Section: Kuwait
Russia brands new sanctions roadblock to Ukraine peace
KIEV: Russia accused the West yesterday of fuelling unrest in Ukraine by adopting anti-Kremlin sanctions that further erode the prospects of peace talks to end the separatist war. A Ukranian conference mediated by European and Russian envoys in the Belarussian capital Minsk had initially been set for last week and meant to coincide with a new...
EU leaders seek long-term strategy to deal with Russia
BRUSSELS: European Union leaders gathered in Brussels yesterday seeking common ground on a long-term strategy to deal with an unfriendly but economically wounded Russia. Summit host Donald Tusk, the new president of the leaders’ European Council, said it was vital for stability on the bloc’s eastern borders to start a discussion about...
Ukraine death toll tops 4,600 – Russia threatens response if US sets new sanctions
MOSCOW: Russia responded angrily yesterday to news that US senators had passed a bill calling for fresh sanctions against Moscow and the supply of lethal military aid to Ukraine. “Undoubtedly, we will not be able to leave this without a response,” deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax news agency ahead of a meeting between the...
Drone revolution hovers on horizon – Drones used more and more in civilian roles
PARIS: Drones are about to have a big impact on our lives, even if they will not be delivering our orders from Amazon any time soon, say experts. Civilian drones began to make headlines in 2014, and hype aside, could soon be in everyday use, particularly in France and the United States, which are at the cutting edge of the technology. This...
Ukraine president finds promise tough to keep
KIEV: The Chocolate King is finding it difficult to relinquish his throne. Petro Poroshenko, one of Ukraine’s richest men and owner of a sweets empire, made an unusual promise last spring while campaigning to be president – if elected, he would sell most of his business assets. “As president of Ukraine, I only want to concern myself with...
Record numbers trying and dying to reach Europe: UN
GENEVA: More than 3,400 people have died in the Mediterranean this year trying to reach Europe, the UN refugee agency said yesterday, urging governments to take more action to save lives. More than 207,000 people have made the risky sea crossing since January, almost three times the previous high of 70,000 during the Libyan civil war in 2011, the...
Putin and Hollande in surprise talks amid warship controversy
ALMATY: French President Francois Hollande will make an unscheduled stop in Moscow yesterday to discuss the Ukraine crisis with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin amid a bitter dispute over France’s refusal to deliver a warship. Controversy over France’s decision to delay delivery of the warship to Russia under pressure from its...
Erdogan: Turkey disagrees with Russia on Syria
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has said that Turkey agrees with Russia on the need to reach a comprehensive solution to the Syrian crisis, but they differ on what this solution should be, Anadolu Agency reported on Tuesday. Speaking at a joint press conference held with Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in the Turkish capital...
Putin, Erdogan meet to strengthen ties – Strongmen set aside differences
ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday held talks in Ankara with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin aimed at boosting trade and strengthening relations, despite sharp differences over the crises in Syria and Ukraine. Erdogan personally welcomed Putin for the one-day state visit at the gates of his controversial new...
China blames Putin tiger for goat slaughter spree
BEIJING: An endangered tiger set free in Russia has killed 18 Chinese goats after crossing the frontier, with Beijing’s state media saying yesterday that the feline felon had been freed by President Vladimir Putin. The Siberian tiger, named Ustin, wreaked caprine carnage as it carried out repeated nighttime raids on a farm on a border...
