Section: US & Canada
Meet the private army controlled by sacked Ukrainian billionaire Igor Kolomoisky
Billionaire banking tycoon Igor Kolomoisky was appointed governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a region in the east of the country that includes Ukraine’s third-largest city, in March last year. He had one job — to prevent the territory from falling into the hands of pro-Moscow rebels. Although he was a close ally of President Petro...
Ultra-Nationalist Ukrainian Battalion Gears Up For More Fighting
The far-right Azov battalion, whose symbol resembles a black swastika on a yellow background, is preparing to defend the port city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine against a widely expected attack by pro-Russian separatists. The 1,000 strong ultra-nationalist militia has a reputation as a fierce pro-government fighting force in the almost...
Ukrainian officials detained during government meeting
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian police have detained the head of the state emergency service and his deputy on suspicion of fraud during a… …read more Source:...
Ukraine’s president dismisses powerful regional governor
Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko dismissed the billionaire governor of an eastern region Wednesday following a rancorous dispute pitting the tycoon against the government.Click to Continue » …read more Source: The Bellingham...
10 things you need to know before the opening bell
Here is what you need to know. Heinz and Kraft Foods announced a mega merger. The deal gives Heinz a 51% ownership in “The Kraft Heinz Co,” and 49% ownership to Kraft shareholders. Kraft shareholders are set to receive both stock and a $16.50 special dividend. The deal was financed by a $10 billion contribution from Berkshire Hathaway...
Interpol ‘Reviewing’ Rape Case Against Ukrainian Lawmaker
Interpol says it is looking into rape accusations against Mykola Knyazhytskiy, a Ukrainian lawmaker whose name was placed on its wanted list earlier this week. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
FP’s Situation Report: U.S. slows troop withdrawal from Afghanistan; Congress says ‘So what?’ to Israeli spying; Secret Service scandal grows; and much more from around the world.
By David Francis with Sabine Muscat It’s official: More U.S. troops are staying in Afghanistan through the end of the year. President Barack Obama confirmed what’s been rumored for weeks: 9,800 U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan, an adjustment from the planned drawdown to 5,500 by the end of 2015. But he promised they’ll be...
A cash crunch, a downgrade, and making fast-food pay
Yesterday we took a look at economic crises rocking Brazil and Venezuela, so today, spare a thought for our usual suspects (and their lenders), Greece and Ukraine, whose fortunes just seem to keep on crashing before our eyes. A default for Ukraine is “almost certain”, according to Moody’s, which downgraded the country’s credit outlook...
The low, dishonest decade redux
In his famous poem titled September 1, 1939, British poet W.H. Auden described the 1930s as “a low, dishonest decade.” There are eerie similarities between the third decade of the 20th Century and the second decade of the 21st Century. The third decade of the 20th Century gave the world Nazism and fascism and the Second World War. The second...
A Ukraine Factory That Can’t Close, and Workers Who Won’t Quit
Thousands of workers at a vital coking plant stubbornly return to work every day despite repeated rocket and artillery strikes. …read more Source: The New York...
