Russia threatened to fine Ukraine on Tuesday for failing to buy enough gas in the first quarter, increasing pressure on its neighbour at a time when the World Bank said Kiev’s economy was contracting fast. Alexei Miller, chief executive of Russia’s state-run gas giant Gazprom, told Reuters the corporation was …

Jailed Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky on Tuesday challenged President Dmitry Medvedev from the dock of a Moscow court to stand by his promise to keep the judiciary independent of the Kremlin. The former boss of oil group YUKOS, on trial on new charges that could keep him in jail for …

ANKARA, Turkey – Incoming NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark said on Monday (April 6th) he will maintain close co-operation with Turkey during his term of office.

TIRANA, Albania – A four-year-old Albanian boy is among the victims of the earthquake that rocked central Italy early on Monday (April 6th), according to the Albanian Embassy in Rome. Four Macedonian nationals of Albanian ethnicity are also among the victims.

SKOPJE, Macedonia – Sunday’s second round of presidential and local elections went in accordance with “most international standards”, the OSCE said in a statement Monday (April 6th). We were pleased to see a peaceful environment and a well-administered Election Day, although some aspects of the campaign period seriously detracted from …

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – The country needs ten years and 400m euros to clear about 220,000 mines left over from the 1992-1995 conflict, the BiH Mine Action Centre announced on Monday (April 6th).

BELGRADE, Serbia – The Serbian army is the best and most professional in the region, Defence Ministry Secretary Dusan Spasojevic said on Monday (April 6th), citing a report by the US analysis and research agency Stratfor.

ATHENS, Greece – Parliament voted early on Tuesday (April 7th) to form a special committee to investigate former Aegean Minister Aristotelis Pavlidis for bribery, a move that may threaten the ruling New Democracy (ND) party’s one-seat majority.

Moscow. Days after April 3rd when Sofia marked its 130th anniversary of becoming capital of Bulgaria, Sofia Mayor Boyko Borisov heads the official delegation of Sofia Municipality, which will present the capital with Days of Sofia in Moscow, Focus News Agency’s reporter informed.

CHISINAU – Moldovan police have detained 193 protesters in the capital Chisinau, including eight under-aged people, Russian RIA news agency quoted the Interior Ministry as saying on Wednesday. “They have been charged with looting, hooliganism, robbery and criminal attacks,” RIA quoted a ministry spokeswoman as saying.