London

Day 694 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

Wizz Air, the fastest growing airline in Europe and the most environmentally sustainable in the world*, today announced that it is resuming its flights on the route Sofia - Tel Aviv from 1 March 2024. Flights from 5 other routes to the Israeli city will also be restored destinations from the Wizz Air network: Budapest, Bucharest, London, Krakow and Rome.

Britain will send 20,000 armed forces personnel to one of NATO's largest exercises since the Cold War, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps announced on Monday.

The 10th Leyla Gencer Voice Competition, co-organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), Borusan Sanat, and Accademia Teatro alla Scala, will have its final series in Istanbul in September.

British supermodel Kate Moss, whose looks embodied "Cool Britannia" in the 1990s, turns 50 tomorrow, and still fascinates the country.

In September last year, the catwalk star told The Times newspaper that she was "in denial" about hitting her half century.

"I'm not turning 50," she said in an interview. "No, I'm not thinking about it. I do not feel 50."

Sofia, Bulgaria, claims the third position in the ranking of the best European weekend destinations for the year 2024, according to Sofia Airport. This recognition is based on TripAdvisor reviews focusing on each European capital's nightlife and accommodation costs.

Top Three European Weekend Destinations:

The US and Britain have launched air and sea strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen in response to the group's attacks on ships in the Red Sea. This is a dramatic expansion of the war between Israel and Hamas in the region, Reuters reported.

There are explosions all over the country, witnesses say, adds BTA. President Joe Biden has warned that follow-up action is possible.

During the first wave of the pandemic "We were divided in pro- and anti-vaxxers," Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said on Wednesday, announcing the new measure. "We are extending an olive branch. The vaccine is not being given by force but because it is important for our health."

The city of Paris on Jan. 8 named a street after rock music icon David Bowie, a first in honor of the singer eight years after his death.

"Rue David Bowie" was officially inaugurated in the capital's 13th district on the left bank of the city.

Last year witnessed the highest number of civilian casualties caused by airstrikes, bombs or artillery in more than a decade, reveals a report by a U.K.-based monitoring group.