Section: Dunya TV (Pakistan)
Renzi puts brakes on military action as Italy frets over Libya fallout
ROME (AFP) – Italy on Monday ruled out military intervention in Libya in the short term, despite mounting concern in Rome over the countrys exposure to the fallout from the chaos engulfing its former colony.The countrys defence and foreign ministers have, in recent days, aired the possibility of Italy leading a UN-backed force on a mission...
Russia vows to respond to ‘illogical’ EU sanctions
MOSCOW (AFP) – Moscow said on Monday it would respond to the latest EU sanctions over the Ukraine conflict which target several prominent figures including a popular singer, condemning them as inconsistent and illogical.Such decisions… will be followed by an appropriate response, the foreign ministry said in a statement.We note how...
Shaky Ukraine truce holds except around flashpoint town
Yenakieve (Ukraine) (AFP) – Shelling and mortar fire thundered around a flashpoint east Ukraine town on Sunday despite a new, shaky ceasefire largely observed along the rest of the frontline separating Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists.Sporadic bombardments targeting the key railway hub of Debaltseve — where thousands of...
UN presses Yemen militia to cede power
SANAA (AFP) – The United Nations Security Council on Sunday urged Yemens Huthis to cede power, release President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and negotiate in good faith, after the Shiite militia vowed to defy the bodys threats.Yemen is a traditional US ally in the fight against Al-Qaeda, but the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country has...
Softwood Log Imports to China Slowed in the 4Q/14
SEATTLE (AP) – China continued to dominate global log trade and was setting a new record high in the consumption of imported softwood logs in 2014. The seemingly endless increase in demand for wood raw-materials from the manufacturers of wood products in China has resulted in year-over-year import increases in eight of the past ten years....
Ukraine ceasefire begins after fierce fighting in besieged town
Donetsk (Ukraine) (AFP) – An agreed ceasefire in Ukraine went into effect Sunday under a cloud of mistrust, after fighting raged until the last minute and Kiev and the US accused Russia of fuelling a final push by rebels to gain territory.President Petro Poroshenko ordered troops to abide by the truce from midnight (2200 GMT), in line with...
Poroshenko, rebel chief say will respect ceasefire
KIEV (AFP) – Both Ukraine and the pro-Russian rebels pledged Saturday that they are going to respect a ceasefire due to come into force, after fierce fighting plunged the truce into doubt.Under a peace plan signed between Kiev and the rebels in Minsk Thursday after marathon talks between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France, a...
Scientists want to beam signals into the space
SAN JOS, United States (AFP) – For decades, US astrophysicists seeking to make contact with extraterrestrials have basically just been listening for signals from space.But now they want to turn the tables and start sending signals of their own powerful ones to see if any intelligent life is out there in the cosmos.Researchers at the Search...
Main stumbling blocks for Ukraine peace plan
KIEV (AFP) – A ceasefire signed by Kiev and pro-Russian rebels after marathon talks between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France comes into force Sunday, the first step in a peace deal aimed at ending 10 months of conflict.The fragile agreement reached in Minsk Thursday is seen as the best hope to end fighting but scepticism...
Shelling kills two in centre of Ukraine rebel city Donetsk: AFP
DONETSK (AFP) – A man and a woman were killed Saturday by shelling in the centre of the eastern Ukraine rebel stronghold Donetsk, just hours before a truce was due to start, an AFP journalist at the scene said.Mortars also fell close to the residence of pro-Russian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko in the insurgent bastion.Artillery...
