Section: Business Insider (USA)
NATO won’t be ‘dragged into arms race’ with Russia: Stoltenberg
Brussels (AFP) – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday the alliance will not get dragged into an arms race with Russia but must counter Moscow’s “aggressive actions” in Ukraine.”We will not be dragged into an arms race but we must keep our countries safe,” Stoltenberg said ahead of a meeting of...
Former champ Nadal seeded 10th for Wimbledon
London (AFP) – Two-time former champion Rafael Nadal has been seeded a lowly 10th at Wimbledon after a disappointing 2015 campaign with Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams named top seeds.Former world number one Nadal, the Wimbledon champion in 2008 and 2010, has endured a miserable record at the All England Club in recent times, losing in...
The majority of NATO member states still aren’t pulling their weight on defense spending
Tensions continue to rise throughout Europe, but the vast majority of NATO member states still aren’t meeting the alliance’s defense spending targets, with eight states actually seeing their defense expenditures fall. Every NATO member state is expected to spend at least 2% of its annual GDP on defense spending. However, following the...
Russia just one-upped the Saudis in China
Moscow just one-upped the Saudis in China: Russia is officially Beijing’s number one crude supplier. “China imported a record 3.92 million metric tons from its northern neighbor in May, according to data emailed by the Beijing-based General Administration of Customs on Tuesday,” according to Bloomberg. “That’s...
Meet Len Blavatnik, the richest man in Britain
Britain’s richest man isn’t even British — it’s Ukraine-born billionaire Len Blavatnik. Blavatnik is worth $20.1 billion, rising to prominence after his privately held industrial group, Access Industries, purchased Warner Music Group for $3.3 billion in 2011. Since investing in tech giants Spotify and Beats, his wealth has...
US to ‘pre-position’ heavy weapons along NATO’s eastern flank: Carter
Tallinn (AFP) – The US will pre-position heavy weapons, including tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and artillery in central and eastern Europe for the first time, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said Tuesday in Estonia’s capital Tallinn.”We will temporarily stage one armoured brigade combat team’s vehicles and...
Ukraine’s restless lenders question sweetened debt deal
Kiev (AFP) – Ukraine’s main debt holders responded with extreme caution Monday to a sweetened but “final” debt restructuring offer that would keep the war-torn nation from imposing a repayment moratorium next month.Franklin Templeton and three other US financial titans own about two-thirds of the debt upon which Ukraine is...
Russia is deploying advanced aerial weapon systems to the Arctic
In continuation of a militarizing trend, Russia will deploy advanced aerial weapons systems to the Arctic, according to the deputy commander of Russia’s Aerospace Defense Forces. Speaking on June 20, Deputy Commander Kirill Makarov told RIA Novosti that the Kremlin will deploy fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missile systems, and radar...
Europe just slapped Russia with another six months of sanctions
The European Union just confirmed that it will extend its sanctions against Russia until at least the end of January 2016. The meeting of European foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday announced the widely-expected increase because of Russia’s annexation of parts of Ukraine according to Reuters. The series of economic and financial...
EU prolongs Russian economic sanctions for six months: official
Luxembourg (AFP) – EU foreign ministers formally agreed Monday to prolong to January 2016 damaging economic sanctions against Russia to ensure it fully implements Ukraine peace accords, officials said.”EU has extended economic sanctions against Russia until 31 January 2016, with a view to complete implementation of (the) Minsk...
