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Ukraine seals EU deal that sparked crisis
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Thousands march across Kabul
Protesting election fraud: Afghans shout slogans during a protest to support presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah in Kabul on Friday. Reuters
UNSC slaps sanctions on Boko Haram leader Shekau
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Ukraine seals EU deal that sparked crisis
Brussels, June 27 President Petro Poroshenko hailed the Association Agreement, a 1,200-page document defining the political and trade terms under which Kiev will slip from the Kremlin's embrace, as a turning point for a country that staddles a geopolitical fault line between Europe and Russia. The deal also bursts Russian President Vladimir Putin's dream of enlisting Kiev in a Moscow-led alliance that could rival the European Union and NATO. The Kremlin immediately vowed to take "all the necessary measures" against Ukraine. Yet the pact is just as unpopular in Russified eastern regions that mistrust the new Kiev leaders and are now witnessing a bloody separatist insurgency being waged on the streets of a dozen industrial cities and towns. Ukraine's military said five more soldiers died overnight in attacks by rebels who have failed to honour the terms of a temporary truce agreed by their own commanders. The EU today sealed identical partnership pacts with Georgia and Moldova, two former Soviet nations with equally complex relations with Russia. Poroshenko said the deal offered Ukraine "an absolutely new perspective" and "the opportunity to modernise." "It is a historic day, the most important day since independence," he declared. The pacts were signed just hours after the rebels released four unarmed monitors from the Organisation and Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) they had abducted on May 26. Another four European observers and their Ukrainian translator are still being held captive by the gunmen and Putin has personally urged the militias to secure their release. The Kremlin chief denies exerting control over the fighters and is yet to address in public reports from Kiev and Washington of rocket launchers and even tanks crossing the Russian border into the conflict zone. But Putin is also facing the threat of imminent economic sanctions should he fail to show that he is backing Poroshenko's bid to end nearly two months of fighting that have claimed more than 440 lives. EU leaders gave Russia until Monday to change policy on Ukraine or face the prospect of tougher sanctions. The United Nations said today that nearly 55,000 people have been forced from their homes by fighting and lack of access to basics such as electricity and running water. The European Union argues that the free trade deal will boost Ukraine's exports to the 28-nation bloc by USD 1.35 billion a year and save the nation of 46 million roughly half that amount in revoked customs duties. But Russia has warned it will have no choice but to slap punishing trade restrictions on Ukraine after already nearly doubling its gas price - a step Kiev disputed and that led to a cut in its supplies this month. — AFP Over 1 lakh have fled to Russia from Ukraine: UN
Geneva: Some 110,000 people have fled to Russia from Ukraine while more than 54,000 have been displaced inside the conflict-torn country, the UN said on Friday. "Since the start of 2014, 110,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Russia," said Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman for the UN's refugee agency. "Of those 110,000, only 9,500 have requested asylum. Most people are seeking other forms of legal stay, often because they're concerned about complications involving seeking asylum," she said. Sanctions against Russia on the table again
EU leaders gave Russia until Monday to change policy on Ukraine or face the prospect of tougher sanctions. In a statement on Friday, the 28 European Union leaders said Moscow had to take four steps, among them clear backing for the Ukraine government's peace plan, by Monday June 30.
Turning point for Ukraine
* The Association Agreement, a 1,200-page document defining the political and trade terms under which Kiev will slip from the Kremlin's embrace, as a turning point for a country that staddles a geopolitical fault line between Europe and Russia *
The deal also bursts Russian President Vladimir Putin's dream of enlisting Kiev in a Moscow-led alliance that could rival the European Union and NATO |
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US drones over Baghdad as Iraqi forces battle for Tikrit
Baghdad, June 27 Iraq's top Shiite cleric meanwhile urged the country's leaders to unite, after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki conceded political measures are needed to defeat the jihadist-led offensive that has killed more than 1,000 people and overrun major parts of five provinces. In further fallout from the crisis, the president of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region declared there was no going back on Kurdish self-rule in disputed territory, including ethnically divided northern oil city Kirkuk, now defended against the militants by Kurdish fighters. International agencies also raised alarm bells over the humanitarian consequences of the fighting, with up to 10,000 people having fled a northern Christian town in recent days and 1.2 million displaced by unrest in Iraq this year. A senior American official said that the US military was flying "a few" armed drones over Baghdad to defend American troops and diplomats in the city if necessary. But officials said the drones would not be used for offensive strikes against the Sunni Arab militant offensive, led by jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) but involving other groups as well. Iraqi forces swooped into Tikrit University by helicopter yesterday, and a police major said that there were periodic clashes there today. A senior army officer said Iraqi forces were targeting militants in Tikrit with air strikes to protect forces at the university and prepare for an assault on the city. Troops are deployed in areas around Tikrit for the attack, the officer said. Another senior officer said taking the university is an important step towards regaining control of Tikrit, the hometown of executed dictator Saddam Hussein, which the militants seized on June 11. — AFP
Iraq’s top cleric wants deal on new PM
Baghdad: Iraq's top Shia cleric on Friday called on political blocs to agree on the next Prime Minister before the newly elected parliament sits next week, stepping up pressure on political leaders to set aside their differences and form an inclusive government in the face of Sunni militants who have seized large swaths of territory. The Iranian-born Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani also said he wanted the political blocs to agree on the next parliament speaker and president by the time the new legislature meets on Tuesday.
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Kabul, June 27 The run-off poll, pitting the former Northern Alliance leader against ex-finance minister Ashraf Ghani on June 14, has fallen into deadlock over Abdullah's decision last week to drop out. The impasse has revived longstanding ethnic tensions in Afghanistan because Abdullah's base of support is with the Tajiks, the second largest ethnic group, while Ghani is Pashtun, the largest group. It also comes at a dangerous time, with the Taliban insurgency still raging and most NATO-led forces preparing to leave the country by the end of the year. A member of the Ghani team, former candidate Daud Sultanzoy, said on Friday that based on information from election observers it predicted a lead of about 1.2 to 1.3 million votes over Abdullah. The march was largely peaceful and well coordinated by its organisers. Water was distributed to protesters and organizers formed a protective cordon around sensitive locations like the Serena Hotel, where many top Afghan and foreign officials stay. — Reuters
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UNSC slaps sanctions on Boko Haram leader Shekau
United Nations, June 27 The Security Council's Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee approved the addition of Boko Haram chief Abubakar Mohammed Shekau and the splinter group Ansaru to its list of individuals and entities subject to the targeted financial sanctions and the arms embargo. As a result of the new listings, any individual or entity that provides financial or material support to Ansaru and Shekau, including the provision of arms or recruits, is eligible to be added to the Al-Qaida Sanctions List and subject to the sanctions measures. — PTI |
Thai coup leader sets polls for October 2015
Hong Kong lawyers march against Beijing ‘interference’ Indian man jailed for six years for raping compatriot
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Ukraine's new leader today signed a landmark EU pact that drew immediate threats of retaliation by Russia in its standoff over the ex-Soviet country's future with the West.
Thousands of angry protesters marched on the Afghan president's palace on Friday in support of candidate Abdullah Abdullah's allegations that mass fraud had been committed during the presidential election by organizers and state officials.
