre (10,925 ft) high volcano burst into action overnight, firing lava and ash high over the Mediterranean island. The lava flow subsided before dawn, but ash was still coming from one of the craters.

LONDON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Britain on Sunday warned citizens going to Sweden of possible terrorist attacks following Koran burnings by anti-Islam activists that have outraged Muslims.

In updated travel advice, Britain's foreign ministry said Swedish authorities had successfully disrupted some planned attacks and made arrests.

"You should be vigilant at this time," it said, adding that "terrorists are very likely to try and carry out attacks in Sweden" with places visited by foreigners potential targets.

RIGA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins announced on Monday that he would resign amid differences with coalition partners.

Karins, who is the leader of the center-right New Unity, blamed the centrist United List and conservative National Alliance for thwarting attempts to improve the government's performance.

"A new government is needed," Karins told a press conference, adding that he would hand in his resignation to President Edgars Rinkevics on Thursday.

Karins also said that he would not seek reappointment as prime minister.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched three waves of drones and missiles against the southern Ukraine port city of Odesa, officials said Monday, though the Ukrainian air force said it intercepted all the airborne weapons fired during the nighttime attacks.

Falling debris from the 15 Shahed drones and eight Kalibr missiles interceptions damaged a residential building, a supermarket and a dormitory of an educational facility in the city, Odesa Gov. Oleh Kiper said.

MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/: Scientific instruments were activated for the first time aboard Russia’s Luna-25 automatic station currently on its pathway to the Moon, the State Space Corporation Roscosmos announced on Sunday.

"Today the scientific equipment developed by the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences was activated for the first time in the conditions of the space flight. The service telemetric data from all the devices showed their normal operation," Roscosmos said.

PATRIOT PARK /Moscow Region/, August 13. /TASS/: The Kalashnikov Group unveiled a new AK-19 short-barreled assault rifle, a TASS correspondent reported from the scene.

The AK-19 is based on the 5.45mm AK-12 assault rifle and is chambered for the NATO-standard 5.56mm round. The AK-19 is the latest export version of the Kalashnikov assault rifle engineered for the 5.56x45mm cartridge. This model differs from previous generations by its refined ergonomics and adapted use round-the clock and boasts increased accuracy of fire.

MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/: The Russian naval ship Vasily Bykov forcibly stopped the Palau-flagged dry cargo ship Sukru Okan heading for the Ukrainian port of Izmail for inspection, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Sunday.

MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/: Artillery units of Russia’s Battlegroup East have destroyed a pontoon crossing Ukrainian troops were trying to build across the River Mokrye Yaly near the settlement of Urozhainoye, the battlegroup’s spokesman Oleg Chekhov said on Sunday.

BELGOROD, August 13. /TASS/: An apartment block and 15 passenger cars were damaged in Belgorod presumably in a drone attack, Belgorod Region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Sunday.