News archive of September 2014

BEIJING - Serbian writer and publisher Vladislav Bajac, director and editor-in-chief of the Geopoetika publishing company, has received the Special Book Award of China.

This state award has been granted since 2005 to foreign translators, writers and publishers for their contribution to the promotion of Chinese culture.

At least 1,420 people were killed in Iraq in August, the United Nations said on Sept. 1, as sectarian violence raged in the centre and north of the country.

Bulgaria's public debt at the end of July 2014 amounted to EUR 9.4242B, according to data revealed by the Ministry of Finance.

In just a month, Bulgarian government debt has increased by almost EUR 1.31B. The main reason for the growth is the issuance of eurobonds at the international capital markets, the Financial Ministry report showed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged the EU on Sept. 1 to show "common sense" and not to engage in mutually destructive sanctions, in his first reaction to the threat of additional punitive measures over Ukraine.

Up to 15,000 Russian soldiers have been sent to Ukraine over the past two months, and at least several hundred have apparently died in combat there, rights groups exposing army abuses told AFP on Sept. 1.

Temenuzhka Yankova has been appointed Deputy Executive Director of Bulgaria's National Revenue Agency (NRA) through an order of caretaker Finance Minister Rumen Porozhanov.

Syrian troops and Islamist rebels battled close to the armistice line with Israel in the Golan Heights on Sept. 1, as the U.N. pressed efforts to free 44 peacekeepers held by the insurgents.

Serbia, Canada call for urgent end of Ukrainian conflict

BELGRADE -- Serbia and Canada "share the concern for world peace and call for an urgent end of the conflict in Ukraine and the start of a dialogue."

The two countries' foreign ministers Ivica Dačić and John Baird made the statement after their meeting on Monday in Belgrade.

Kiev forces have pulled back from the airport of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine after having fought pro-Russian separatist for hours.

The country's security council confirmed the move in a statement quoted by UNIAN news agency.

Meanwhile reports emerged that a Ukrainian warship had been attacked by separatists in the Azov sea. Kiev says the cutter was assaulted from the coast.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on Monday expected in Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus in his first official visit as new Turkey President.

Erdogan, who was sworn in as his country's first popularly elected president last weeek, was scheduled to meet for talks with Turkish-Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu ahead of a joint press conference.