Section: US & Canada
Ukraine Crisis Update: Rebels Reject Ceasefire, Go On Offensive
Pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine have rebuffed a ceasefire plan proposed by Ukrainian and Russian negotiators and will press forward with an offensive, a rebel leader said Friday. Rebel fighters just one day earlier pushed Ukrainian forces back from Donetsk’s airport, which was the scene of brutal combat between both sides this week....
U.S. Can’t Confirm Pakistani Ban on JuD, Haqqani Network; Abdullah in Talks Over Dual Citizen Nominees; New Details on Obama India Visit
Pakistan U.S. can’t confirm ban on JuD and Haqqani Network On Friday India’s NDTV reported that U.S. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said that the United States could not confirm that Pakistan had banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa, designated by the United States as a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the Haqqani Network (NDTV, ET, Dawn)....
UN: Ukraine Conflict Death Toll Exceeds 5,000
The United Nations human rights agency says the death toll from the conflict in eastern Ukraine has passed 5,000. Spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters Friday that the death toll could be far higher than the official estimate of 5,086 deaths, based on data collected by U.N. human rights monitors since the beginning of hostilities in April....
Ukraine Rebels Reject Peace Talks As Conflict Escalates
DONETSK, Ukraine (AP) — Signs emerged Friday pointing to a major offensive in eastern Ukraine by rebels fighting to break off from the rest of the country. A rebel leader said they will continue to fight and won’t join further peace talks — but left unclear whether they would respect this week’s agreement to pull back heavy weapons...
What Greece’s Election Means For The Rest Of The World
Greece will vote in parliamentary elections on Sunday, nearly one month after Prime Minister Antonis Samaras was forced to call a snap vote after parliament failed to agree on a new president. Polls indicate that radical left-wing party Syriza is set to take the most votes. Whether Syriza gains an outright majority or forms a ruling coalition,...
Belarusian Activists Sentenced Over Euromaidan Commemorations
Five Belarusian activists detained while commemorating victims of a crackdown on antigovernment protests in neighboring Ukraine were sentenced to jail terms on January 23. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
Ukraine Separatists Vow to Take More Territory
DONETSK, Ukraine—Ukraine’s president vowed Sunday to reassert government control over eastern regions as the army unleashed a counter-offensive against Russian-backed separatist fighters vying for command over the airport in the city of Donetsk. The separatist stronghold was shaken by intense outgoing and incoming artillery fire over the...
Russians will ‘eat less’ for Putin, top official says
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Friday, warned the West against trying to topple President Vladimir Putin and said Russians are ready to sacrifice their wealth in Putin’s support. Russia has for the past year been sliding into recession amid a slump in its energy export prices as...
Top official: Russians will ‘eat less’ for Putin
Russia has for the past year been sliding into recession amid a slump in its energy export prices as well as Western sanctions against Moscow’s role in the conflict in Ukraine that has claimed more than 5,000 lives. Shuvalov’s comments triggered pithy remarks on Russia social media including an opposition activist who posted photos of...
Signs emerge of major Ukraine rebel offensive looming
DONETSK, Ukraine – Signs emerged Friday pointing to a major offensive in eastern Ukraine by rebels fighting to break off from the rest of the country. A rebel leader said they will continue to fight and won’t join further peace talks — but left unclear whether they would respect this week’s agreement to pull back heavy weapons from...
