Ukraine Says it Downed Six Drones and Two Missiles During Russia’s Attack 

Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city center during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 9, 2024. (Reuters)
Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city center during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 9, 2024. (Reuters)
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Ukraine Says it Downed Six Drones and Two Missiles During Russia’s Attack 

Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city center during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 9, 2024. (Reuters)
Ukrainian service personnel use searchlights as they search for drones in the sky over the city center during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 9, 2024. (Reuters)

Ukraine's air force said on Monday it shot down six out of eight Russian-launched drones and two out of three missiles during an overnight attack over four Ukrainian regions.

Kyiv authorities said an attack on the city, the fifth in September, had not done damage or caused injuries in the capital.

Russia has launched hundreds of missiles and drones to attack Ukraine in the past weeks, prompting Kyiv to reiterate to its Western allies the urgent need for air defense and long-range strike capacity to repel the attacks.

On Monday, the air defense shot down aerial targets in the Kyiv region with debris causing two fires in open areas which have since been put out, the regional authorities said.

Serhiy Lysak, the governor of the central region of Dnipropetrovsk, said air defense shot down two missiles there, in addition to one reconnaissance drone.

Russian shelling of the town of Nikopol in this region injured three people and killed a 16-year-old girl, Lysak said.

The governor of the central Cherkasy region said air defense destroyed one drone and debris caused a fire which has since been put out.

The energy ministry said Russian forces had also attacked energy facilities in seven regions within 24 hours. The statement did not detail the scale of damage at the facilities.



Israel's Ultra-Orthodox Parties Help Approve More Funding for War

A general view shows the Knesset, Israel's parliament in Jerusalem July 24, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
A general view shows the Knesset, Israel's parliament in Jerusalem July 24, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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Israel's Ultra-Orthodox Parties Help Approve More Funding for War

A general view shows the Knesset, Israel's parliament in Jerusalem July 24, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
A general view shows the Knesset, Israel's parliament in Jerusalem July 24, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Israeli lawmakers gave their initial approval on Monday to raising the 2024 budget framework to help fund reservists and assist people displaced as a result of the war in Gaza, with support coming from ultra-Orthodox parties.

The vote to add 3.4 billion shekels ($906 million) to the 2024 budget passed by a 58-52 margin, the Finance Ministry said.

Ultra-Orthodox parties had threatened to boycott votes in parliament in a dispute over funding for their separate education system.

The bill still needs to pass two more votes to become law, according to Reuters.

The rift with ultra-Orthodox parties is a test of the unity of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government as Israel presses on with its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7 last year.

The two religious parties, which occupy 18 of parliament's 120 seats, said last week they would not participate in plenum votes until the government agreed that schools in their separate education system should receive the same benefits as state-run schools -- especially their "New Horizon" program which adds school hours and sharply boosts teacher pay.

A spokesman for Moshe Gafni, leader of one of the ultra-Orthodox parties, said the faction had decided to vote for the budget this time. It was not clear about voting in future votes.

"The budget adjustments will enable the conditions required for the continuous continuation of the war against those who seek our harm," said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who criticised those who voted against.

"It would be good if the members of the opposition would join in with national responsibility and vote in favor of continuing to fund the evacuees and reservists - this is a war for all of us together."

Israel has called up reservists up during the Gaza war, and tens of thousands of Israelis have been displaced from homes in the north by rocket fire from the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.