Section: KXAN (USA)
Top Russian official: Western sanctions threaten oil output
MOSCOW (AP) — The chairman of the Russian Security Council says Western sanctions are threatening the country’s oil and gas industry. The United States, the European Union and other countries last year imposed sanctions against Russia for its role in the Ukrainian conflict. Some of them made it virtually impossible for energy companies to...
EU unveils vast plan to merge 28 energy markets
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s executive has unveiled a vast plan to merge the EU’s 28 national energy markets with the aim of providing cheaper energy for consumers and weaning Europe off Russian gas supplies. European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic on Wednesday called it “undoubtedly the most ambitious energy...
Ukrainian military: attacks down, but not yet a cease-fire
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s military says rebel violations of a cease-fire in the country’s east are persisting, but have fallen off in recent days. Military spokesman Lt. Col. Anatoliy Stelmakh told a briefing Wednesday that Russian-backed rebels shelled the village of Popasna twice during the night and also continued trying to...
Report: Cluster bombs have been used in Ukraine conflict
MOSCOW (AP) — Illegal weapons such as cluster bombs have been used in the Ukraine conflict, Amnesty International said Wednesday while also criticizing both sides in the fighting for the high number of civilian deaths. “Taking into account everything we understand for now, we think that they (cluster bombs) were used by both sides,” the...
Lithuania restores compulsory military service
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania has decided to restore compulsory military service for young men as tensions in Ukraine continue to worry the small Baltic nation. After a meeting of military leaders and top government officials, President Dalia Grybauskaite said Tuesday the measure was necessary because of “growing aggression” in Ukraine....
4-way talks on Ukraine underway in Paris
PARIS (AP) — Talks about a fragile peace deal for Ukraine are underway in Paris between the foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France. The meeting at the French Foreign Ministry comes amid scattered violence and uncertainty that the accord will hold — in particular a promised withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line. Ukraine...
Ukraine rebels claim weapons pullback begins
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine say they have begun a large-scale pullback of heavy weapons in line with an international peace plan that aims to form a wide buffer zone between separatists’ and Ukrainian forces’ artillery. The claim Tuesday by Eduard Basurin, a top rebel commander, could not immediately...
OSCE says Ukraine cease-fire has lowered military exchanges
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe says the cease-fire in Ukraine has “very significantly” lowered the level of military exchanges between government and separatist forces, but violations are still taking place. Lamberto Zannier told a group of reporters Monday that there have been a number...
Russia and US spar over global crises at UN meeting
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia’s foreign minister is implicitly accusing the United States of violating U.N. principles by bombing Syria, occupying Iraq under false pretenses and manipulating a Security Council mandate to destroy and create chaos in Libya. Sergey Lavrov, clearly pointing at the U.S. without naming it, said these acts were the...
Population 7,500, Guingamp takes on the world’s best
GUINGAMP, France (AP) — The coaches went to their club president with a modest request: could he buy them a hut, locker or something to store their footballs and equipment? “No,” replied Bertrand Desplat, “it costs money.” With one of the puniest budgets in France’s top division, Guingamp can’t splash the cash like some of the...
