Civil war that is presently underway in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian prime minister Abby Ahmed has said that the federal troops will not advance further in the war-torn region of Tigre to avoid an escalation of the conflict.

Tigray Conflict Has Displaced Millions

The Russian president Vladimir Putin's apparent obsession with Ukraine has brought in a new cold war-like situation. Russia's increasing military buildup along the Ukrainian border and also the latter's repeated warning of a possible retaliation have triggered fears of possible full-fledged conflict.

Vladimir Putin's Ukraine obsession escalates conflict

Tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine over the military buildup near the border, NATO Chief has issued a stern warning to Russia over its military aggression towards its neighbor.

Tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine

Ukraine: Army ready to repel any attack by Russia

The crisis on the Russia-Ukraine border has Europe on high alert, with a defence analyst warning the situation could descend into a “world war” within weeks if tensions aren’t stemmed.

Russia's military build-up on Ukranian border raises questions

The representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe agreed on establishing a complete and comprehensive ceasefire

Ukraine says Pro-Russian rebels violated 2 ceasefires

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central Kiev on Sunday to protest broader autonomy for separatist territories, part of a plan to end a war with Russian-backed fighters.

Protesters chanted "No to surrender!", with some holding placards critical of President Volodymyr Zelensky in the crowd, which police said had swelled to around 10,000 people.

The country's 41-year-old president is gearing up to hold his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-plans-second-major-prisoner-swap-with-russia-kiev-253705">first summit with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin</a> in an effort to revive a stalled peace process to end the five-year separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

This week Ukrainian, Russian and separatist negotiators agreed on a roadmap that envisages special status for separatist territories if they conduct free and fair elections under the Ukrainian constitution.

Zelensky's critics fear that Putin will push the comedian-turned-politician to make damaging concessions in order to retain Moscow's de-facto control of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine.

Protesters in Kiev's Independence Square said that agreeing to give broader autonomy to the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic would mean surrendering Ukraine's interests.

"We are against a betrayal," protester Sergiy Lezvinsky, 58, told AFP.

"We want to put an end to the occupation, to the decisions that are being fast-tracked".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-leader-says-russia-sanctions-must-remain-in-place-249448">The provisional agreement of a roadmap&nbsp;was a key condition set by Moscow</a> for a meeting that will be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and also involve German Chancellor Angela Merkel.&nbsp;

The plan has been dubbed "the Steinmeier formula", after the former German foreign minister, Frank-Walter&nbsp;Steinmeier, who proposed it.

But many critics say the proposal favours Russia.

Zelensky's predecessor Petro Poroshenko has called it "Putin's formula," claiming it will endorse the Russian annexation of Crimea and Moscow's de-facto control of eastern Ukraine.

"The Steinmeier formula is a Putin project," said protester Mykola Chepiga.&nbsp;

He said elections could take place in eastern Ukraine only if Kiev restores control of the country's borders in the east.

In an address to the nation earlier this week Zelensky said he respected the right of Ukrainians to protest but called on people not to "give in to provocations".&nbsp;

He pledged not to betray the country's interests.

The ex-Soviet country of 45 million people has gone through two popular uprisings in two decades and has been mired in a conflict with separatists since 2014.

The conflict - the worst East-West crisis since the end of the Cold War - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-and-ukraine-carry-out-prisoner-swap-trump-calls-it-first-giant-step-to-peace-248311">broke out after Russia annexed Crimea in March</a>, 2014 and has claimed&nbsp;13,000 lives.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central Kiev on Sunday to protest broader autonomy for separatist territories, part of a plan to end a war with Russian-backed fighters.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central Kiev on Sunday to protest broader autonomy for separatist territories, part of a plan to end a war with Russian-backed fighters. Protesters chanted "No to surrender!", with some holding placards critical of President Volodymyr Zelensky in the crowd, which police said had swelled to around 10,000 people. The country's 41-year-old president is gearing up to hold his first summit with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin in an effort to revive a stalled peace process to end the five-year separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine. This week Ukrainian, Russian and separatist negotiators agreed on a roadmap that envisages special status for separatist territories if they conduct free and fair elections under the Ukrainian constitution. Zelensky's critics fear that Putin will push the comedian-turned-politician to make damaging concessions in order to retain Moscow's de-facto control of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine. Protesters in Kiev's Independence Square said that agreeing to give broader autonomy to the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic would mean surrendering Ukraine's interests. "We are against a betrayal," protester Sergiy Lezvinsky, 58, told AFP. "We want to put an end to the occupation, to the decisions that are being fast-tracked". The provisional agreement of a roadmap was a key condition set by Moscow for a meeting that will be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and also involve German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The plan has been dubbed "the Steinmeier formula", after the former German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who proposed it. But many critics say the proposal favours Russia. Zelensky's predecessor Petro Poroshenko has called it "Putin's formula," claiming it will endorse the Russian annexation of Crimea and Moscow's de-facto control of eastern Ukraine. "The Steinmeier formula is a Putin project," said protester Mykola Chepiga. He said elections could take place in eastern Ukraine only if Kiev restores control of the country's borders in the east. In an address to the nation earlier this week Zelensky said he respected the right of Ukrainians to protest but called on people not to "give in to provocations". He pledged not to betray the country's interests. The ex-Soviet country of 45 million people has gone through two popular uprisings in two decades and has been mired in a conflict with separatists since 2014. The conflict - the worst East-West crisis since the end of the Cold War - broke out after Russia annexed Crimea in March, 2014 and has claimed 13,000 lives.

Thousands protest Ukraine leader's peace plan

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down by a Russian-made missile fired from rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine, an international prosecutors investigation has found.

A report by the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) confirmed the missile that downed the plane was brought in from Russia.

Shortly before a news conference was due to start in Nieuwegein on the outcome of the investigation, families of victims were informed of the investigation&rsquo;s findings.

MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people aboard, most of them Dutch citizens.

The Kremlin said before the family members spoke that radar data showed the plane was not brought down by a rocket fired from territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

&quot;First-hand radar data identified all flying objects which could have been launched or in the air over the territory controlled by rebels at that moment,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow.

&quot;The data are clear-cut...there is no rocket. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere.&quot;

The Buk missile system that was used to shoot down the plane had been transported from Russia into Ukraine, and was returned to Russia immediately afterward.

The Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team included detectives from the Australian Federal Police as well as police from Belgium, Ukraine and Malaysia.

The team have said they will release details of the firing location and type of BUK missile used in the attack, taking them a step closer to identifying individual culprits.

Prosecutors cannot file charges because there is no international agreement on what court a case would be heard in.

Silene Fredriksz, whose 23-year-old son Bryce was on the airplane with his girlfriend, Daisy Oehlers, expects the investigators to say the missile was fired from the rebel-held town of Snizhne.

&quot;We will be able to deduce whether it was Russian or Ukrainian. And I think we will just get a confirmation of what we have thought for months: that is was the prior,&quot; Fredriksz said before meeting investigators.

&quot;This is an important step. As a family we are impatient. We want to know what happened, how it happened and why. We want those responsible to face justice,&quot; she said.

If the investigation confirms that theory, which is supported by photographic evidence and witness statements collected by Reuters, it will directly challenging Moscow&#39;s suggestion that the plane was brought down by the Ukrainian military.

At the time, the nearest Ukrainian-held area was about 6 km (3.7 miles) away.

The downing played a significant part in a decision by the European Union and United States to impose sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict, and East-West tensions escalated to levels not seen since the Cold War ended.

Ukrainian and Western officials, citing intelligence intercepts, have blamed pro-Russian rebels for the incident. Russia has always denied direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict and rejects responsibility for the destruction of MH17.

Dutch prosecutor Fred Westerbeke, head of the investigative team, said earlier it had a &quot;long list of persons of interest&quot; in the case and had been analysing airplane debris and ballistics found at the scene.

Prosecutors have sought legal assistance from Moscow since October 2014, and visited in person for a week in July.

&quot;Russian authorities have offered information in the past, but have not answered all questions,&quot; they said in a statement at the time.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

A Dutch-led probe report suggests the missile was fired from a territory held by Russia-backed rebels

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down by a Russian-made missile fired from rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine, an international prosecutors investigation has found. A report by the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) confirmed the missile that downed the plane was brought in from Russia. Shortly before a news conference was due to start in Nieuwegein on the outcome of the investigation, families of victims were informed of the investigation’s findings. MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people aboard, most of them Dutch citizens. The Kremlin said before the family members spoke that radar data showed the plane was not brought down by a rocket fired from territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. "First-hand radar data identified all flying objects which could have been launched or in the air over the territory controlled by rebels at that moment," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow. "The data are clear-cut...there is no rocket. If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere." The Buk missile system that was used to shoot down the plane had been transported from Russia into Ukraine, and was returned to Russia immediately afterward. The Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team included detectives from the Australian Federal Police as well as police from Belgium, Ukraine and Malaysia. The team have said they will release details of the firing location and type of BUK missile used in the attack, taking them a step closer to identifying individual culprits. Prosecutors cannot file charges because there is no international agreement on what court a case would be heard in. Silene Fredriksz, whose 23-year-old son Bryce was on the airplane with his girlfriend, Daisy Oehlers, expects the investigators to say the missile was fired from the rebel-held town of Snizhne. "We will be able to deduce whether it was Russian or Ukrainian. And I think we will just get a confirmation of what we have thought for months: that is was the prior," Fredriksz said before meeting investigators. "This is an important step. As a family we are impatient. We want to know what happened, how it happened and why. We want those responsible to face justice," she said. If the investigation confirms that theory, which is supported by photographic evidence and witness statements collected by Reuters, it will directly challenging Moscow's suggestion that the plane was brought down by the Ukrainian military. At the time, the nearest Ukrainian-held area was about 6 km (3.7 miles) away. The downing played a significant part in a decision by the European Union and United States to impose sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine conflict, and East-West tensions escalated to levels not seen since the Cold War ended. Ukrainian and Western officials, citing intelligence intercepts, have blamed pro-Russian rebels for the incident. Russia has always denied direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict and rejects responsibility for the destruction of MH17. Dutch prosecutor Fred Westerbeke, head of the investigative team, said earlier it had a "long list of persons of interest" in the case and had been analysing airplane debris and ballistics found at the scene. Prosecutors have sought legal assistance from Moscow since October 2014, and visited in person for a week in July. "Russian authorities have offered information in the past, but have not answered all questions," they said in a statement at the time. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Malaysia plane crash: Missile that downed MH17 was shot from pro-Russia territory

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