Nearly 10,000 evacuated in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region:

Nearly 10,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region since a ground attack launched by Russian forces on May 10, the regional governor said, AFP reports.

Zelensky: Russia's Kharkiv Oblast offensive advances as far as 10 km,

Russian troops were able to advance as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep during their offensive in Kharkiv Oblast, but the front in the region has been stabilized, President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on May 16, The Kyiv Independent reports.

Italy hit by severe flooding after heavy rain

Storms and heavy rainfall have left many parts of northern Italy under water, with the cities of Padua and Vicenza particularly affected, BBC reports.

Slovakia PM Robert Fico in stable but serious condition

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is in a stable but serious condition after being shot several times on Wednesday, according to doctors, BBC reports. The hospital director said he was currently in an intensive care unit after five hours in surgery.

Lithuania transfers ammunition, anti-drone systems, UAVs to Ukraine

Lithuania has transferred ammunition, anti-drone systems, UAVs, generators and folding beds to the Ukrainian army as part of uninterrupted military support for Ukraine, Ukcrinform reports.

Zelensky signs law allowing some convicts to serve in military

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 17 signed into law a bill permitting citizens convicted under certain charges to serve in the military, The Kyiv Independent reports.

Four deaths confirmed from severe storm that ravaged Houston

A severe storm packing hurricane-force winds pummeled Houston on Thursday, killing at least four people, blowing windows out of high-rise buildings and leaving some 800,000 homes without power as much of the city was plunged into darkness, Reuters reports.

Georgia's president says she will veto the final reading of the law on foreign agents

President Salome Zurabishvili warned that Georgia's survival as a state is in danger after parliament approved a contentious "foreign agent" law despite weeks of popular protests and warnings from the West that the move endangers Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, DW reports.

Ukraine and Poland immediately start preparing security agreement

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk agreed in a telephone conversation on 16 May to immediately begin preparing a bilateral security agreement, European Pravda writes.

Air Force: Ukraine downs all 20 Russian drones overnight

Ukrainian air defenses downed all 20 Shahed-type attack drones launched during a Russian attack overnight on May 17, Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk said, writes The Kyiv Independent.

More young French study medicine in Romania

More and more French choose to study in Romania. In search of a degree recognized at the European level, the almost one thousand young people are happy to be students at the University of Medicine in Iasi. They also have the opportunity to study in French. The students say that they like the Romanian language and that it is easy for them to understand the teachers.

Israel sending more troops to Rafah amid warnings of famine in Gaza

Israel said on Thursday that it would send more troops to Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, which has become the focal point in the war between Israel and Hamas, The New York Times reports.