Russian President Vladimir Putin announces new Syria ceasefire deal between government and opposition forces, with Russia and Turkey as guarantors December 29, 2016 The Syrian government and rebel groups have agreed a countrywide ceasefire that will take effect at midnight on 30 December, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced today. The agreement will be followed by peace talks between Bashar al-Assad's government and opposition forces in Kazakhstan at an as yet unspecified date. Syria's army said the ceasefire will begin [...]
Russia plane crash likely not terrorism says intelligence service as fragments of wreckage are found December 26, 2016 Terrorism is not among the main reasons being investigated for the plane crash in Russia which killed 92 people early on Christmas morning according to the country’s defence ministry, as it expands its search in an attempt to locate the aircraft’s black box flight recorder. Russia’s Ministry of Defence has found 86 fragments of the [...]
Wanted for 2017: A leader with a strong moral compass December 21, 2016 It feels like 2016 is never-ending. As I sit here writing my final column of the year I’m looking at the news: 12 killed in a lorry attack on a Berlin Christmas Market and the Russian ambassador shot dead in Turkey. In the last 12 months, the UK voted to leave the EU, Donald Trump was [...]
Ex-Deutsche Bank trader accused of manipulating markets by Russian central bank December 20, 2016 A former employee of Deutsche Bank's Russian division was accused today of manipulating markets to pocket himself and three of his relatives a profit of 255m rubles (£3.4m) over a two and a half year period. Russia's central bank claims Yuri Khilov, while acting on behalf of Deutsche's London branch, carried out 300bn rubles worth of trades [...]
Spot gold prices shed recent gains as investors steer clear of safe havens despite deadly attacks in Germany and Turkey December 20, 2016 Spot gold prices slid lower today, shedding gains made in the previous two sessions. The price of the yellow stuff fell 0.9 per cent to $1,127.94 an ounce in afternoon trading London time, according to data from Bloomberg, after optimistic remarks on the US labour market by Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen strengthened the possibility of further interest rate [...]
Russian hacking is a “fact” in post-truth strategy says UK government minister December 20, 2016 Britain must accept Russian hacking to influence elections in other countries as a “fact”, according to a government minister. Sir Alan Duncan, the minister for Europe and the Americas, also condemned the murder of the Russian ambassador to Turkey as a "heinous attack", saying, "We obviously fully condemn this." Duncan said there was clear evidence [...]
The US Electoral College is set to back Trump for the White House December 19, 2016 The US Electoral College has shown no sign of moving its support from President-elect Donald Trump to losing Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton as voting begins today. Some Democrats urged the college – a group of 538 electors chosen by state parties – to change their votes to Clinton after she won the popular vote by a [...]
Russian ambassador to Ankara shot dead in an attack in Turkey December 19, 2016 The Russian ambassador to Ankara, Andrei Karlov, was shot dead in an attack in Turkey today. Karlov was shot while making a speech at the opening of an exhibition at an art gallery by a gunman who shouted in Turkish: "Don't forget Aleppo. Don’t forget Syria. Unless our towns are secure, you won’t enjoy security. Only death can take [...]
Will allegations of Russian interference in the US election tarnish Donald Trump’s presidency? December 19, 2016 Brian Klaas, fellow in comparative politics at the London School of Economics, and author of The Despot’s Accomplice, says Yes. Republicans and Democrats agree that Russian hacking was used to help Donald Trump win the presidential election in November. While both Republicans and Democrats were hacked, only e-mails that would embarrass Hillary Clinton were released. [...]
Russia attempts to undermine UK with cyber attacks and fake news December 17, 2016 Russia has embarked on a propaganda campaign against Britain, according to reports. Moscow is seeking to undermine the UK's power by using cyber attacks and fake news, and Prime Minister Theresa May is set to hold a National Security Council meeting to assess the Russian aggression and how to respond, according to The Times. Read more: [...]