Section: Cyprus Mail (Cyprus)
Pope calls in Christmas message for unity against militant atrocities
By Philip Pullella Pope Francis urged the world in his Christmas message on Friday to unite to end atrocities by Islamist militants that he said were causing immense suffering in many countries. Security was tight at the Vatican as Francis, marking the third Christmas since his election in 2013, read his traditional Christmas Day “Urbi et Orbi”...
Investors wary as Russian pipeline project splits EU
By Alissa de Carbonnel and Barbara Lewis Investors are wary of pouring money into a planned doubling of Gazprom’s Nord Stream gas link to Germany, analysts said, amid doubts about regulatory approvals and deep political divisions. Since taps opened five years ago on the first pipeline from Russia’s Baltic coast to Germany, bypassing...
EU prolongs economic sanctions on Russia until mid-2016
The European Union on Monday extended its economic sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine until the end of next July, drawing a swift rebuke from the Russian economy minister. The EU has linked the lifting of the sanctions to full implementation of a peace deal in east Ukraine, where more than 9,000 people have been killed in...
Putin says will not “abandon” Russians in Ukraine to nationalists
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not abandon Russians living in southeast Ukraine to Ukrainian nationalists, the state-run RIA news agency quoted him as saying in a documentary due to be broadcast later on Sunday. Moscow says Ukrainian nationalists pose a threat to ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking Ukrainians in the region. More than...
Putin praises Donald Trump as ‘very talented’
RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he welcomed comments by U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump that he wanted deeper relations with Russia. “He is a very flamboyant man, very talented, no doubt about that. But it’s not our business to judge his merits, it’s up to the voters of the United States,” Putin told...
German chancellor Angela Merkel named ‘Person of the Year’ by Time
By Megan Cassella Time magazine named German Chancellor Angela Merkel its 2015 ‘Person of the Year’ on Wednesday, noting her resilience and leadership when faced with the Syrian refugee crisis and turmoil in the European Union over its currency this year. In a statement explaining the magazine’s choice, managing editor Nancy Gibbs...
NATO invites Montenegro to join alliance, defying Russia
By Robin Emmott and Sabine Siebold NATO foreign ministers invited tiny Montenegro on Wednesday to join their military alliance in its first expansion since 2009, defying Russian warnings that enlargement of the US-led bloc further into the Balkans would be a provocation. In a scripted session at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels,...
Obama, Putin discuss Syria, Ukraine at summit – White House
US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Syria crisis and the situation in Ukraine during a meeting Monday on the sidelines of the climate summit in Paris, a White House official said. Obama stressed the importance of targeting Islamic State militants in Syria and not focusing military attacks against rebel...
Turkey expected to drive hard bargain in Brussels
By Alastair Macdonald Leaders of the European Union aim to sign an agreement with Turkey in Brussels on Sunday that offers Ankara cash and closer ties with the EU in return for Turkish help in stemming the flow of migrants to Europe. Aware of a sense of desperation in Europe for a solution to a crisis that is tearing the bloc apart following the...
France’s Hollande wins cooperation not coalition against IS
By Elizabeth Pineau and Paul Taylor The leaders of Russia and France avoided each other’s gaze as they made short, stiff statements in the Kremlin on Thursday before talks on countering Islamic State in Syria. Francois Hollande wants to unite major powers in a single ‘grand coalition’ to fight the militants behind the Paris attacks...
