Section: Independent Online (South Africa)
Is the concept of the Brics conglomerate still valid?
And then there were two. One of the extraordinary features of the global economy over the past year has been the downgrading, you might say demise, of two of the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). ||| AND then there were two. One of the extraordinary features of the global economy over the past year has been the downgrading,...
Ukraine violence worries NATO chief
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has voiced concern over an increase in violence and movements of heavy military equipment in eastern Ukraine. ||| REYKJAVIK – NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg voiced concern on Thursday over an increase in violence and movements of heavy military equipment in eastern Ukraine, saying they were...
Economic might to decide Russia conflict
German Finance says economic strength, rather than military might, would ultimately determine outcome of West’s standoff with Russia over Ukraine ||| Washington – German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Thursday that economic strength, rather than military might, would ultimately determine the outcome of the West’s...
Disabled ‘condemned to life in institutions’
Growing numbers of disabled children in Ukraine are reportedly being condemned to life in institutions blighted by neglect and abuse. ||| Kiev, Ukraine – An international rights group says growing numbers of disabled children in Ukraine are being condemned to life in orphanages and institutions blighted by neglect and abuse.Disability...
MH370 search zone to be extended
Government ministers said that they would extend the search for missing Flight 370 if the wreckage is not found in the current search area. ||| Sydney – Government ministers from Australia, China and Malaysia on Thursday said that they would extend the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 by an additional 60 000 sq kilometres...
Violence escalates in east Ukraine
One Ukrainian serviceman was killed and six were wounded in separatist territories in the past 24 hours, the Kiev military said. ||| Kiev – One Ukrainian serviceman was killed and six were wounded in separatist territories in the past 24 hours, the Kiev military said on Monday, accusing rebels of using heavy weapons that were meant to have...
Cuba, US face bumpy road ahead
Cuba and the United States just made history. Now comes the hard part. ||| Panama City – Cuba and the United States just made history. Now comes the hard part. In the first meeting of its kind in nearly 60 years, President Barack Obama and Cuban leader Raul Castro sat down together for over an hour on Saturday at a regional summit in...
Rubio to launch Republican presidential bid
Marco Rubio will portray himself as the Republican most ready to handle threat to America in a chaotic world when he announces his presidential candidacy. ||| Miami/ Washington – US Senator Marco Rubio will make a muscular foreign policy a focal point when he announces his presidential candidacy on Monday, portraying himself as the...
‘Fighting might resume in Ukraine’
A Ukrainian pro-Russian separatist leader has accused Kiev of “totally ignoring” the terms of a peace deal and warned that fighting might resume. ||| Ukrainian pro-Russian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko accused the Kiev government of “totally ignoring” the terms of a peace deal and warned in an interview with AFP that fighting might...
Athens due to service IMF debt
Greece is due to make its 459-million-euro April loan payment to the International Monetary Fund. ||| Athens – Greece is due to make its 459-million-euro ($495-million) April loan payment to the IMF on Thursday following days of uncertainty, but the European nation’s ability to honour its debts remains a source of acute anxiety to...
