Section: Egypt Independent (Egypt)
Deadly Russian rocket system spotted in Ukraine for first time
International monitors say they have spotted a new kind of Russian weapons system in rebel-held Ukraine this week, possible evidence of Moscow’s continued interest in Ukraine even as it focuses on Syria. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which is monitoring a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, reported that its monitors...
Merkel has ‘good chance’ of winning Nobel Peace Prize
German Chancellor Angela Merkel could win this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, the influential Bild newspaper said Friday, as the leader is lauded worldwide for her courage in opening her country’s doors to refugees fleeing war and persecution. “Chancellor Angela Merkel has a good chance of winning the Nobel Peace Prize,” said...
Obama, Putin discuss Syria; essential difference over Assad remains
Russia and the United States agreed on Monday to look for a diplomatic end to the Syrian civil war but clashed over the central question of whether Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should retain power.During a 90-minute meeting, U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed that their armed forces should hold talks to...
Obama previews ‘blunt’ tone for his 7th UN address
With progress fighting ISIS moving slowly, and Russian fighters entrenched in Eastern Ukraine, President Barack Obama returns to the United Nations General Assembly this week anxious to shore up international support for US plans to counter various global crises. Diplomatic wins — including the Iran nuclear deal and a thaw in US-Cuba ties— have...
Ukraine and West condemn rebel ban on foreign aid groups
Ukraine and some of its Western allies condemned on Friday a decision by pro-Russian separatists to ban most foreign aid organizations from parts of rebel-held territory, saying the move violated the Minsk peace agreement. On Thursday, rebel officials of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) said they had refused accreditation to 10...
Putin, Obama to meet as Syria diplomatic drive quickens
US President Barack Obama accepted an invitation to meet Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, as a drive to revive efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict kicked into higher gear. The announcement that Putin and Obama will hold talks at the United Nations in New York on Monday came as the Russian leader insisted supporting Syrian President Bashar...
US says Assad must go, timing down to negotiation
US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has to go but the timing of his departure should be decided through negotiation. Speaking after talks with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in London, Kerry called on Russia and Iran to use their influence over Assad to convince him to negotiate a...
U.S. sees military talks with Russia on Syria as important next step: Kerry
U.S. President Barack Obama believes that holding military talks with Russia on Syria is an important next step and hopes they will take place very shortly, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday. Russia, which is building up a military presence in Syria, was quick to say that Moscow was also ready for talks with the United States. At a...
U.N. says close to 8,000 killed in east Ukraine
At least 7,962 people have been killed and 17,811 wounded in violence in eastern Ukraine since mid-April 2014, the U.N. Human Rights Office said on Tuesday, as it published a regular report by U.N. monitors in the country. “This is a conservative estimate and the actual numbers could be considerably higher,” it said. (Reporting by Tom...
Hit by new wave of refugees, Germany warns EU partners
Struggling to cope with record numbers of asylum seekers, Germany told its European partners on Monday they too must take in more refugees, as police in Hungary used pepper spray on desperate migrants who broke out of a reception center at the border. Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking after a weekend in which 20,000 migrants entered Germany from...
