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Putin and Obama to meet over Syria and Ukraine

Russian president Vladimir Putin has called Elton John and agreed to meet him, after pranksters recently called the musician pretending to be Mr Putin and his spokesman.

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This time Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that a phone converation has taken place between the Russian president and the singer.

It appears Elton John may have trouble fulfilling the dream of his to meet with Putin about gay rights.

Syrian government forces used newly arrived Russian warplanes to bombard Islamic State insurgents in Aleppo province in northern Syria, a group monitoring the civil war said on Thursday, in an attempt to break a siege on a nearby air base.

Sir Elton has said he wants to talk to Mr Putin about his “ridiculous” attitude to gay rights.

Sir Elton fell victim to a hoax call by comedians claiming to be the Russian President earlier this month.

In a recording published online Sir Elton is heard to say a meeting between he and Putin in November would be “fantastic”. “Putin phoned him and said ‘I know some guys played a trick on you on the phone but don’t get offended”. Prior to that, Obama and Putin briefly discussed the crisis in Ukraine in June during the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

Now, as the economy is in recession again after oil prices halved to around $50 a barrel, Mr. Putin called for better tax collection, saying that the budget should receive more from exporting companies that are benefit ting from the ruble devaluation.

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Russian Federation has faced worldwide criticism for its laws on homosexuality, including a 2013 bill prosecuting people for providing information about homosexuality to people under 18.

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