Section: US & Canada
Deal reached to provide Ukraine with Russian gas
BERLIN — European officials said they had brokered a deal between Russia and Ukraine aimed at ensuring gas flows to keep factories running and homes warm over the coming six months, despite a dispute between Moscow and Kiev over the size of Ukraine’s outstanding bills. …read more Source: Pittsburgh...
Grim Homecomings in Ukraine’s East
A grim homecoming in eastern Ukraine. Many had fled the fighting between Ukraine forces and pro-Russian separatists. Now, with a ceasefire largely holding, some come home amid hopes of returning to a sense of normalcy. With sporadic shelling still striking the region — fear is also part of the new normal. …read more Source: The Boston...
George Clooney’s Wedding Brings Out Stars in Venice
There was no other news on the Rialto on Friday as A-list stars glided into Venice to celebrate the wedding of Hollywood hero George Clooney and human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin. The two-time Oscar winner and Kentucky-born Clooney, 53, is set to renounce his oath of bachelorhood and marry British-Lebanese barrister Alamuddin, 36, in a multi-day...
Weekend Roundup: ISIS Has Unified the World; Climate Change Has Divided It
This week, the U.N. Security Council stood united in a unanimous resolution to fight what President Obama called the ISIS “network of death.” Yet, despite pleas for the world to act together on global warming, the leaders of India and China failed to even show up at the U.N. Climate Summit. India’s environment minister actually...
Olympic Plan to Bar Discrimination in Host Cities Is Just Lipstick on a Pig
The International Olympic Committee has announced that it will “force” future Olympic host cities to sign an anti-discrimination agreement before they are able to host the games. On its face, this is a step in the right direction. Some LGBT activists are claiming credit, celebrating this as some big success for the community. Forgive...
A Fulbright is Not a Political Football
Every now and then Congress shows wisdom as in the recent decision by the House and Senate to reject a request from the Obama administration to cut funding for the famous Fulbright program from $237 to $204 million. What’s a Fulbright and why should you care? The Fulbright is the most competitive and highly sought academic fellowship in the...
Ukraine’s Gas Deal With Russia Reflects Shifting Pressures
Ukraine moved closer to resolving its long dispute with Russia over natural gas, as mounting economic pain at home—and pressure from Europe—increasingly force Kiev into compromising with Moscow. …read more Source: The Wall Street...
Iran nuclear talks faltering amid ‘no progress’
New York (AFP) – Top US diplomat John Kerry was to meet his Iranian counterpart Friday for a second time in two days, amid reports that tough talks on reining in Tehran’s nuclear program have deadlocked.”At this time as I speak, there is no significant progress,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said of the latest...
Abolish the Nukes Before they Abolish Us
The heat of World War II and hubris gave rise to nuclear bombs and their siblings, nuclear power plants. Not much thought went to what these weapons might be or become. Indeed, the Americans rushed and incinerated the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki with their atomic bombs in August 1945. Since 1945, the nuclear bombs are a secret-guarded...
Russia Risks Recession After Economic Sanctions Over Ukraine Crisis
Russia could find itself in a recession if oil prices remain low and international sanctions continue to target its oil industry, according to economists and Russian ministers. Russia’s oil woes could cut 2-4 percent of its $2 trillion annual GDP, which would tip an already slow-growing Russian economy toward stagnation. …read more...
