Western sanctions do not help to de-escalate Ukraine crisis: Russian official
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Western sanctions against Russia are not helping to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine, state-run Itar-Tass news agency quoted Russia’s envoy to the European Union as saying on Friday.
Imam’s killing in China may be aimed at making Muslim Uighurs choose sides
BEIJING (Reuters) – The murder of a state-backed imam in China’s Xinjiang region underscores an escalation in 18 months of violence and could be part of a bid by extremists to persuade moderate Muslim Uighurs to turn against Beijing’s controlled curren…
Russia to slap duties on imports from Moldova
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Friday it will impose import duties on products from Moldova, its latest move to limit trade with the former Soviet republic which signed a free-trade deal with the European Union in June.
Bulgaria signs nuclear deal with Westinghouse
SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria, one of five EU states that depend totally on Russia for nuclear fuel, and Westinghouse Electric Company signed a shareholder agreement on Friday paving the way for construction of a new nuclear reactor estimated to cost $5 b…
At least 40 dead in Israeli shelling in Gaza Strip: hospital
GAZA (Reuters) – Israeli shelling near the southern Gaza town of Rafah killed at least 40 people on Friday, the local hospital said, as a ceasefire that went into effect only hours earlier crumbled.
Bulgarian court to decide on extradition of Putin opponent
SOFIA (Reuters) – A Bulgarian court said it would decide on Friday whether to extradite to Moscow a prominent opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was detained in Sofia earlier this week.
Ukraine premier stays on, envoys agree on crash site route
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s parliament rejected Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk’s resignation on Thursday and finally passed legislation he said was needed to finance an army offensive against a separatist rebellion in the east and avert a national defa…
Greece evacuates embassy staff, foreign nationals from Libya
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece safely evacuated embassy staff and more than one hundred Chinese and European nationals from Libya early on Friday with a navy frigate sailing back to the Greek port of Piraeus, its defence ministry said.
For wandering tankers with $300 million of Kurdish crude, end-game still in doubt
LONDON (Reuters) – After a legal show-down in Texas this week, the outlook for a handful of tankers holding some $300 million worth of Kurdish oil is not looking good.
Japan offers vessels to Vietnam to boost its sea strength
HANOI (Reuters) – Japan will give six navy boats to Vietnam to boost its patrols and surveillance in the South China Sea, Japan’s foreign minister said on Friday, in the latest sign of a strengthening of alliances between states locked in maritime rows…
