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WORLD NEWS Friday 7 September 2018

What’s GRU? A look at Russia’s shadowy military spies

By JIM HEINTZ not only with “ensuring
Associated Press conditions conducive to
MOSCOW (AP) — GRU the successful implementa-
isn’t as well-known a bale- tion of the Russian Federa-
ful acronym as KGB or FSB. tion’s defense and security
But Russia’s military intelli- policy” but with providing
gence service is attracting officials intelligence “ that
increasing attention as al- they need to make deci-
legations mount of devious sions in the political, eco-
and deadly operations on nomic, defense, scientific,
and off the field of battle. technical and environmen-
The latest charge came tal areas.”
Wednesday, when Britain ALLEGATIONS
identified two suspects in Britain claims that two
this year’s nerve-agent poi- GRU agents carried out
sonings as GRU agents . this spring’s attack with
An overview of the GRU: the nerve agent Novichok
THE AGENCY on Sergei Skripal, a former
Formally named the Main GRU officer who became
Directorate of the General a British double agent, and
Staff of the Armed Forces, his daughter. Both survived
the agency is almost uni- the poisoning in the city of
versally referred to by its Salisbury, but three months
former acronym GRU. later two area residents
It is the most shadowy of In this Friday, Feb. 23, 2018 file photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to the Defense Minister were sickened by the same
Russia’s secret services. as he arrives to attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, nerve agent, one of them
When its previous director Russia. fatally — it is believed they
Igor Sergun died in 2016, Associated Press found the discarded bottle
the Kremlin announcement neither the date, cause or The agency has an ap- According to the Defense that had carried the Skri-
was so terse that it gave place of death. parently broad mandate. Ministry website, it is tasked pals’ poison.q

Turkish Cypriots protest price hikes from Turkish lira woes

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS north’s parliament to voice to decide their future for
Associated Press their disgruntlement. themselves.
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Turkish Cypriots use the Turkish Cypriots declared in-
Hundreds of Turkish Cypriots lira as their official curren- dependence nearly a de-
took to the streets of eth- cy and its devaluation at cade after the island was
nically divided Nicosia on around 40 percent against split in 1974 when Turkey
Thursday to protest huge the dollar has hit them hard invaded following a coup
hikes in the prices of elec- by severely diminishing their by supporters of union with
tricity, fuel and other goods purchasing power. For ex- Greece. Only Turkey rec-
sparked by the sharp de- ample, electricity prices ognizes the breakaway
valuation of the Turkish lira. have shot up 50 percent north, and has propped up
Holding banners and since February while the its economy to the tune of
chanting slogans decry- price of imported goods 500 million euros annually
ing the hardship besetting has almost doubled. to cover a budget shortfall.
blue-collar Turkish Cypriots, Protester Kemal Gucveren Although Cyprus joined the
protesters ended a march told The Associated Press European Union in 2004,
organized by a coalition that the crisis is Turkey’s do- only the internationally rec- Turkish Cypriot protesters decrying economic hardship brought
of trade unions near the ing and no fault of Turkish ognized south enjoys mem- on by Turkey’s currency woes, march through Nicosia on
Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018.
breakaway Turkish Cypriot Cypriots who should be left bership benefits.q Associated Press