December, 2014

• 19 December

  Sharif toughens stand after Peshawar massacre

  With the death toll in the Peshawar army school massacre rising to 148 overnight, Pakistan yesterday turned over a new leaf in its approach to terrorism. Mr. Sharif swore that politicians would bury their differences and unite to defeat terrorism. Their meeting came as a photograph of the men who …

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• 17 December

  Kerry says sanctions depend on Putin’s right choices in Ukraine

  US and European sanctions against Russia could be lifted within days if President Vladimir Putin makes the right choices in Ukraine, top US diplomat John Kerry said Tuesday. While he praised what he called “constructive moves in the last days” by Russia, he warned the future of the country’s economy …

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• 17 December

  Merkel, Putin, Hollande discuss Ukraine over telephone

  Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conference Wednesday with the leaders of Germany, France and Ukraine to discuss creating a lasting peace in Ukraine, Russia’s neighbor to the west, according to the Kremlin’s official website. Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko shared …

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• 17 December

  Egypt urges Iraq to restore relations with neighbors

  Egypt has valued “positive” steps taken by Iraq on internal and external arenas to successfully restoring security and peace in some parts of the country, calling the Iraqi government to continue these steps for full restoration of ties with neighboring countries. Egypt condemns all forms of terrorism committed by the …

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• 17 December

  Malian FM says parties are closer to an agreement

  Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulay Diop said the different Malian parties “are not far from an agreement,” calling those parties to do a “maximum” effort to bring peace process in Mali to a successful conclusion. “It is the last 100 meters and each of us should make a maximum effort to …

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• 17 December

  UK reopens embassy in Cairo

  The British embassy in Cairo said on Tuesday it has resumed services to the public, nine days after they were suspended over security concerns about the mission’s main building. The Canadian embassy next to the British embassy, which also suspended services, remains shut to the public.

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• 17 December

  Egyptian FM underlines position on Iraqi unity

  Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry arrived in the Iraqi capital Baghdad Wednesday, where he discussed Egyptian support for Iraq with Iraqi Vice President Usama Al-Nujayfi. Shoukry is set to meet with other top Iraqi officials to discuss stability in Iraq. According to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Al-Nujayfi asserted …

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• 17 December

  Military raid in North Sinai kills 5 militants

  A military raid in North Sinai killed five alleged militants on Wednesday.  Another five were arrested in the same raid, and are currently being investigated. The raid targeted areas south of the towns of Al-Arish, Sheikh Zuweid, and Rafah. They added that in another raid, security forces burned two motorcycles …

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• 17 December

  Kurdish Iraqi forces start mission in Sinjar

  Kurdish Iraqi forces launched a major operation today to retake the militant-held town of Sinjar in northern Iraq, part of a push to secure the road that leads directly to the Syrian border. Peshmerga forces, backed by US-led coalition airstrikes, moved into the town, which has been under the control …

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• 16 December

  Death toll in Ukraine close to 5000

  At least 4,700 people have died in Ukraine in the nine and a half months since the start of an armed conflict between the Ukrainian military and pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country, a United Nations team announced Monday. That’s an average of around 16 deaths per day.

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