Section: United Arab Emirates
MH17 victims’ kin likely to push for renewed search
THE HAGUE: Families of the MH17 plane disaster victims may push for a renewed search of the crash site in eastern Ukraine after the recent discovery of a bone fragment belonging to one of the dead. “We are considering speaking to authorities about another search for human remains,” Evert van Zijtveld, chairman of the MH17 victims’...
Poles welcome US troops as wary Nato eyes Russia
Polish authorities and ordinary Poles have welcomed US troops who arrived this week as part of an unprecedented deployment to Nato’s eastern flank aimed at deterring Russia.“Welcome to Poland,” Prime Minister Beata Szydlo told US troops yesterday in Zagan, the Polish town on the German border where the brigade will be headquartered, adding:...
Don’t call me ‘Sir Andy’, says Murray
Andy Murray yesterday said there was no need to call him “Sir” as he took a relaxed approach to his new status as a knight of the realm and world number one at the Australian Open. The laconic Scot said just being called “Andy” was fine despite a decision by Australia’s Channel Seven to refer to him as “Sir Andy Murray” at the tournament....
Winter storm batters Europe
A powerful winter storm battered Europe yesterday, leaving 330,000 homes without power in France, prompting the evacuation of thousands of seaside dwellers in Britain and disrupting travel.Britain issued more than a dozen severe flood warnings, meaning there was a risk of danger to life, and deployed the military to help thousands of people to...
Trump cabinet nominees ‘free’ to express ideas
US President-elect Donald Trump has shrugged off the strikingly divergent positions his cabinet picks have taken on Russia, torture, and a host of other issues, saying he wanted them to express their own ideas. “All of my Cabinet nominee (sic) are looking good and doing a great job,” he said in an early morning tweet exactly one week before he...
Trump’s crazed transition
With Donald Trump’s inauguration as president of the United States fast approaching, the strangest – even craziest – post-election transition in US history is about to come to an end. This period has provided a clear demonstration of how unpredictable life with President Trump will be.A president-elect typically uses the transition time to...
Tillerson must answer for Trump, Big Oil, even Putin in hearing
Rex Tillerson helped seal multibillion-dollar deals from Venezuela to Russia as Exxon Mobil Corp’s CEO. Now senators weighing his nomination for secretary of state will want to know if he can be as effective working for the US — even when it conflicts with the interests of “Big Oil.” Tillerson’s business background, and lack of...
Tough draws for Murray, Djokovic
World number one Andy Murray could face challenges from Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka if he is to reach a sixth Australian Open final following yesterday’s draw. The Scot, coming off a magnificent 2016 with a second Wimbledon crown, a successful Olympic title defence and the year-end top ranking, has lost five Melbourne finals, four of...
‘Sir Andy’ seeks end to agony at Australian Open
Having snatched Novak Djokovic’s world number one ranking in a thrilling late-season raid, Andy Murray will bid to storm the Serb’s Melbourne Park fortress and capture an elusive Australian Open title after five agonising near misses. Murray enters the year’s first grand slam in unknown territory, rated as top seed for the first...
Swedish institute accuses Russia of spreading ‘fake news’
DUBLIN // A leading foreign affairs institute in Stockholm has accused Russia of spreading fake news, propaganda and disinformation in an effort to shrink Nato’s influence in the region. In a paper published in the Journal of Strategic Studies, researchers from the Swedish Institute of International Affairs said a “wide array of...
