Section: theSun (Malaysia)
Tsipras calls for end to ‘vicious cycle’ of sanctions at Putin meeting
MOSCOW: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday called for an end to the “vicious cycle” of sanctions against Russia over Ukraine, while Russia’s President Vladimir Putin denied using Athens to sow discord within the EU. Putin and Tsipras hailed mutual ties after meeting in the Kremlin on the first of two days of the...
In Russia-West tug of war, Moldova sees EU as only option
CHISINAU: Moldova’s decision to sign key trade and political agreements with the European Union has cost it dearly, as its giant trading partner Russia swiftly punished it through an embargo strangling its farm and wine industries. Nevertheless, in the tug of war between the West and Russia, Moldova’s foreign minister told AFP that...
Two bomb blasts in Ukraine’s Kharkiv, no casualties: official
KHARKIV: Two bomb attacks early Tuesday shook Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv, near the Russian border and the frontline of the country’s war, causing some damage but no casualties. The Kharkiv prosecutor’s office said a probe was underway for a “terrorist attack” after a strong explosion in the city centre, which...
At least 54 dead in trawler sinking off Russia’s Far East
MOSCOW: At least 54 sailors have died and 15 others are still missing after a trawler with 132 people on board sank Wednesday night in the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia’s Far East, Russian media said. “We have recovered the bodies of 54 victims. Sixty-three crew members have been rescued alive,” Russian news agency Tass reported,...
Court charges Nemtsov suspects with contract killing
MOSCOW: All five suspects being held over the brazen murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov have been charged with taking part in a contract killing, a Moscow court said Tuesday. Moscow city court said in a statement that the accused — all from Russia’s volatile North Caucasus region — had been charged with murder carried out for...
Dutch seek BUK missile witnesses in MH17 crash probe
THE HAGUE: Dutch experts probing the MH17 plane crash in eastern Ukraine appealed Monday for witnesses who saw the transport or firing of a BUK surface-to-air missile around the time of the disaster. “Investigators are looking at all scenarios. One of these scenarios is that the plane was shot down at 4.20pm local time on July 17,”...
Soros ready to pour US$1 bn into Ukraine
VIENNA: US financier George Soros said Monday he was ready to invest US$1 billion (RM3.72 billion) in Ukraine if the West promised to help the embattled country. “Ukraine is defending the EU from Russian aggression” and helping its development will weaken Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Hungarian-born philanthropist said in...
Uzbekistan declares polls set to re-elect strongman Karimov valid
TASHKENT: Uzbekistan on Sunday declared its presidential ballot valid after more than the required third of voters turned out in an election that 77-year-old strongman incumbent President Islam Karimov is almost certain to win. The central electoral commission of the ex-Soviet Central Asian country said 36.55% of the 20 million registered voters...
Soyuz spacecraft docks at ISS
BAIKONUR: A Russian Soyuz spacecraft with three crew on board successfully docked with the International Space Station on Friday after blasting off from Kazakhstan, Nasa said. The Soyuz-TMA16M spacecraft’s crew included a US astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut who will be the first to spend an entire year on the orbiting outpost. The...
Ukraine arrests officials on live TV
KIEV: Ukraine on Wednesday dramatically arrested two top officials on graft charges at a televised cabinet meeting hours after the president sacked a powerful oligarch as regional governor. The unexpected shake-up came as the beleaguered authorities, already struggling to combat pro-Russian separatists in the country’s east, tried to make...
