Europe

ZAGREB, June 21 (NNN-XINHUA) — A Hungarian military helicopter crashed in the Cikola Canyon in southern Croatia on Wednesday, killing two crew members and leaving another one missing, the Croatian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The search for the third person is still ongoing, according to the ministry.

Two Hungarian Air Force’s Airbus H145 helicopters were on a training flight when one of them crashed, the Defense Ministry said.

ROME, June 21 (NNN-ACN) — Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, leading a delegation from the island visiting Italy, met with businessmen from that European country.

As reported by the president on Twitter, during the meeting he reiterated the willingness to strengthen economic, trade, investment and cooperation relations between the two nations.

Diaz-Canel ratified to the businessmen his country’s willingness to work together to strengthen relations in sectors of mutual interest.

GENEVA, June 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Donors at a UN conference pledged close to $1.5 billion to combat the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and help its neighbours host refugees fleeing the fighting.

Sudan is descending into death and destruction at unprecedented speed, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned as he urged donors to step in and curb the unfolding catastrophe.

The conference comes midway through a three-day ceasefire which appeared to have brought calm to the capital Khartoum, after the failure of earlier truces to secure aid corridors.

MOSCOW, June 21 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia's new generation of Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles, which are capable of carrying 10 or more nuclear warheads, would soon be deployed for combat duty.

In a speech to new graduates of military academies, Putin stressed the importance of Russia's "triad" of nuclear forces that can be launched from land, sea or air.

"The most important task here is the development of the nuclear triad, which is a key guarantee of Russia's military security and global stability," he said.

BERLIN, June 21 (Reuters) - The far-right Alternative for Germany said on Wednesday it intended to nominate a chancellor candidate for the first time for the 2025 election as it soars in the polls, a day after the domestic spy agency cautioned voters about backing the party.

Founded a decade ago, the AfD has surged to second place in opinion polls due to voter worries about recession, migration and the transition to a carbon-neutral economy, political analysts say.

BRUSSELS, June 21 (Reuters) - European Union governments agreed on Wednesday to an 11th package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, aimed at stopping other countries and companies from circumventing existing measures.

The new package, tweeted by Sweden as EU president, forbids transit via Russia of an expanded list of goods and technology which might aid Russia's military or security sector.

HELSINKI, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The new government of Finland, led by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, took office on Tuesday.

The government consists of the prime minister and 18 ministers from the National Coalition Party, the Finns Party, the Swedish People's Party, and the Christian Democrats.

Orpo said in his speech during the government's welcome visit to the presidential palace that the Finnish people have "voted for change." The government parties are united in their view of the state of public finances, he said, adding: "We must tighten our belts."

LONDON (AP) — Ukraine’s allies pledged several billion dollars in non-military aid on Wednesday to rebuild its war-ravaged infrastructure, fight corruption and help pave the country’s road to membership in the European Union.

Stressing the vast scale of the task, diplomats and political leaders at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London urged private-sector companies to invest and revive an economy battered by almost a year and a half of war.

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union countries on Wednesday agreed on a new package of sanctions against Russia for its war against Ukraine.

Sweden, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, said that the package includes measures aimed at countering sanctions circumvention and individual listings.

Details of the measures will be unveiled later this week when the sanctions are officially adopted by written procedure.

Russia (AP) — Two drones were brought down outside Moscow as they approached the warehouses of a local military unit, Russian authorities said Wednesday, in what could be the latest attempt by Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia during the early stages of Kyiv’s most recent counteroffensive.

The drones came down near the village of Lukino, administratively part of the city of Moscow, Russian media reported. The wreckage of a third drone was reportedly found about 20 kilometers (12 miles) away. No damage or casualties were reported.