Section: Jamaica
Analysis: Russia’s tone familiar after spy poisoning report
President Vladimir Putin has made no public comment on the sensational report by a British judge that concluded the Kremlin leader probably approved a 2006 plan to kill a Russian dissident in London. Instead, his subordinates went before reporters and portrayed it as a groundless accusation concocted by a relentlessly hostile West. Moscow...
UK judge: Putin probably approved plan to poison ex-spy
President Vladimir Putin probably approved a plan by Russia’s FSB security service to kill a former agent-turned-Kremlin critic who died after drinking tea laced with radioactive poison. This was revealed by a British judge said Thursday in a strongly worded report that led Moscow to accuse Britain of a politically motivated attack. Judge...
Obama, Putin call for tough response to North Korea
President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin joined Wednesday in calling for a tough global response to North Korea’s recent nuclear test, even as they remained at odds over Ukraine and Syrian President Bashar Assad. In a wide-ranging phone call, Obama and Putin appeared to speak past one another about the situation in...
Defending champion Federer into Brisbane semifinals
Roger Federer overcame a lingering sickness to hold off Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-4 on Friday and take his title defense into the semifinals at the Brisbane International. Another former winner, the unseeded Victoria Azarenka, moved into the women’s final by seeing off U.S. qualifier Samantha Crawford 6-0, 6-3. After the men’s...
Federer opens his 2016 season with easy win in Brisbane
Roger Federer recalled the celebrations and the festive atmosphere of his 1,000th match victory on tour as soon as he returned to the Brisbane International to fine-tune his preparations for the Australian Open. He achieved the milestone in the final here last year, when he beat Milos Raonic and shared the podium with some of the players he...
Serena Williams withdraws from Hopman Cup with knee problem
Serena Williams withdrew from the Hopman Cup on Wednesday because of inflammation in her left knee, a setback in her preparations for the Australian Open. Williams has been replaced by Vicky Duval in the U.S. team for the last Group A match against the Czech Republic on Thursday. Williams withdrew ahead of her season-opening match against Ukraine...
Serena Williams withdraws at Perth, injury toll grows
Serena Williams retired during the second set of her Hopman Cup match in Perth on Tuesday, completing a day of injuries and upsets for the leading players on the women’s tour less than two weeks from the Australian Open. Williams, who missed the U.S. team’s opening loss to Ukraine on Monday because of inflammation in her left knee,...
Tough tennis act to follow: Can Serena dominate again?
There may be no tougher act to follow in any sport in 2016 than Serena Williams’ attempt to match her nearly perfect season of tennis last year. Williams, who won the first three majors in 2015 and lost in the U.S. Open semifinals — 26 consecutive wins in majors, just missing a calendar-year Grand Slam — will begin that attempt when she...
Pope urges Christmas prayers for Syria, Libya peace
Pope Francis issued a Christmas Day prayer that recent U.N.-backed peace processes for Syria and Libya will quickly end the suffering of their people. He denounced the “monstrous evil” and atrocities they have endured and praised the countries that have taken in their refugees. Speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter’s...
Ukraine says it won’t repay Russian debt due by weekend
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on Friday that his country won’t repay a $3 billion debt owed to Russia by this weekend after Moscow’s refusal to accept repayment terms already offered to other international creditors. The “moratorium” on outstanding debt repayments to Russia effectively means that Ukraine...
