Section: News & Summaries

      UN: World’s displaced hits record high

      Almost 60 million people worldwide were forcibly uprooted by conflict and persecution at the end of 2014, the UN said. ||| London – Almost 60 million people worldwide were forcibly uprooted by conflict and persecution at the end of last year, the highest ever recorded number, the UN refugee agency said on Thursday. More than half the...

      Ukraine soldiers ‘confess to murders’

      Two Ukrainian servicemen reportedly confessed to murdering a mother and daughter after suspecting them of separatist sympathies. ||| Kiev – Two Ukrainian servicemen have confessed to murdering a mother and daughter in east Ukraine after suspecting them of separatist sympathies, the prosecutor’s office for the Kiev-controlled part of...

      The 2015 Global Peace Index

      The 2015 Global Peace Index has been released today and shows that overall, global peace levels remained stable in 2014; but are lower than 2008. However the overall score disguises an increasing division between the most and least peaceful nations. Since last year, four out of the nine geographical regions experienced an improvement in peace:...

      Eagles do not bow to bears, I’m sure that NATO will not bow to Russia either! – US Air Force Secretary
      Jun17

      Eagles do not bow to bears, I’m sure that NATO will not bow to Russia either! – US Air Force Secretary

      Air Force Secretary Deborah James at the Paris Air Show stated that Russia was as the “biggest threat on my mind” while listing the greatest threat faced by the U.S. Air Force. Air Force Secretary underlined the U.S. could deploy a squadron of F-22 Raptor fighter jets to Europe in response to the stepped-up aggression by Russia in the...

      Here’s Why Moscow Doesn’t Want the Donbas but Continues to Meddle There Anyway
      Jun17

      Here’s Why Moscow Doesn’t Want the Donbas but Continues to Meddle There Anyway

      The war in the Donbas is imposing large costs on Ukraine. According to Ukraine’s leading investment bank Dragon Capital, in October 2014 the occupied territories in the Donbas accounted for 2.6 percent of Ukraine’s territory, 7.3 percent of the population, 10 percent of GDP, and 15 percent of industrial production. This output has...

      Russia beefing up nuclear arsenal

      President Vladimir Putin said Russia would add more than 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles to its nuclear arsenal. ||| Kubinka, Russia – President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday Russia would add more than 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles to its nuclear arsenal this year, a remark that is likely to increase alarm in the...

      Here’s One Practical Way to Save Ukraine
      Jun16

      Here’s One Practical Way to Save Ukraine

      Stimulating Ukraine’s economy is a key goal of the reforms that are underway in Kyiv. Ukraine’s Association Agreement with the European Union (EU) should enable better economic management and freer trade. But there’s an important precondition for growth: investor confidence. Domestic businessmen and foreign investors must feel...

      The Muddled Thinking at the G-7 Only Encourages Putin
      Jun16

      The Muddled Thinking at the G-7 Only Encourages Putin

      Leaders at the recent G-7 summit reaffirmed their commitment to keeping sanctions on Russia in place. They also agreed that sanctions will likely be extended until 2016 because Russia has failed to implement the Minsk II ceasefire agreement. But the summit ended on a disappointing note: The summit communiqué and all the G-7 leaders indicated that...

      The Sweden-Ukraine Business Forum will help to cooperate Swedish and Ukrainian investors
      Jun16

      The Sweden-Ukraine Business Forum will help to cooperate Swedish and Ukrainian investors

      The 4th Sweden-Ukraine Business Forum (June 15-16, 2015) has started in Kyiv, Ukraine. It is organized by Business Sweden and the Embassy of Sweden in Kyiv, and is attended by high level Swedish representatives from the government and industry as well as by top officials from Ukraine. The Swedish Trade and Invest Council states that Forum will...

      Russian terrorists forced miner to repair heavy equipment under pain of death – SBU
      Jun16

      Russian terrorists forced miner to repair heavy equipment under pain of death – SBU

      Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) received a confession from locksmith worker at one of the mines of Donetsk region, whom terrorists “DNR” forced to work under pain of death. As said the miner, on May 1, 2015, into his house rushed armed criminals and threatening to harm the family, forcibly took him to the front line of the so-called...