Section: Independent Online (South Africa)
Inquiry to unveil MH17 final report
The Dutch Safety Board will report the results of its investigation into the downing of flight MH17 which killed all 298 on board. ||| Dutch-led air crash investigators on Tuesday release their final report into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over war-torn Ukraine, in a move likely to worsen already-strained ties between Russia and...
‘Europe’s last dictator’ wins 5th term
Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko won a fifth term in office by a landslide. ||| Minsk – Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko won a fifth term in office by a landslide on Sunday in an election that could see an easing of relations with the West and raise questions about his ties to Vladimir Putin’s Russia....
NATO reads the riot act to Russia
Jens Stoltenberg said NATO was ready to show resolve in the face of Russia’s growing military involvement in the Syria conflict. ||| Russia’s determination to prop up the regime of Bashar al-Assad with bombing raids on Syrian rebels triggered a response from NATO members on Thursday as the alliance pledged to double the size of its...
Russia backs major Syrian assault
Russia has showed off its military reach with a barrage of missiles fired against Syrian insurgents from the Caspian Sea. (VIDEO) ||| Beirut – Syrian troops and militia backed by Russian jets mounted what appeared to be their first major coordinated assaults on Syrian insurgents on Wednesday and Moscow said its warships fired a barrage of...
Putin to deploy military in Syria
The Federation Council voted unanimously to give President Vladimir Putin approval to deploy Russia’s military in Syria. ||| Moscow – The Russian parliament on Wednesday unanimously granted President Vladimir Putin the right to deploy the country’s military in Syria, a move a top Kremlin aide said related only to the air force....
US, Russia clash over working with Assad
The US and Russia agreed to try and end the Syrian civil war but then disgreed over whether President Bashar al-Assad should be included. ||| United Nations – The United States said on Monday it was willing to work with Russia, as well as Iran, to try to end the Syrian civil war but the two big powers clashed over whether or not Syrian...
Putin and Obama to discuss Syria
Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin will meet to discuss the Syrian crisis amid suspicions over Russia’s increasing presence in Syria. ||| Amid suspicions in some Western nations that Vladimir Putin is using the Syrian conflict to flex Moscow’s military might as he builds up the Russian presence in the country, Barack Obama and Mr Putin...
Aurelius seeks better Ukraine debt terms
The hedge fund has accumulated Ukraine sovereign bonds and formed a group seeking improvements to a recent debt workout, a source said. ||| London – A hedge fund that has for years used courts to secure better debt repayment terms from Argentina has accumulated Ukraine sovereign bonds and formed a group seeking improvements to a recent debt...
Hackers attack Putin website
Hackers made a “very powerful” attack on the Kremlin website, the Russian government said, linking the attack to local elections. ||| Moscow – Hackers made a “very powerful” attack on the Kremlin website on Sunday, the Russian government said on Monday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov linked the attack to regional elections in Russia on...
Sir Elton challenges Putin on gay rights
Sir Elton John wants to meet with President Vladimir Putin to discuss Russia’s record on gay rights. ||| He has trapped tigers, chased polar bears and shot whales. Now Vladimir Putin faces perhaps his most difficult challenge – the offer of a cup of tea with Sir Elton John to discuss Russia’s record on gay rights.Sir...
