Russia says it downed 142 Ukrainian drones, including 27 over Moscow region
MOSCOW - Russia's defence ministry and the mayor of Moscow said it had downed 142 drones overnight, including 27 over the Moscow region.
The drones were reportedly shot down over a number regions in the European part of Russia, as well as over the Black Sea.
The latest attacks included four drones headed toward the Russian capital, which were downed on Sunday morning, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram around 1000 local time (0700 GMT).
According to Russia's aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia, four major airports serving Moscow - Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovskiy - were affected, resulting in 134 flights being redirected.
By 1000 Moscow time, only two airports remained closed to air traffic - Vnukovo in the Moscow region and Grabtsevo in the Kaluga region. REUTERS

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Times
3 hours ago
- Business Times
EU reaches broad tariff deal with US to avert painful trade blow
[LONDON/WASHINGTON] The US and European Union agreed on a hard-fought deal that will see the bloc face 15 per cent tariffs on most of its exports, including automobiles, staving off a trade war that could have delivered a hammer blow to the global economy. The pact was concluded less than a week before a Friday (Aug 1) deadline for US President Donald Trump's higher tariffs to take effect and was quickly praised by several European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who called it 'sustainable'. Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the deal on Sunday at his golf club in Turnberry, Scotland, although they did not disclose the full details of the pact or release any written materials. 'It's the biggest of all the deals,' Trump said, while von der Leyen added it would bring 'stability' and 'predictability'. The euro advanced over all Group of 10 peers in early Sydney trading, with the spot up 0.3 per cent to 1.1773 after closing up 1 per cent last week. The deal would leave EU exports facing much higher tariffs than the bloc would charge for imports from the US, with von der Leyen saying the aim is to rebalance a trade surplus with the US. But those kinds of tradeoffs in the agreement angered some European industry groups, with Germany's main lobby saying it 'sends a fatal signal to the closely intertwined economies on both sides of the Atlantic'. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Von der Leyen and Trump also differed on some of the key terms of the deal they announced. The US president said the tariff level would apply to 'automobiles and everything else,' but not pharmaceuticals and metals. Steel and aluminium 'stays the way it is', the US president added, and drugs are 'unrelated to this deal'. The chief of the EU's executive arm said later at a news conference that the 15 per cent rate would be all inclusive, would not stack on top of industry-specific tariffs and would cover drugs, chips and cars. Metals duties 'will be cut and a quota system will be put in place,' she said. 'We have 15 per cent for pharmaceuticals. Whatever the decisions later on is, of the president of the US, how to deal with pharmaceuticals in general globally, that's on a different sheet of paper,' von der Leyen said, adding that the overall rate 'is not to be underestimated but it was the best we could get.' The EU agreed to purchase US$750 billion in American energy products, invest US$600 billion in the US on top of existing expenditures, open up countries' markets to trade with the US at zero tariffs and purchase 'vast amounts' of military equipment, Trump said. Von der Leyen said no decisions have been made on European wine and spirits, but the matter would be sorted out soon. Key to getting the 15 per cent rate to apply to pharmaceuticals and semiconductors was the bloc's promise to make US investments, according to sources familiar with the matter. Ahead of the meeting, the EU was expecting a 15 per cent charge on its imports to also apply to most pharmaceuticals. The products had been one of the negotiation's main sticking points. Without a deal, Bloomberg Economics estimated that the total US average effective tariff rate would rise to nearly 18 per cent on Aug 1 from 13.5 per cent under current policies. The new deal brings that number down to 16 per cent. For months, Trump has threatened most of the world with high tariffs with the goal of shrinking the US trade deficits. But the prospect of those duties, and Trump's unpredictable nature, put world capitals on edge. In May, he threatened to impose a 50 per cent duty on nearly all EU goods, adding pressure that accelerated negotiations, before lowering that to 30 per cent. The transatlantic pact removes a major risk for markets and the global economy, a trade war involving US$1.7 trillion worth of cross-border commerce, even though it means European shipments to the US are getting hit with a higher tax at the border. The goals, Trump said, were more production in the US and wider access for American exporters to the European market. Von der Leyen acknowledged part of the drive behind the talks was a reordering of trade, but cast it as beneficial for both sides. 'The starting point was an imbalance,' von der Leyen said. 'We wanted to rebalance the trade we made, and we wanted to do it in a way that trade goes on between the two of us across the Atlantic, because the two biggest economies should have a good trade flow.' The announcement capped off months of often tense shuttle diplomacy between Brussels and Washington. The two sides appeared close to a deal earlier this month when Trump made his 30 per cent threat. The EU had prepared to put levies on about 100 billion euros (S$151 billion), about a third of American exports to the bloc, if a deal was not reached and Trump followed through on his warning. US and European negotiators had been zeroing in on an agreement this past week, and the decision for von der Leyen to meet Trump at his signature golf property brought the standoff to a dramatic conclusion. Officials had discussed terms for a quota system for steel and aluminium imports, which would face a lower import tax below a certain threshold and would be charged the regular 50 per cent rate above it. The EU had also been seeking quotas and a cap on future industry-specific tariffs. The EU for weeks, indicated a willingness to accept an unbalanced pact involving a reduced rate of around 15 per cent, while seeking relief from levies on industries critical to the European economy. The US president has also imposed 25 per cent duties on cars and double that rate on steel and aluminium, as well as copper. Several exporters in Asia, including Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan, have negotiated reciprocal rates between 15 to 20 per cent, and the EU saw Japan's deal for 15 per cent on autos as a breakthrough worth seeking as well. Washington's talks also continue with Switzerland, South Korea and Taiwan. Trump said he is 'looking at deals with three or four other countries', but 'for the most part', others with smaller economies or less significant trading relationships with the US would receive letters simply setting tariff rates. Trump announced a range of tariffs on almost all US trading partners in April, declaring his intent to revive domestic manufacturing, help pay for a massive tax cut and address economic imbalances he has said are detrimental to US workers. He put them on pause a week later when investors panicked. Trump's decades-old complaints about the global trading system heap particularly sharp scorn on the EU, which he has accused of being formed to 'screw' the US. The bloc was established in the years following World War II in order to establish economic stability on the continent. The president has lashed out at non-tariff barriers for American companies to do business across the 27-nation bloc. Those include the EU's value-added tax, levies on digital services, and safety and environmental regulations. Weeks of negotiations tested the EU's willingness to digest what is seen as an asymmetrical outcome, a senior EU diplomat said, but one that offers an opportunity to continue the talks without escalating further. BLOOMBERG
Business Times
3 hours ago
- Business Times
Germany's Merz welcomes EU trade deal with US
[BERLIN] German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday welcomed the trade deal between the United States and the European Union, which he said avoided 'needless escalation in transatlantic trade relations' - even as many industries criticised it. 'We have thus managed to preserve our fundamental interests, even if I would have wished for more relief in transatlantic trade,' he said in a statement released soon after the deal was announced. The agreement sets 15 per cent tariffs on most exports from the European bloc. The United States is Germany's main trading partner. Merz said he was particularly relieved for the car industry, which before Sunday's accord was facing tariffs of 27.5 per cent. In addition to cars, Germany's chemical and machinery industries are particularly dependent on exports to the United States. And Germany's powerful BDI federation of industrial groups said the accord would have 'considerable negative repercussions' and sent 'a fatal signal to the closely interdependent economy on both sides of the Atlantic'. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Germany's chemical trade association VCI said the accord left rates 'too high'. 'When one expects a hurricane, you rejoice at a simple storm,' it said in a statement. 'An escalation was avoided, but the cost is high for both sides.' The country's BGA exporters association called it a 'painful compromise' that creates an 'existential threat' for many companies. Clemens Faust, head of the prestigious IFO economic institute, said the agreement represented a 'humiliation for the EU that reflects the imbalance in power'. There are still many details in the accord that need to be ironed out, and the Chancellor expressed his 'full support' for the European Commission 'for the negotiations that will now begin'. German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said the agreement was 'a good thing as a first step. 'We will now assess the outcome of the negotiations and its impact on the economy and employment in Germany,' he added. AFP

Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
EU urges Ukraine to uphold independent anti-corruption bodies; Zelenskiy signals swift action
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy prior to a bilateral meeting in Rome, Italy, April 26, 2025. Andrew Medichini/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo BRUSSELS - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Sunday for President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to uphold independent anti-corruption bodies, with the Ukrainian leader signaling that supporting legislation could be adopted within days. "Ukraine has already achieved a lot on its European path. It must build on these solid foundations and preserve independent anti-corruption bodies, which are cornerstones of Ukraine's rule of law," von der Leyen said in a post on X after a call with Zelenskiy. After a rare outburst of public criticism, Zelenskiy on Thursday submitted draft legislation to restore the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies - reversing course of an earlier bill aimed at stripping their autonomy. "I thanked the European Commission for the provided expertise," Zelenskiy said in a post on X after his Sunday call with von der Leyen. "We share the same vision: it is important that the bill is adopted without delay, as early as next week." Von der Leyen also promised continued support for Ukraine on its path to EU membership. "Ukraine can count on our support to deliver progress on its European path," she added. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Workers used nylon rope to rescue driver of car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole Asia Singapore-only car washes will get business licences revoked, says Johor govt World Food airdropped into Gaza as Israel opens aid routes Sport Arsenal beat Newcastle in five-goal thriller to bring Singapore Festival of Football to a close Singapore Benchmark barrier: Six of her homeschooled kids had to retake the PSLE Asia S'porean trainee doctor in Melbourne arrested for allegedly filming colleagues in toilets since 2021