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Accidents News

Russian fire-hit submersible was nuclear-powered : Confirmed Putin

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Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that the deep-water submersible that caught fire on Monday was nuclear-powered. The accident had killed 14 crew.

It was during a conversation with Russia’s defense chief Sergei Shoigu that Putin’s comment came. The defense chief confirmed that the incident was caused by a fire in a battery compartment. According to Shoigu, the reactor is “completely isolated now” and “in full working order”.

In the fire caused in the submersible in the Barents Sea, 14 senior officers died of smoke inhalation. The Kremlin did not released information about the blaze initially, calling it a state secret. The confirmation came 3 days after the incident happened.

Only a limited power reserves had been equipped with the submersible, which was quite smaller than the submarine. At the time of fire, the submersible was carrying out research in Russian territorial waters. It is now at the naval base in Severomorsk on the Barents Sea.

Image courtesy: aljazeera .com / images are subject to copyright

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News

Flights to Georgia suspended by Russia after violent clashes

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After similar happenings of violent clashes in the country, the Russian President Vladimir Putin has temporarily banned Russian airlines from flying to Georgia.

The decree that is due to be implemented from 8th of July has been signed by Putin on Friday. About 240 people had been hurt a day earlier in protests that were ignited by the appearance of a Russian MP in Georgia’s parliament.

After a war over the region of South Ossetia, which happened before 11 years, the problems between the two countries are on its higher side.

All tours to neighbouring Georgia will also be suspended as Moscow also decides to back up this decision of PM.

A gathering of MPs from Orthodox Christian nations had been addressed by Sergei Gavrilov, the Russian MP who sparked the fury on Thursday. But protesters rushed to the parliament in the capital, Tbilisi, and police had to use used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse them.

Irakli Kobakhidze, the speaker of Georgia’s parliament has given his resignation following these issues.

Image courtesy: bbc .com / images are subject to copyright

europe times european daily trending world news Russian medias in rare support for charged reporter
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Russian medias in rare support for charged reporter Ivan Golunov

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Three leading newspapers in Russia is observed to be in huge support of a reporter charged with drug offences, in a case that has caused a huge public outcry.

Leading news papers Vedomosti, RBC, and Kommersant have their headlines as support for the charged reporter. The headlines read, ”
“We are Ivan Golunov”, referring to the investigative journalist.

Ivan Golunov (36) was charged over the weekend with trying to illegally sell drugs. His lawyer said that these drugs were planted. During his arrest last week, the journalist was reportedly beaten up.

Golunov is a freelance journalist, and had contributed to a number of media outlets including Meduza, the Latvia-based news site.

The Russian social media were having huge discussions regarding his arrest, saying that the arrest suppresses the freedom of press.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman said that President Vladimir Putin was informed about the case and was made aware regarding this last week and was “keeping a very close eye on all the details”.

Peskov said, “Mistakes cannot be ruled out anywhere or anytime, mistakes are made, among others, by journalists, when they write stories”.

Image courtesy: cbc .ca / images are subject to copyright

europe-times-european-daily-trending-world-news-Russia to ban ‘fake news’ and ‘disrespect’ of government
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Russia to ban ‘fake news’ and ‘disrespect’ of government

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Russian Parliament has passed two bills on Thursday. The first bill bans any activities of ‘disrespect’ to the state, its officials and Russian society. The second one is against spreading of what the Kremlin perceives to be ‘fake news’. It is expected that the Russian President Vladimir Putin will be signing these bills into law soon.

Both these new crimes carries heavy fines. It is reported that oppositions came from journalists, human rights group and even government ministers. The body will consider both the bills on 13th March.

The punishments for the ‘disrespect’ to the state includes fines up to 100,000 roubles (£1,150; $1,500). Repeated violations of the law could double or even triple the amount in fines, or a 15-day jail sentence.

The punishments for spreading ‘fake news’ varies. Individuals, officials and businesses will be fined 300,000, 600,000 or 1 million roubles respectively if the news spread affects “functioning of critical infrastructure” like transport or communications. The articles that containing “blatant disrespect” for the government or “public morality” should be deleted within 24 hours.

Image courtesy : myjoyonline.com / images are subject to copyright

europe times european news trendy daily Mass invasion of polar bears in Russian islands 2
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Mass invasion of polar bears in Russian islands

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The mass invasion of starving polar bears is terrorising the Russia islands. As the sea ice diminishes, the polar bears, affected by climate change are entering on to land seeking food. Local officials said that emergency is declared in this remote Russian region. Parents are scared to send the children to school in this area fearing the polar bears.

Authorities in the Novaya Zemlya islands, home to a few thousand people, said that there were groups of bears attacking people. The bears are also found entering the residential and public buildings.

Polar bear, entering house

Russia classes the Polar bears as endangered species. Hurting these animals are hence illegal, and has been banned. The federal environment agency has refused to issue licences to shoot them. The polar bears are fearless about the police patrols and warning signals. Officials said that stronger measures would be needed in this issue.

Sunaya Paison
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International Trade News

Russia-Germany pipeline project faces EU’s objection

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Several European Union countries have expressed their concerns about an oil pipeline project that connects Russia and Germany, named Nord Stream 2.

The main concerns are that the pipeline project will make Germany more reliant to the Russian oil and that reliance may be misused by Russia to fulfil its political and economic goals.

France is the first country that has come out publically against the deal. Later, supporting the stand taken by France, most countries in the east and central regions of Europe –overcoming their fear of retaliatory action from the Germans– have criticised the Germany’s move.

Germany has invested hugely in the project. The project is several decades old. At this moment, Germany cannot withdraw from the deal suddenly as such a move will cost them several millions.

France is likely to dilute its position in the coming hours. Though the EU countries are unhappy with the pipeline project, none wants to interrupt the project at this stage. These factors give confidence to Germany to go ahead with the project.

The EU primarily imports oil from Norway and Russia. Most EU countries are of the opinion that a pipeline that connects Poland and Norway should be created. The newly developed Russia-Germany pipeline which passes beneath the Baltic Sea gives a serious blow to the EU’s Norway plans.

Vignesh. S. G
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Crime News

European buskers booked in Malaysia over a street act involving swinging their baby

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A European couple, who are on a South East Asian trip, has been booked by Malaysian police over a street act involving swinging their baby.

The video has been shared more than fifteen thousand times in Facebook. It is a social media user who has notified the police authorities that such an abuse has happened in the South Asian country.

The Malaysian police, under whose custody the couple is now, informed the media houses that the baby was safe.

A Russian social media user claimed that such kind of stunts were common in Russia. He even said that it was not illegal in Russia.

The couple is a part of a team who are on the mission to travel around the South Asia with the amount collected from its street plays. This kind of travellers is normally called as buster travellers.


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International Trade News

EU, US to intervene in Venezuela-Turkey-Iran gold trade

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Venezuela’s oil economy has almost died due to the US sanction. Now, it relies almost solely on its gold trade for its sustenance. The United Arab Empire, Russia and Turkey are the biggest importers of the Venezuelan gold. Of these three, Turkey’s trade with the socialist Latin American is the one which worries the European Union and the United States the most. It is alleged that the gold reaches Turkey from Venezuela ostensibly for the purpose of refinement is shipped to Iran. The US is of the belief that the network of the Venezuela-Turkey-Iran gold trade is what enables the embattled Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, who is on an ultimatum, to keep the loyalty of his country’s soldiers intact. The west now knows that the best way to topple the aggressive Venezuelan socialist is to cut off his revenue channels. The EU and US’ latest combined attempt to force Turkey to stop its engagements with Venezuela, particularly its gold trade, is regarded as the part of that strategy. The US has reportedly served an ultimatum to Turkey to cease its gold trade with Venezuela.

If Russia and the others does not increase their gold and oil import with Venezuela, Mr Maduro will be toppled as soon as the EU and the US find success in forcing Turkey to withdraw its backup –by all possibility that would not take more than few weeks.

It is not clear from where Iran has come to the picture. There is evidence that Turkey has brought in several tonnes of gold from Venezuela in the name of refinement and none of the imported has been returned. But, there is nothing to assume that what has been imported by Turkey has been exported to Iran. The possibility that Iran has been purposefully brought into the narrative to increase the strength of those against the Venezuelan trade cannot be ruled out blindly.

Vignesh. S. G
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright

Europe news Belarusian Model, Offers To Share Evidence Of Russian Collusion In US Election Arrested By Russia
Crime News

Belarusian model, offers to share evidence of Russian collusion in US election, arrested by Russia

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A Belarusian model, Nastya Rybka, who has offered to share the evidence of Russian collusion with Donald Trump’ election campaign which she has reportedly secured from her close friend who was a close friend of Russian industrialist Oleg Deripaska, has been forcefully dragged from the transit zone, where she has stepped down briefly to catch a connection flight during her trip to Minsk (to which she has been deported after she has been found guilty in the charge of prostitution in Thailand), by the Russian police to the Russian territory, and detained for the charges similar to those for which she has suffered jail sentence in the Asian country.


It is her lawyer who has publicised the details of the arrest. The information has been confirmed by many Russian media houses, which has shared the information in their twitter handles. Among the information shared by the lawyer, there is a video clip which shows how the lady has been treated by the Russian police. From the video, it can be easily understood that the lady has been subjected to ill treatment.


Anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny, who is the biggest critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has shared the information with his followers.

There are allegations that it is the fear of the exposure of key information regarding the Russian collusion in the US election that has prompted the Russian government to take such a stiff action against the Belarusian. Many, including the lady’s lawyer, believe that it is an international scandal.

Vignesh. S. G
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News Politics

Russian Prez Putin to visit Serbia

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Within a couple of hours, Russian president Vladimir Putin is set to reach Serbia –the Balkan country which is one of those countries whose request for the membership in the European Union is still pending, along with some of his senior minsters and the heads of his country’s nuclear and space organisations.

Ahead of the visit, Serbia has beefed up its internal security in the regions where the Russian president is likely to pass through and in and around the places where he is supposed to visit. As many as 7,000 police personals have been deployed for this task alone.

Russia president is likely to meet his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic and several other senior minsters and prominent business personals. Russia is expected to sign as many as 21 deals with Serbia. Most probably, the focus area of the discussions is going to be defence and security, energy and science and technology.

The Russian president’s visit comes at a time when the Serbian president suffers his greatest ever existential crisis. Serbia has been witnessing serious protest across the country for last few months against its president’s intolerance towards the opposition and disrespect towards the concept of press freedom.

It is debatable what message Serbia wants to give to the European Union with its latest move. An International relations expert opines that it might be some kind of pressure tactics.

Vignesh. S. G
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