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French automaker PSA Group preparing to leave Iran because of U.S. sanctions
The French automaker PSA Group is preparing to withdraw from Iran due to the threat of U.S. sanctions, reported France-Presse, citing a statement from the industrial group.
“The process to suspend joint venture activities has been initiated in order to adapt the situation to U.S. law before August 6, 2018,” the company said.
At the same time, the company’s headquarters stressed that “the company’s management is in contact with U.S. authorities in an attempt to reach an agreement on exclusion …
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Switzerland freezes bank accounts of Russian oligarch Vekselberg after US sanctions are imposed
Swiss banks have decided to freeze the personal bank accounts of Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg due to US sanctions, Forbes Russia reports. The journal cited sources close to Renova group, the Russian businessman’s primary asset.
According to Forbes, approximately one billion Swiss francs (1.01 billion dollars) have been frozen in Vekselberg's Swiss accounts. The oligarch’s lawyers are already trying to appeal this decision and obtain compensation for the freeze, but experts interviewed …
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Putin signs bill on counter-sanctions against US and sets sights on money from China
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill on counter-sanctions against the US and other “hostile foreign countries”, which was drafted in response to the blacklisting of billionaires Viktor Vekselberg and Oleg Deripaska, together with all the companies belonging to them.
According to the document uploaded to the legal information portal, the Russian government is given the right to terminate international collaboration with countries which have introduced anti-Russian sanctions, …
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Iran considers renewing nuclear program
The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran should immediately begin enriching uranium. According to him, Iran cannot be simultaneously under sanctions and under “nuclear surveillance,” RIA Novosti reported, citing local media.
Khamenei said that the relevant Iranian bodies should be ready for any decision made by Iranian authorities. The ayatollah also warned Europe that it should not think that Iran will adhere to the JCPOA (Joint …
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Ukraine: Russia’s sentencing of journalist Sushchenko unprecedented and inhumane
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman have commented on the 12 year prison sentence given by Russia to Ukrainian citizen Roman Sushchenko on charges of espionage.
“The unprecedented obscenity of the Russian ‘court’, which sentenced Ukrainian journalist Roman Sushchenko based on spurious charges, proves that the Kremlin regime will stop at nothing in its attempt to crush the spirit of Ukrainians. However, I am confident that Russia will inevitably be …
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U.S. and Turkey agree on a stabilization plan in Syrian Manbij
The U.S. and Turkey approved a road map for stabilizing the situation in the Syrian city of Manbij, as reported in a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
It was noted that the head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed their commitment to continue the joint fight against terrorism in the region, and also reviewed the recommendations of the Turkish-American Working Group on Syria.
“They approved the road map and stressed their …
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Rwanda negotiates purchase of air defense systems from Russia
Russia and Rwanda are discussing the possible acquisition of Russian air defense systems, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced at a press conference following talks with Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, the Russian Foreign Ministry website reported.
"We have good cooperation in the military-technical sphere," he said. According to him, Russian helicopters and Ural trucks are currently in service with the army, security forces and law …
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Ukraine at the bottom of the list in road quality
According to the World Economic Forum, the quality of Ukrainian roads – ranked 130th among the 137 countries on the list – is among the worst in the world.
This information appeared in the Global Competitiveness Index 2017-2018 from the World Economic Forum (WEF), which includes road quality as one of the indicators.
On a point scale of 1 to 7 (7 being the highest road quality), international experts rate Ukrainian roads at 2.4 points. Paraguay received the same rating.
According to WEF …
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Ukraine calls on Austrian media to raise Sentsov issue during Putin's visit
The Ukrainian Embassy in Austria has appealed to local media to "raise the issue" of political prisoner Crimean Oleg Sentsov ahead of the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Austria Oleksandr Scherba wrote on Facebook.
"Numerous cinematographers from around the world, including Agnieszka Holland, Krzysztof Zanussi, Johnny Depp and Alexander Sokurov called on Vladimir Putin to release Oleg Sentsov. The Austrian Film Academy also …
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Austria's Vice-Chancellor proposes to end sanctions against Russia
In an interview with Austrian newspaper Oesterreich, the Vice-Chancellor of Austria and the leader of the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria, Heinz-Christian Strache called for an end to the European Union's sanctions against Russia.
"The sanctions have harmed the Austrian economy. It is high time to put an end to these exasperating sanctions and normalize political and economic relations with Russia," Strache said.
Strache's party is a junior coalition partner to Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's …