Section: theSun (Malaysia)
Editors quit Russian media group after Putin family reports
MOSCOW: Three top editors at a top Russian media group which has reported on the business interests of President Vladimir Putin’s family quit Friday, in the latest blow to the country’s beleaguered media industry. The RBC group’s daily newspaper recently published a number of high-profile investigations including about the...
Another Syria peace push, but has US put too much faith in Russia?
WASHINGTON: First a ceasefire in Syria, then aid and then – who knows – perhaps a political transition? Don’t bet on it, analysts warn, saying Washington has put too much faith in Moscow. Efforts to end Syria’s brutal five-year civil war may hang by a thread, but Washington’s top diplomat will once again throw himself into the...
US missile shield in Romania goes live to Russian fury
DEVESELU: A US anti-missile defence system in Romania aimed at protecting NATO members from threats by “rogue” nations became operational Thursday, triggering Russian fury despite US insistence it does not target Moscow. Located in Deveselu in southern Romania, the missile interceptor station will help defend NATO members against the...
Wars displace record 40.8m people in the world
LONDON: The number of people internally displaced by conflicts around the world rose last year to a record 40.8 million people, a report out on Wednesday showed. “This is the highest figure ever recorded and twice the number of refugees worldwide,” said Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), co-authors of the report...
Germany to increase troops for first time since Cold War ended
BERLIN: Germany is raising the number of its troops for the first time since 1990, ending a quarter of a century of successive cuts in the army since the end of the Cold War. The Bundeswehr is expected to increase in the next seven years by 14,300 soldiers, while 4,400 civilian officers will also be added to the service, Defence Minister Ursula...
IMF team arrives in Ukraine to check on new government
KIEV: An International Monetary Fund team arrived in Kiev on Tuesday after the formation of a new Ukrainian government resolved a prolonged political crisis that had stalled the release of vital aid. The mission’s visit was long awaited in the cash-strapped former Soviet country as it grapples with the costs of a two-year conflict in the...
Russia says bolstering forces to counter Nato
MOSCOW: Russia’s defence minister said Wednesday that Moscow will set up three new divisions in the west and south of the country by the end of the year to counter Nato forces close to its border. “The defence ministry is taking a range of measures with the aim of countering the build-up of Nato forces in close proximity to...
Putin hails first rocket launch from new cosmodrome after delay
VOSTOCHNY: Russia launched the first rocket from its new Vostochny cosmodrome on Thursday, with President Vladimir Putin hailing the event after dressing down officials over a delay caused by a technical glitch. The launch is a major milestone for Russia’s beleaguered space sector, with the new spaceport in the far east of the country...
Global press freedom at 12-year low: Watchdog
WASHINGTON: Global press freedom fell in 2015, hit by violence against journalists in the Middle East, intimidation in Mexico and concerns about free expression in Hong Kong, a watchdog said Wednesday. An annual survey by pro-democracy group Freedom House said freedom of the press worldwide dropped to its lowest level in 12 years. The survey of...
Pregnant woman among 4 killed in east Ukraine: Rebels
OLENIVKA, Ukraine: Four civilians including a pregnant woman were killed and eight others wounded early Wednesday when their cars came under mortar fire in war-torn eastern Ukraine, rebel officials said. The shelling attack occurred in the rebel-controlled village of Olenivka just 300m from a demarcation line separating pro-Russian rebels and...
