Arms tracking data shows why 17 African countries could have abstained in a UN vote to condemn the superpower Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | A new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an organisation that tracks arms trade, indicates that Russia was the largest supplier of …
Read More »Putin isolation something of Western bias: report
New York, U.S. | Xinhua | The suggestion that Russian President Vladimir Putin is isolated may still be something of a Western bias — an assumption based on a definition of the “world” as places of privilege, largely the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia and Japan, The Washington Post reported. “Of …
Read More »Nearly half of Russia’s reserves frozen
Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Near half of Russia’s roughly 640 billion U.S. dollars of gold and foreign currency reserves has been frozen, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said Sunday. Siluanov said on a Russian TV program that Russia will pay roubles to its debt holders. He said that the …
Read More »Russia says to publish retaliatory sanctions against West soon
Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Russia will publish individual sanctions against the West in the near future, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Saturday. “The lists are ready,” Ryabkov said on Russian broadcaster Channel One, adding that the sanctions will be made public soon. According to Ryabkov, Moscow sees …
Read More »U.S. to revoke Russia’s most-favored nation status amid Ukraine crisis
Washington, U.S. | Xinhua | The U.S. government will revoke Russia’s most-favored nation trade status amid the Ukraine crisis, the White House said Friday, noting that it will work with Group of Seven (G7) countries and the European Union to roll out new sanctions. U.S. President Joe Biden and the other …
Read More »Russia to restrict access to Instagram due to violent speeches
Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Russia’s telecom watchdog Roskomnadzor said Friday that it will limit the access to U.S. social network Instagram in Russia, as was required by the Prosecutor General’s Office. Instagram distributes materials which call for committing violent acts against Russian citizens, including military personnel, Roskomnadzor said in a …
Read More »Russia’s Hermitage museum demands return of paintings on loan to Italy
Rome, Italy | Xinhua | Russia’s Hermitage museum is seeking the return from Italy of a painting by Pablo Picasso it loaned, a Rome museum confirmed Thursday. The Hermitage, based in St. Petersburg, Russia, has also reportedly requested the return of other paintings on loan in Italy. The Italian media is …
Read More »China calls for supporting Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks, offers humanitarian aid
Beijing, China | Xinhua | Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday that utmost efforts should be made to support Russia and Ukraine in overcoming difficulties to carry forward ceasefire negotiations, and China supports and encourages all efforts that are conducive to a peaceful settlement of the crisis in Ukraine. Speaking …
Read More »UNSC to convene at Russia’s request to probe into U.S. military biological activities in Ukraine
United Nations | Xinhua | The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will convene on Friday to discuss the United States’ alleged military biological research in Ukraine at Russia’s request. Dmitry Polyanskiy, first deputy permanent representative of Russia to the UN, tweeted this request on Thursday. Russia has been holding that there …
Read More »Russia-Ukraine conflict has champagne corks quietly popping in Pentagon: former U.S. official
Washington, U.S. | Xinhua | The military conflict between Russia and Ukraine “has the champagne corks quietly popping in the Pentagon, on K Street, in the defense industry, and throughout the halls of Congress,” wrote Franklin C. Spinney, a former military analyst for the Pentagon, in a recent commentary. “Taxpayers are …
Read More »