Greece opposes anti-Russia sanctions, seeks to strengthen EU-Moscow ties

© Flickr/ Yoshi5000

Greece does not support sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union, the Greek government special adviser for BRICS affairs told Sputnik Wednesday, adding that Athens is in favor of normalizing EU-Moscow relations.

"Our government has a clear position on that: it is against sanctions," Panagiotis Roumeliotis said. "We should try to work on the European level to overcome the difficulties and the political and economic problems in order to establish and enhance relations with Russia."

He pointed out that on a one-on-one level, EU countries have good relations with Russia.

"We are trying to understand better how we can enhance cooperation with Russia, respecting the interests of more sides," Roumeliotis emphasized.

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Putin: 40+ ICBMs nuclear force boost targeted for 2015

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President Putin's address, International Military-Technical Forum ARMY-2015

Over 40 intercontinental ballistic missiles will be delivered to Russia's strategic forces in 2015, President Vladimir Putin announced at the opening ceremony of the Army-2015 Expo, an international military forum held near Moscow.

"This year, our nuclear forces are going to get more than 40 intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of penetrating all existing, even the most advanced missile defenses," the Russian president said, adding that the state would persist in paying specific attention to realization of a massive military rearmament program and modernization of the defense industry, Putin said.

Vladimir Putin also said that tests of a new radar station capable of beyond-the-horizon aerial target detection will start soon in Russia. The system will be directed westward. A similar radar station is also due to be deployed eastward. And in April a new radar station started operations in the city of Armavir, in southern Russia.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov says that NATO is provoking Russia into an arms race. Antonov's statement was made referring to US plans to put its F-22 jets in Eastern Europe.

"I believe the statement must be looked at together with other similar statements, which have recently been numerous," the deputy defense minister said. "A few days ago, reports started to turn up about certain [American] missiles put in a certain location and about certain ammunition depots in Eastern European countries and the Baltic. It looks like our colleagues from NATO member states are pushing us into an arms race," he said.

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Black bear spotted in Indiana for the first time in over 140 years

Wildlife officials say a wandering Michigan black bear has arrived in Indiana.

A black bear has been spotted in Indiana for the first time in more than 140 years, state wildlife officials said on Tuesday.

Paw prints and a scat pile found in northwest Indiana were left behind by a young male black bear that likely walked into the state from Michigan within the last week, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said in two statements.

"It's quite unusual and exciting for a Michigan lakeshore black bear to move this far south," said Mitch Marcus, an Indiana DNR wildlife official.

It was the first evidence of a wild bear in Indiana since 1871, the DNR said, adding there was no panic in the state about the unexpected visitor.

The scat pile was found in a driveway just north of South Bend and the paw prints were found in LaPorte County, about 70 miles (110 km) southeast of Chicago, according to the department.

Young black bears disperse in the springtime as they seek new territory to settle, it said.

Black bears, once a native species in Indiana, are now listed as an exotic mammal and protected under Indiana law.

"Indiana does not have a breeding population of black bears, and we expect this one to turn back north eventually," Marcus said.

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Elephant gores man to death at beach side restaurant in Thailand

The five-year-old elephant is led away after causing the death of a man who was out eating with friends

A man died in hospital after being gored through the chest by an elephant that was being used to beg for money on a beach in eastern Thailand.

Weeranat Yoodee succumbed to his brutal injuries yesterday following the Monday night attack as he ate dinner with friends at a seaside restaurant in the tourist hub of Rayong, south of Bangkok.

The 28-year-old was speared by the four-ton animal's tusk after it was spooked by nearby commotion - thought to be loud music and passing traffic.

In doing so, it rammed Yoodee and charged into the telecoms worker's friend, Thongpoon Boonraksatrakul - leaving him with severe bruising to his chest and rib cage.

Police rushed to the scene in Tambon Noen Phra, with the two men taken to Krungthep Rayong Hospital.

Yoodee died on Tuesday.

The elephant's keeper - known as a mahout - was identified locally as Surin native Wittawat Aundoungdee, 21. He's been charged with violating animal welfare legislation, recklessness causing death and injury, transporting animals without permission, and using animals in inappropriate work.

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Aundoungdee is said to have told reporters that he brought two elephants from Buriram province in north eastern Thailand four days ago, adding that he was 'confused' to see one of them attack.

He told Thai news website Khaosod: 'I think it might have been startled by car headlights and engine sounds.'

Witnesses claim the five-year-old elephant was walked along the street with Aundoungdee urging diners to buy sugar canes for the elephant.

The two victims were eating local favourite hotpot with 32-year-old Kusuma Laopan when the terrifying incident took place.

She said: 'We ran for our lives.

'Luckily, the mahout stepped in and stopped the elephant, so it stopped harming other people. He then led the elephants away to the other side of the road.'

The maximum penalty for negligence causing death in Thailand is 10 years in jail and a fine of 20,000 baht (£380).

Domesticated elephants in Thailand are believed to outnumber those in the wild by almost two to one - despite the capturing of wild elephants for entertainment purposes being banned.

They are prohibited from entering cities, but sightings of elephants being used as a tool for begging are not uncommon, with hundreds routinely spotted in urban areas by tourists.

The practice has been widely condemned by animal rights activists.

Under Thailand's Animal Cruelty Prevention Act, those caught 'causing unnecessary cruelty' to animals face a 40,000 baht (£750) fine and two years in prison.

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EU to continue illegal and ineffectual sanctions against Russia for another six months

© Sputnik/ Vladimir Sergeev

There will be no additions to the European Union's sanctions against Russia, but they will be extended, a source told RIA Novosti.

The EU's Committee of Permanent Representatives has agreed to prolong economic sanctions against Russia till January 2016. The formal decision is to be made in Luxembourg on Monday.

"The same sanctions have been extended, only an extension for another six months, until the end of January 2016," an EU source familiar with the EU leadership told RIA Novosti.

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Georgia police in Tbilisi shoot tiger that killed man after zoo escape

Animal that escaped in Tbilisi after severe flooding is shot dead but officials say other animals might be on the loose

Police in Tbilisi say a tiger that broke loose after severe flooding at a zoo in the Georgian capital over the weekend has been shot by marksmen after it killed a man and wounded another..

It has now emerged that other animals may still be on the loose, amid conflicting statements from the government and zoo officials.

The man who died is believed to be in his 40s. The tiger reportedly attacked him around midday as he and two others entered a flood-damaged building near Tbilisi's central Heroes Square, a few hundred metres from the zoo.

It brings to 20 the number of people killed in the disaster, with most of the casualties residents of homes that were flooded by the sudden deluge on Saturday night. At least six people are still reported to be missing.

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Amid scenes of panic on Wednesday, police swarmed the area and officers from the "Special Tasks" department of Georgia's Interior Ministry surrounded the big cat inside a complex of repair garages and warehouses. Initial reports had said it was a lion.

About an hour and a half after the attack, an Interior Ministry spokeswoman said the rare white tiger had been "liquidated". The big cat was shot "as it tried to attack one of the officers", said another official. He added "they had no possibility of using a tranquilizer".

There has been controversy over the way the same special police unit reacted to the flooding at the zoo, with some workers saying that many animals were unnecessarily shot.

The government said its officers had done all they could to save the animals caught in the flood, but had to put the safety of Tbilisi residents first.

But there is now mounting alarm that at least two other big animals may still be on the loose in Tbilisi, four days after the flash flood.

On Tuesday, the head of the government's crisis management council, Mindia Janelidze, was quoted as saying all the zoo animals had been accounted for. But the zoo itself released a later statement saying it was still missing a tiger, as well as a bear and a hyena.

"Is it safe or not? We don't know what to believe," said one Tbilisi resident, who lives near the city centre.

At the time the tiger attacked, hundreds of young volunteers were helping to clear up the extensive flood damage in residential areas and a popular city park near the zoo.

There's been huge praise for the way people have rallied round to help, organising donations of clothing and other essentials as well as assisting with the clear-up effort.

But the crisis also shows signs of degenerating into a political fist-fight, with the current government and its predecessor both trying to blame the other for the disaster.

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Record summer cold in the Netherlands

Last night weather station Twente measured minus 4,1 Celsius. It has never been that cold in the Netherlands at this time of year, summer.

For the coming night night frost is expected, too.

Normally there is no night frost after the Ice Saints (May 11 -15).

Thanks to Argiris Diamantis, Hans Schreuder and JJM Gommers for these links

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