Section: The Jakarta Globe (Indonesia)
British Ex-Ministers Accused in Undercover Sting
London. An undercover report on Sunday accused two British former foreign ministers of offering to use their positions to help a private company in exchange for payment. The allegations against senior Conservative party lawmaker Malcolm Rifkind and top Labor party MP Jack Straw come just months before a general election and echo “cash for access”...
Moody’s Downgrades Russia Debt to ‘Junk’ Level
Washington. Moody’s cut Russia’s debt rating by one notch into ‘junk’ territory Friday, saying the Ukraine crisis and the fall in oil prices and the ruble will further undermine Russia’s economy. Just over one month since its last downgrade of Moscow’s credit rating, Moody’s said Russia “is expected to...
Ukraine Military Says No Let-up in Rebel Offensive in East
Kiev. The Ukrainian military said on Saturday there was no let-up in a pro-Russian rebel offensive in east Ukraine ahead of a planned ceasefire, reporting 120 separate attacks in the past 24 hours. A truce is due to come into effect from Sunday under a peace agreement that also envisages a withdrawal of the heavy weapons responsible for many of...
Ceasefire Agreed for Eastern Ukraine After Minsk Summit
Minsk. The leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine have agreed a deal to end fighting in eastern Ukraine, participants at the summit talks said on Thursday. The deal reached after all-night negotiations in the Belarussian capital Minsk included a ceasefire that would come into effect on Sunday, followed by the withdrawal of heavy weapons....
Is Climate Change Fueling War?
Paris. For years, scientists and security analysts have warned that global warming looms as a potential source of war and unrest. Storms, droughts, floods, and spells of extreme heat or exceptional cold: all can destroy wealth, ravage harvests, force people off land, exacerbate ancient rivalries and unleash a fight for resources, they say. These...
Merkel Defends Ukraine Arms Stance in Face of US Criticizm
Munich. Germany’s Angela Merkel said on Saturday that sending arms to help Ukraine fight pro-Russian separatists would not solve the crisis there, drawing sharp rebukes from US politicians who accused Berlin of turning its back on an ally in distress. The heated exchanges at a security conference in Munich pointed to cracks in the...
German, French Leaders Head for Moscow to Press for Ukraine Peace
Moscow/Kiev. The leaders of Germany and France are expected to take peace proposals to Moscow on Friday on the second leg of a dramatic initiative to end a conflict in Ukraine that has killed more than 5,000 people and driven Russia-West relations to new lows. The planned trip by Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Francois Hollande to see...
US Will Not ‘Close Eyes’ to Russian Tanks, Forces in Ukraine
Kiev. US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday Russian aggression in the east was the greatest threat to Ukraine and that Washington, while seeking a diplomatic solution, would not “close our eyes” to Russian tanks and fighters crossing the border. Speaking after talks in Kiev with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Kerry demanded an...
Malaysia Declares MH370 an ‘Accident’, Airline to Proceed With Compensation
Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia declared on Thursday the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 an accident, clearing the way for the airline to pay compensation to victims’ relatives while the search for the plane goes on. The Boeing 777 aircraft disappeared on March 8 last year, carrying 239 passengers and crew shortly after taking off...
Malaysia to Release Interim Report on MH370 on March 7
Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation will release an interim report on the investigation into the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 on March 7, a day before the one-year anniversary of the disappearance, deputy transport minister Aziz Kaprawi said on Wednesday. “It will have details on the technical investigation,”...
