Kiev, Ukraine | AFP | Ukraine’s space agency said Tuesday that an engine type reportedly used in North Korean missiles was made at a Ukrainian factory, but solely for use in space rockets supplied to Russia. The development came after an expert report published Monday said Pyongyang’s recent rapid progress in …
Read More »Forget oil, Russia goes crazy for cryptocurrency
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Standing in a warehouse in a Moscow suburb, Dmitry Marinichev tries to speak over the deafening hum of hundreds of computers stacked on shelves hard at work mining for crypto money. “The form of currency we are used to is about to disappear,” predicts the 42-year-old …
Read More »Moscow backs peace efforts by Libya rivals: Lavrov
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday backed the efforts of Libya’s military commander Khalifa Haftar and his rival UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj to reach a peace agreement in the conflict-ridden country. “We actively support the emerging trend to step up the process of …
Read More »Kasparov, the retired champ who can’t give up chess
St. Louis, United States | AFP | Russian chess champion Garry Kasparov owned the game for 15 years, gaining superstar status among fans before retiring and throwing himself into politics — but he just can’t seem to stay away from the chessboard. The 54-year-old former world champion is coming out of …
Read More »Russia’s Lavrov warns risk of N. Korea escalation ‘very high’
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday cautioned that the risks of escalation of tensions between the United States and North Korea were “very high” following the recent war of words between Washington and Pyongyang. “I believe the risks are very high, especially considering this rhetoric, …
Read More »Top cardinal aims to set up Pope visit to Russia
Rome, Italy | AFP | A top cardinal due to meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow this month says he will be seeking to clear the way for Pope Francis to make a historic visit to Russia. Pietro Parolin, the number two in the Vatican hierarchy and its de-facto foreign minister, …
Read More »Ex-Trump campaign chief Manafort’s home raided in Russia probe
Washington, United States | AFP | FBI agents seized documents in a raid on a home of former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort last month as the explosive probe into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election gains pace. A Manafort spokesman confirmed the raid, which the Washington Post described as …
Read More »Chelsea owner Abramovich splits from wife
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian billionaire and Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich and his wife, gallerist Darya or “Dasha” Zhukova, have separated, a spokesman for Abramovich confirmed to AFP. “After 10 years together, the two of us have made the difficult decision to separate, but we remain close …
Read More »Angry Trump says Russia ties at ‘very dangerous low’
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump claimed relations with Russia had hit an all-time and “very dangerous” low Thursday, putting the blame on Congress after he reluctantly approved sanctions against Moscow. After Moscow called the sanctions a declaration of “economic war” that had exposed the …
Read More »US grand jury impaneled for Russia probe: report
Washington, United States | AFP | Special counsel Robert Mueller has impaneled a grand jury to investigate Russia’s interference with the 2016 presidential election, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday — a step toward possible criminal indictments. The newspaper, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the matter, reported that the …
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