List of All Articles with Tag 'eppersons'

Exiled to a place far above the Arctic Circle, a group of Russian journalists are working with Norwegians to break through the strict state controls that have...

Ukrainian authorities are reportedly conducting an investigation to determine whether a member of parliament violated the law by taking a family holiday to the Maldives. Earlier in January this year, the Ukrainian president banned officials from travelling abroad for non-governmental purposes. The security service has initiated a criminal case to ascertain whether member of parliament, Yuriy Aristov provided false information to the authorities. He faces up to three years in prison if convicted. During a video address in January, Volodymyr Zelensky said: “Ignoring the war is a luxury that no one can afford.” He added: “There is a principled decision of the NSDC [National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine] on officials travelling abroad. It applies to all officials of the central government and various other levels of local government. It applies to law enforcers, people’s deputies, prosecutors and all those who are supposed to work for the state and in the state. If they want to rest now, they will rest outside the civil service. Officials will no longer be able to travel abroad for vacation or for any other non-governmental purpose.” Mr Aristov is accused of providing false information while applying to leave the country. He reportedly went on a family vacation to the Maldives. The MP reportedly told authorities he was going on sick leave. But investigations found that Mr Aristov had been on the private island of Ithaafushi in the Maldives in mid-July with his wife and children. The State Bureau of Investigation and the Security Service of Ukraine have opened a criminal case against him. Mr Aristov was abroad from 5 June to 22 July, during which he embarked on a three-day business trip to Poland before being observed in the Maldives by Ukrainian media. Kyiv Independent said that he was first spotted in the luxurious 5-star Waldorf Astoria Maldives hotel on the private island in mid-July. An investigation by the Ukrainian outlet, Slidstvo.info revealed that Mr Aristov had indeed been a guest at the Maldives resort after the hotel confirmed. However, by the time they received the inquiry, he had already checked out. The accommodation costs at this exclusive resort vary significantly – starting from 100,000 hryvnias [$2,600] and reaching 323,000 hryvnias [$8,800] for a single night. Additionally, there is a premium villa option that surpasses one million hryvnias per night [$26,700], according to local media. In response to the publication of the investigation, Mr Aristov promptly resigned from his position as a people’s deputy. Parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk made the announcement of his resignation on Facebook. Read More North Korea’s Kim Jong-un shows Russia’s defence minister banned ballistic missiles Bluffing or not, Putin’s declared deployment of nuclear weapons to Belarus ramps up saber-rattling Ireland unlikely to offer condolences to Russia if Putin dies, Varadkar says The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

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The sudden ouster of Xi Jinping’s handpicked foreign minister is the latest example of how the Chinese president’s

Soldiers in Niger claimed to have seized control of the West African nation after President Mohamed Bazoum was

Pope Francis is making a five-day visit next week to Portugal, where a scandal that erupted earlier this year over Catholic Church sex abuse is still simmering

As mystery swirls over Qin Gang's removal, questions have arisen over what this means for Chinese diplomacy.

Delegations from Russia and China, North Korea's key allies in the Korean War, gathered in Pyongyang this week to celebrate North Korea's "Victory Day" in the war that ravaged the Korean Peninsula seven decades ago as they align over another very contemporary conflict -- Russia's devastating invasion of Ukraine.

The Los Angeles Angels acquired right-handed pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López from the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night

Russia's defence minister Sergei Shoigu praised N Korea’s military as the “most powerful” in the world.

Palestinian health officials say Israeli military fire killed a 14-year-old Palestinian in the occupied West Bank

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he does not think the Irish government would offer condolences to Russia in the event of Vladimir Putin’s death. Mr Varadkar was responding to a question relating to Ireland’s historical foreign policy. He said he did not believe an Irish delegation would be present at the Russian president’s funeral. The hypothetical situation relates to events almost 80 years ago. The Irish government adhered to a strict policy of neutrality throughout the Second World War. However, then-taoiseach and minister for external affairs Eamon de Valera sparked outrage among the international community when he expressed condolences to Germany’s Irish minister Eduard Hempel following Adolf Hitler’s death by suicide in 1945. The event caused significant reputational damage to Mr de Valera and the state, and is regarded as an important moment in the history of Irish neutrality. I wouldn’t imagine we’d be represented at the funeral Taoiseach Leo Varadkar The diplomatic conundrum was dragged into the 21st century this week at a post-Cabinet briefing with Mr Varadkar. While Ireland insists it continues to employ a policy of neutrality, senior government ministers say this relates to being militarily neutral rather than being politically neutral. Last week, Mr Varadkar pledged to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes when he visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. He also announced millions of euro in additional funding for humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Following the trip, the taoiseach was questioned about Mr de Valera’s actions following the death of Hitler. Asked by reporters if Ireland would offer a similar condolence to Russia in the event of Mr Putin’s death, Mr Varadkar said: “I don’t think so.” Briefly pausing to consider the theoretical event, he added: “It’s a good question, I hadn’t thought of it before.” Mr Varadkar, who was banned from travelling to Russia last year, concluded: “I wouldn’t imagine we’d be represented at the funeral.” In November, the Kremlin said it was placing 52 “key representatives” from Ireland on a sanctions list for expressing what it claimed was Russophobic sentiment. Mr Varadkar was among the officials subjected to the ban by Russia. The Russian embassy in Dublin has been approached for comment. Read More Angry Russia refuses to speak at UN meeting on its attacks on Ukraine's key port city of Odesa. Putin ‘looked paralyzed and unable to act’ as Wagner coup unfolded Why are Wagner mercenaries in Belarus – and would they try to invade Poland? Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live