Friday, April 6, 2018

US Announces Sweeping Asset Freezes on Russian Oligarchs, Officials and Firms

The United States has announced sweeping sanctions freezing the assets of a group of top Russian oligarchs, officials, and organizations.

It's in response to alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US elections and military interventions abroad, including Syria.

From Washington, Daniel Ryntjes reports.

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UK doctors: Sergei Skripal improving rapidly, no longer critical

Doctors in Britain say the the Russian former spy Sergei Skripal is no longer in a critical condition. 

Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with nerve agent in the city of Salisbury last month, an attack the UK government has blamed on Russia. 

Paul Barber has more from London.

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Russia calls US sanctions 'unfriendly'

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Moscow says that the US sanctions imposed on Russian oligarchs and government officials are 'baseless and unfriendly'.  Russia's Industry and Trade Ministry says that state companies on a new list of sanctions will receive additional government support.  Julia Lyubova reports from Moscow.


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Ethiopia Release Journalists from Detention

Ethiopia has released eleven journalists, politicians and bloggers who were arrested for claims that they had gathered in violation of the country's current state of emergency.

 

Coletta Wanjohi reports from Addis Ababa: 

 

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Moscow asks Facebook for explanation on why it restricted access for some Russian media

Moscow has asked Facebook to explain why some Russian media organizations have seen their access restricted on the social media site.

According to a report from RIA news, Russia's communications watchdog says Facebook's move is a continuation of the "unfriendly policy towards Russian users".

Our Moscow correspondent Jack Parrock reports.

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Ex-Catalonian leader released from German jail

Carles Puigdemont, the former leader of Spain's Catalonia region, has been released from a German jail after a court dismissed the charges of rebellion sought by the Spain for his role in last year's Catalonian independence referendum.

Puigdemont, who still faces possible extradition to Spain on the lesser charge of misuse of public funds, called for further dialogue with the Spanish government on the issue of Catalonian independence.

Ira Spitzer has been following the story from Berlin.

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UN Secretary General expresses concern over Kashmir violence

The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern after violent clashes were reported in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. 

He has reportedly offered to mediate a solution between Indian and Pakistan- both nations stake claim to the state. 

Our India correspondent Neha Poonia has the details.

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UK SUGAR TAX HITS BIG BRANDS

A new sugar tax on soft drinks has come into force in the UK.

The Government say the 240 million pounds raised from the levy will be invested in schools sports and breakfast clubs. Public health bodies say the tax will help tackle levels of obesity, particularly in children. Jessica King reports from London.

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Cholera Outbreak Kills 40 Congolese Refugees


intro
The Red Cross reports more than 40 Congolese refugees have died of Cholera at a camp in Western Uganda.

Over than 70,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo have fled into Uganda since ethnic clashes began at the start of the year..

Isabel Nakirya reports.

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Bollywood's Salman Khan to spend another night in jail as bail hearing adjourned

Bollywood star Salman Khan will have to spend at least one more night in jail after his bail hearing for a poaching conviction was adjourned.

The actor was found guilty on Thursday in the two-decades-old case in which he is alleged to have killed two Blackbuck, an Indian antelope, an endangered species. 

Our correspondent Rebecca Bundhun reports from Mumbai 

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Fears of trade war increase after another threat of more tariffs against China by President Trump

US President Donald Trump has instructed the U.S. Trade Representative to consider an additional 100 billion dollars in tariffs on Chinese imports.

Trump says the move, announced in a statement, is in response to China's $50 billion tariff proposals against the United States.

As our Washington correspondent John Clarke reports, the move significantly increases economic tension between the two countries.

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Trump doubles down on trade war with China

President Trump says he's considering introducing even more tariffs against goods from China, in a fresh move that boosts the possibility of a trade war between Washington and Beijing.


The President says the Chinese have engaged in "unfair retaliation" following the initial $50 billion in tariffs he unveiled earlier this week.


Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports.


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Thursday, April 5, 2018

UK blasts Russia's UN spy meeting

The UK has labelled Russia's request for a UN Security Council meeting
to discuss the spy poisoning investigation an attempt at "obfuscation
and contempt for international institutions".

The Council is due to discuss the latest details of last month's
poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the
UK town of Salisbury.

Russia has requested to join the investigation into the incident - a
request the British have denied.

The UK ambassador to the UN Karen Pierce said a joint investigation
was outside of the realms of possibility.

IN: "Now the..."
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The UK ambassador to the UN Karen Pierce said Russia was out of line
in requesting a UN meeting.

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The UK ambassador to the UN Karen Pierce questioned Russia's reasons
for asking for a UN meeting.

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OUT: "....discuss."
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Google employees petition against US military project

Thousands of Google employees have signed a letter opposing the company's involvement in a project for the U.S. military.

The letter has been signed by over 3,000 people so far, many of them in senior positions at the internet giant.

US correspondent Mary MacCarthy has more:

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China refers US to WTO over tariffs row

China has reported the United States to the World Trade Organization
as part of the ongoing dispute between Beijing and Washington.

China has asked the WTO to step in to adjudicate on the US import
tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum.

US correspondent Nick Harper reports.

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Facebook Prepares for Congress as Pressure Mounts on Privacy Issues

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is preparing to make his first appearances before the US Congress next week.

He's under intense pressure to provide accurate information about data improperly provide to the political consultants Cambridge Analytica.

From Washington, Daniel Ryntjes reports.

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Yulia Skripal says she is 'growing daily in strength'

One of the victims of the chemical weapons attack in Salisbury has released her first statement after a month of fighting for her life in hospital. Yulia Skripal, daughter of the defector spy Sergei Skripal, says she is 'growing daily in strength'. Dan Ashby reports.

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Chinese FM hails very close ties with Russia during Moscow visit

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi says his country and Russia have very close ties while meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.

China and Russia say they're on the same page in trying to find a way forward to resolve the situation on the Korean peninsula.

Our Russia correspondent Jack Parrock reports.

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Russia says international community does not back the UK in spy row


Russia's ambassador to the UK Alexander Yakovenko says the majority of international countries have not sided with the UK in the row over the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter with a nerve agent in Salisbury.  


Russia has called an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council later today.  


It comes as Russian state media has aired a recording of a phone call reported to be between the daughter of poisoned spy Sergei Skripal and her cousin Viktoria.  In the conversation the alleged Yulia Skripal says that everything is ok, that her father is resting and everyone's health is fine.  The woman adds that she is expecting to be discharged from the hospital soon. 


On Wednesday, a meeting of the world's chemical weapons watchdog, the OPCW, saw a number of countries abstain from a vote in which Russia was seeking a joint investigation into the poisoning with the UK.  Russia did not succeed in the motion however Ambassador Yakovenko says this shows the international community does not believe the UK's accusations.   



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Out: …for everybody."

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Quoting a tweet from British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson,  Russia's Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko said British allegations that Russia was behind the nerve agent attack are unsubstantiated. 



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Out: …any evidence."

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2 more murders overnight in London, bringing toll to over 50 this year


London has seen two more killings overnight, bringing the total number of people who have been murdered to than 50 this year, and pushing the murder rate above that of New York.


The spate of violence in the British capital has caused alarm in many communities and among political leaders.  


A man in his early 20s died after being found stabbed in east London, while two miles away a man in his 50s died following an assault.   Two teenagers died earlier this week in separate incidents and many of the victims have been children or young adults.   Two thirds of the murders have been the result of stabbings. 


 Reporter Racheal Venables reports from the scene of the latest murder. 



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