Section: The Gulf Today (United Arab Emirates)
European Union approves visa-free travel for Ukrainians
BRUSSELS: The EU on Thursday approved visa-free travel for Ukrainians, fulfilling a key promise to cement ties with Kiev as it remains embroiled in a deadly conflict with Russian-backed rebels. The EU and Ukraine sealed a so-called Association Agreement after the overthrow of the pro-Moscow government in 2014, with Brussels aiming to bring the...
Eurovision favourites Portugal, Armenia sail through semis
KIEV: The Portuguese and Armenian entrants for the 2017 Eurovision song contest, among the favourites to win the continent-wide songfest, were two of 10 to qualify for the final in the first round of heats in Kiev. In Tuesday’s semi-final, Portuguese singer Salvador Sobral drew some of the loudest applause with his song ‘For The Both Of...
Armed man ‘sexually harassed’ female monitor in rebel Ukraine
Kiev: A female member of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) mission monitoring the conflict in eastern Ukraine was “sexually harassed” by an armed man in rebel territory, the group confirmed on Sunday. The OSCE has already limited its patrols in parts of the war-torn east since it sustained its first fatality of the...
Five die in Ukraine’s deadliest 24 hours since Easter truce
Kiev: Four Ukrainian soldiers and a civilian were killed in the deadliest 24-hour period in Ukraine’s eastern separatist war zone since the start of an Easter truce, officials said on Wednesday. The military campaign’s headquarters in Kiev said three soldiers had been near the town of Debaltseve, a transport hub connecting the...
Ukraine PM fumes after raid on largest investment bank
Kiev: Ukraine’s prime minister lashed out on Wednesday at the security service for conducting a surprise search at the headquarters of the country’s largest investment bank. Dragon Capital said the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) seized its computers as part of a court-approved investigation into the use of unlicensed software. The...
Ukraine PM fumes after raid on investment bank
Kiev: Ukraine’s prime minister lashed out on Wednesday at the security service for conducting a surprise search at the headquarters of the country’s largest investment bank. Dragon Capital said the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) seized its computers as part of a court-approved investigation into the use of unlicensed software. The...
Kremlin blasts Eurovision for dropping Russia
MOSCOW: Moscow on Friday denounced the decision by Eurovision Song Contest organisers to drop Russia from this year’s contest, following a row with hosts Ukraine. Russia’s state-run Channel One said on Thursday it would not broadcast the event, after rejecting proposals for contestant Yulia Samoilova to take part via video link or be...
Ukraine marks three years of separatist war
Kiev: A bloodied Ukraine marks three years on Thursday since it launched a campaign against Russian-backed eastern separatists that now looks like an interminable conflict whose terms are dictated by the Kremlin. More than 10,000 people have died in Europe’s only war zone in that time – a figure unimaginable when Kiev was riding the...
Poroshenko stands firm on banning Russia’s Eurovision entry
RIGA: Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Tuesday refused to back down over Kiev’s decision to ban Russia’s entry for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, despite a threat from the organisers to throw Ukraine out of future competitions, though not the one due in May. Relations between Ukraine and Russia have been toxic since...
Kiev slams Eurovision call to lift ban on Russian singer
KIEV: Ukraine on Saturday complained of “unprecedented and unacceptable” calls from the Eurovision Song Contest’s organisers for it to lift an entry ban on Russia’s contestant. In an angry row ahead of the kitsch song contest in May to be hosted in Kiev, Ukraine has barred Russia’s 27-year-old singer Yulia Samoilova...
