Tusk

Russia's strategy is to weaken the European Union, stated the President of the European Council Donald Tusk after five-hour negotiations of the bloc on the policy to be adopted with respect to Russia.

EU leaders in Brussels agreed to consider all options against Syria and its allies, including Russia, if it continues bombing civilians in Aleppo.

However, they gave up on the threat of sanctions, said European Council President Donald Tusk.

European Council President Donald Tusk has said Europe needs to work out ways to achieve a more effective control on its external borders.

"We have to guarantee in practice and politically that the Western Balkans route for illegal migrants is closed forever," Austrian daily Die Presse quotes Tusk as saying.

European Council President Donald Tusk will visit Belgrade and meet with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on Friday.

This is according to the European Council website.

European Council President Donald Tusk was in Athens on Thursday when he warned economic migrants not to come to Europe.

At the invitation of European Council President Donald Tusk, President Tomislav Nikolic will on Wednesday in Brussels attend a working dinner.

The office of the Serbian president said in a statement that the meeting will be dedicated to the migrant crisis.

European Council President Donald Tusk says that Russian airstrikes in Syria dealt a blow to hopes of a ceasefire.

AFP reported that Tusk made the statement during his visit to Greece, and "with days to go until an internationally agreed 'cessation of hostilities'."

Sri Lanka's government on Jan. 26 destroyed its biggest ever illegal ivory haul in the first public crushing of poached tusks in South Asia, intended to send a stark message to smugglers.

The international trade in ivory has been banned in most of the world since 1989, but illegal smuggling persists in many parts of Asia where ivory is highly prized for medicinal and decorative uses.

Turkey will help stem the flow ofmigrants to Europe in return for cash, visa liberalization andrenewed talks on joining the European Union in a Nov. 29 deal thatthe Turkish prime minister called a "new beginning."