Putin silent on if he’ll seek new term
SOCHI, Russia — Russian President Vladimir Putin, the presumed favorite to win a new six-year term next March, offered a message of renewal in a major address on Thursday. But he failed to deliver the news that Kremlin watchers have been waiting for: whether he will seek reelection.
Russian Kremlin watchers had expected Mr. Putin to announce his candidacy on Thursday, but Mr. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a conference call that the Russian leader planned to concentrate on his current term.
Mr. Putin, who enjoys a seemingly unbeatable 80 percent approval rating, faces a conundrum as the leader who has run Russia for longer than anyone since Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. The Kremlin leader sees a fourth six-year term as the capping point on his legacy as a historical figure for Russia, the one who dragged the country from the ruins of the Soviet Union into modernity and prosperity.
Iraq’s warrant
KIRKUK, Iraq — A Baghdad court issued an arrest warrant for the vice president of Iraq’s autonomous northern Kurdish region on Thursday for saying that Iraqi forces had “occupied” the disputed province of Kirkuk this week.
However, the warrant against Kosrat Rasul is unlikely to be executed as the central government in Baghdad has no enforceable authority in the Kurdish-administered north.
The court accused Mr. Rasul of “insulting” Iraq’s armed forces, which is forbidden by Iraqi law.
OnMonday, Iraq’s federal forces,supported by Iraniansponsoredmilitias, rolled into theoil-rich city of Kirkuk, forcingKurdish militias to withdrawafter brief clashes.TheKurds took over thecity in 2014 when Iraq’s armymelted away ahead of theIslamic State’s blitz across northernand western Iraq.
Russia in Brexit vote?
LONDON — An opposition lawmaker called on the British government on Thursday to investigate suspicions of Russian interference in Britain’s referendum on quitting the European Union, adding that there were “questions” about Arron Banks, one of the chief financial backers of the leave campaign.
Speaking in Parliament, the lawmaker, Ben Bradshaw of the Labour Party, said there was “widespread concern over foreign, and particularly Russian, interference in Western democracies.” He asked for assurances that “all the resources spent in the referendum campaign were from permissible sources.”
Those who opposed Britain’s withdrawal, or Brexit, argued during the referendum that it would delight Moscow by weakening the European Union, which placed sanctions on Russia. But no links to Russian money have been proved.
Kenya’s voting woes
Kenya’smain opposition alliancesaid it had a “good meeting”with the East Africannation’s electoral commissionas the body tries toresolve an impasse over a rerunof a presidential vote scheduledfor next week.
Kenya is repeating its Aug. 8 presidential election after the Supreme Court last month overturned President Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory, saying the vote wasn’t conducted in line with the constitution, and the Independent Electoral & Boundaries Commission’s systems were “infiltrated and compromised.” Opposition leader Raila Odinga withdrew from the rerun on Oct. 10, saying the commission failed to agree to reforms including changes to its staff and computer systems to ensure a credible vote.