Europe

BRATISLAVA, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Slovaks were voting on Saturday in a parliamentary election closely fought between former leftist Prime Minister Robert Fico, who wants to end military aid for neighbouring Ukraine, and pro-Western liberals.

Final opinion polls showed the two parties neck and neck, with the winner expected to get the first chance to try to form a government to replace the caretaker administration running the country of 5.5 million since May.

VALLETTA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Malta is keen on nourishing the healthy, strong and mutually beneficial relationship with China, with special emphasis on people-to-people links, President George Vella said on Friday.

Addressing a reception to mark the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Vella said that more than 50 years into diplomatic relations between the two countries, the ties were becoming "more dynamic and forward-looking."

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk is facing an uphill battle to win new hearts in his efforts to unseat the nationalist conservative government in Poland’s upcoming parliamentary election.

The ex-prime minister and former European Union leader returned to Polish politics several years ago, seeking to breathe new life into his languishing party and win back power — and reverse what many view as a degradation of fundamental rights and ties with European partners under the governing populist Law and Justice party.

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — The exodus of more than 80% of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh raises questions about Azerbaijan’s plans for the ethnic Armenian enclave following its lightning offensive last week to reclaim the breakaway region.

The Armenian government said Friday evening that more than 97,700 people, from a population of around 120,000, had fled to Armenia since Azerbaijan attacked and ordered the region’s militants to disarm. The enclave’s separatist government said it would dissolve itself by the end of the year after a three-decade bid for independence.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday insisted that the residents of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow illegally annexed a year ago “made their choice — to be with their Fatherland.”

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis created 21 new cardinals at a ritual-filled ceremony Saturday, including key figures at the Vatican and in the field who will help enact his reforms and cement his legacy as he enters a crucial new phase in running the Catholic Church.

On a crisp sunny day filled with cheers from St. Peter’s Square, Francis further expanded his influence on the College of Cardinals who will one day elect his successor: With Saturday’s additions, nearly three-quarters of the voting-age “princes of the church” owe their red hats to the Argentine Jesuit.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine hosted an international defense industry conference as part of a government effort to ramp up weapons production within the country to repel Russia’s full-scale invasion and reduce foreign dependence on arms deliveries.

The event marked a new development in support of Ukraine, with the previous focus being on the delivery of weapons, repair of damaged equipment and military training of Ukrainian soldiers.

MOSCOW, September 29. /TASS/: The development of transport communications and logistics is important for Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Moscow hopes to continue this work, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

KAZAN, September 29. /TASS/: Moscow is alarmed by attempts by non-regional players to intensify their activities in and around Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a written address to the participants in the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan now taking place in Kazan.

BRUSSELS, September 29. /TASS/: The North Atlantic Council has decided to send in more KFOR troops to help stabilize the situation in Kosovo.