Section: US & Canada
Putin’s Russia seeks to project power with modern military
MOSCOW (AP) — With an aircraft carrier deployed off Syria’s shores and hundreds of new jets, missiles and tanks entering service each year, President Vladimir Putin can project Russian military power on a scale unseen since Soviet times. A massive reform effort launched in the wake of Russia’s 2008 war with Georgia has transformed a...
Ukraine Said Ready To Join EU Negotiations With Russia Over Gas
Ukraine is ready to join European Union talks on gas issues with Russia on December 9, Ukraine state energy company Naftogaz said on its Twitter account on December 5. “The talks will focus on the ‘winter package’ for the next winter,” said Naftogaz chief Andrey Kobolev said, adding that Ukraine may resume direct purchases...
Ukraine Ready to Join Trilateral Gas Talks in Brussels
Ukraine is ready to join trilateral talks to discuss gas issues with Russia on Dec. 9 in Brussels, Ukraine state energy company Naftogaz said on its Twitter account on Monday. The former Soviet republic has not bought gas directly from Russia since November 2015, following a breakdown in relations after Russia’s annexation of Crimea and...
NATO Ministers to Meet With Trump on Their Minds
NATO foreign ministers face a busy agenda as they meet for year-end talks Tuesday in Brussels, with closer ties with the European Union topping the list. But at a time when the alliance faces myriad challenges, the biggest issue is not on the official agenda: What NATO course will Donald Trump chart when he becomes U.S. president? “Trump will be...
Senate: Act now to save Ukraine
The Senate is divided on many issues, but on foreign policy – and especially on deterring Russian aggression and adventurism – there is broad consensus. As much as the next administration will test that resolve, the next six weeks may literally… …read more Source: The...
European Union populists: Is the genie out of the bottle?
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Another crisis looms in an already shook-up European Union. Italian voters rocked Europe’s boat more this weekend than Austrian voters were able to steady it. With its shaky banks and massive economy, Italy is now in the throes of energized populists who are no friends of EU leaders in Brussels. And the storm...
European Union populists: Is the genie out of the bottle?
Unless EU juggernauts like France and Germany find ways to turn the tide, it could leave the defeat of the extremist right wing in Austria’s presidential election on Sunday as a mere blip on an increasingly muddled screen. “Inside this vote, there is a vote of frustration, discontent — punishment,” Orsina said of the...
Ukrainian Prime Minister Dismisses Eurovision Host Rumors as ‘Propaganda’
It is an old cliche that the Eurovision Song Contest is really all about one thing—politics. The camp, annual sing-off between countries across Europe (and featuring Australia), whose winner is decided by televotes, often serves as a less-than-subtle indicator of both camaraderie and resentment in some of the continent’s most polarised...
Putin Panic Triggers Pentagon Spending Spree
The 1980s are calling, and they want their military budget back. Reuters reports that top U.S. military brass are increasingly worried about the threat from Russia and are seeking to prioritize countermeasures in the next defense budget: “Russia is the No. 1 threat to the United States. We have a number of threats that we’re dealing with,...
Five police officers killed by fellow officers in crime scene mixup in Ukraine
Ed AdamczykKNYAZHYCHI , Ukraine, Dec. 5 (UPI) — Five police officers were shot and killed by fellow officers near Kiev when uncover officers were mistaken for burglars, an Interior Ministry official said. …read more Source: United Press...
