Washington, United States | AFP | Russia’s expulsion of 60 US diplomats and shuttering of one of its consulates marks a “further deterioration” in relations between Washington and Moscow, the White House said Thursday. The US had ordered a similar number of diplomats from Russia to leave and the shuttering …
Read More »Russia holds first funerals for victims of shopping mall blaze
Kemerovo, Russia | AFP | Russia on Wednesday held a national day of mourning and buried the first victims of a fire that ravaged a busy shopping centre and killed 64 people, most of them children. Flags were lowered and entertainment events cancelled three days after Sunday’s devastating blaze in …
Read More »US expels 60 Russians as allies back Britain in spy row
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States joined Britain’s allies in Europe and around the world Monday in expelling scores of suspected Russian spies in an unprecedented response to a nerve agent attack. At least 114 alleged agents working under diplomatic cover were ordered out by 21 governments, …
Read More »64 dead in Russian shopping mall inferno
Moscow, Russia | AFP | A total of 64 people some of them children perished in a fire that ravaged a busy shopping mall in an industrial city in Siberia, as rescue teams Monday struggled through piles of charred rubble to recover bodies. Russian television showed images of thick black …
Read More »Europe steps up pressure on Russia over spy attack
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | European countries are set to take further steps as early as Monday to punish Russia over the poisoning of a former spy in England, officials said, as diplomatic pressure builds on Moscow over the nerve agent attack. Russia, for its part, accused London of trying …
Read More »British PM seeks EU backing on spy attack
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | British Prime Minister Theresa May will on Thursday seek to unite EU leaders in condemnation of Moscow over the poisoning of a former Russian spy, but she faces resistance from states keen to protect their Kremlin ties. May will brief her colleagues at a Brussels …
Read More »Trump says will ‘hold Russia accountable’ over spy poisoning
Moscow, Russia | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he would “take action to hold Russia accountable” for the poisoning of a spy on British soil, as another ugly war of words erupted between Moscow and London over the Cold War-style attack. In a phone call with Vladimir …
Read More »UK’s Johnson likens Putin’s World Cup to 1936 Berlin Olympics
London, United Kingdom | AFP | British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson agreed Wednesday that President Vladimir Putin would exploit the 2018 football World Cup in Russia as Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler did the Berlin Olympics. Johnson agreed with an MP who suggested, “Putin is going to use it in the way …
Read More »Putin, Trump want better ties, planning summit
Moscow, Russia | AFP | US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Tuesday discussed holding a possible summit as the American leader congratulated the Russian President on his re-election. “I had a call with President Putin and congratulated him on his electoral victory,” Trump said, two days after Putin’s re-election. …
Read More »What the world is saying about Putin’s re-election
Paris, France | AFP | China was the first world power to react Monday to Russian strongman Vladimir Putin’s re-election, vowing to push ties to a “higher level”, but Germany questioned the fairness of the vote and warned that Moscow would remain “difficult”. And 24 hours after Putin’s victory, there …
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