Section: AsiaOne (Singapore)
Feud on Earth but peace in space for US and Russia
MOSCOW – Hundreds of kilometres below on Earth, their governments are locked in a standoff over Ukraine — but up in space, Russian cosmonauts and American astronauts are still working together side by side.The International Space Station (ISS) is one of the rare areas of US-Russian co-operation that has not been hit by the Ukraine...
2 top Ukrainian officials arrested at cabinet meeting
KIEV – Two top Ukrainian officials were arrested Wednesday on corruption charges and led away in handcuffs from a televised cabinet meeting as government ministers looked on.Police detained Sergiy Bochkovsky, director of Ukraine’s emergency services ministry, and his deputy Vasyl Stoyetsky, as journalists and photographers looked on,...
Lawmakers urge Britain to re-arm in response to Russia
LONDON – Britain must urgently rebuild defence capabilities abandoned after the Cold War to face growing global threats, including from Russia, a committee of lawmakers warned on Tuesday.The Commons Defence Committee, which examines the spending and policy of the defence ministry, said nuclear capacity, tanks, warships and aircrafts were...
Russia threatens to aim nuclear missiles at Denmark ships if it joins NATO shield
COPENHAGEN – Russia threatened to aim nuclear missiles at Danish warships if Denmark joins NATO’s missile defence system, in comments Copenhagen called unacceptable and NATO said would not contribute to peace.Denmark said in August it would contribute radar capacity on some of its warships to the missile shield, which the Western...
Artillery fire breaks out in east Ukraine
Intensive artillery fire broke out Sunday near the rebel-held city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, apparently breaking an internationally brokered ceasefire between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian government, an AFP reporter said.The sound of explosions began at 9:00 am (0600 GMT) and appeared to come from the area of Donetsk airport, a...
Pipe dreams? Turkey aims to be gas transit hub
Turkey has staked a claim to become a major transit hub with two new pipelines to pump gas from Azerbaijan and Russia to Europe, but boasting may prove easier than fulfilling the ambitious projects.Turkey and Azerbaijan last week started work on the new 1,850 kilometre (1,150 mile) overland Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) which by...
In Ukraine, some Russians take up arms against Putin
When Andrei Krasilnikov hugged his wife good-bye last week and climbed onto a bus to take him back to the frontline in eastern Ukraine, his motive was typical of those fighting for Kiev – to defend his family and future from what he perceives as Russian aggression.What sets him apart from his brothers-in-arms is his Russian citizenship....
Kremlin turns to YouTube as new ‘propaganda weapon’
MOSCOW – “I am a Russian occupier,” a deep voice says proudly as the video crackles to life with realistic gaming graphics that show a Kalashnikov being loaded by a soldier before the dramatic, throbbing music begins.”And I am tired of apologising for it!” The slickly designed YouTube video has been viewed more than...
British PM creates fund to curb Russian influence
LONDON – British Prime Minister David Cameron is establishing a fund to help Eastern European states resist pressure from Russia, several media outlets reported on Friday.Sky News said the “Good Governance Fund” would amount to ￡20 million ($30 million, 28 million euros) in 2015 and 2016.It is “aimed at strengthening...
Russia expands military exercises to 80,000 troops
MOSCOW – Russia said Thursday it had doubled the number of troops taking part in mass drills ordered by President Vladimir Putin this week to 80,000 in a major show of strength amid tensions with the West over Ukraine.Putin on Monday ordered drills for more than 40,000 troops in regions spanning the country, from the Arctic to the far east...
