Section: KXAN (USA)
Russian ruble keeps falling as oil prices tumble
MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian ruble is tumbling further down, under pressure from low oil prices. The currency was down nearly 3 percent in morning trading in Moscow on Tuesday, floating around 65 rubles per dollar. The ruble has been battered by slumping global prices for oil, Russia’s main revenue earner, and Western sanctions over Ukraine....
Interpol puts ex-Ukraine president Yanukovych on wanted list
MOSCOW (AP) — The international police agency Interpol has issued a wanted notice for former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on charges of embezzlement. The so-called “red notice” issued Monday is not an arrest warrant, but aimed at helping national police agencies of member countries identify suspects. Yanukovych abandoned his post and...
Foreign ministers gather in Berlin to seek Ukraine progress
BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s foreign minister is hosting his counterparts from Russia, Ukraine and France in an attempt to move forward efforts to calm the Ukrainian crisis and perhaps clear the way for a summit of the countries’ leaders. The meeting planned Monday evening in Berlin follows a flurry of diplomacy including a brief weekend...
Merkel urges Putin, Poroshenko to implement peace plan
BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the leaders of Russia and Ukraine that she’s not ready to take part in a four-way summit over the Ukraine conflict unless there’s a chance of real progress. After talking with Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine on the phone Saturday, Merkel met Sunday...
World leaders converge on Paris, with crowd of thousands
PARIS (AP) — Leaders from dozens of countries have arrived at the French presidential palace in an extraordinary display of global unity, while tens of thousands of people crammed into Paris’ Republique square to honor the 17 victims of three days of bloodshed. Even hardened rivals such as the Israeli prime minister and the Palestinian...
France prepares for mass anti-terrorism rally, hunts for suspect
PARIS (AP) — France is vowing to combat terrorism with “a cry for freedom” at a giant rally for unity after three days of bloodshed. The rally in Paris on Sunday is a huge security challenge for a nation on alert for more violence, after 17 people and three al-Qaida-inspired gunmen were killed over three days of attacks on a satirical newspaper,...
Ukraine says separatists intensifying rocket attacks
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian military officials say separatists in the east have intensified their shelling of government positions ahead of peace talks expected in the coming week. The press office for military operations in eastern Ukraine said Friday that army outposts were targeted 50 times by small arms fire, mortars and rockets....
Palestinians say ICC can examine war crimes allegations now
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court can immediately start examining allegations of war crimes against Israel if she chooses, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador said Thursday. Riyadh Mansour told a group of reporters that Palestine’s formal acceptance of the court’s jurisdiction starting June 13, 2014...
Ukraine PM seeks Western unity in pushing Russia on peace
BERLIN (AP) — Ukraine’s prime minister is calling for continued Western unity in pressing Russia to fully implement a much-violated peace deal. Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Thursday that Russia is “desperately trying” to split European Union countries, “but they’re going to fail.” Yatsenyuk is in Berlin to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel, who...
Despite pressure, EU’s sanctions against Russia could last
PARIS (AP) — EU sanctions against Russia over the crisis in Ukraine are cutting both ways and pinching some big European companies. But economic relief isn’t likely any time soon, diplomats and analysts say: EU rules make the sanctions tough to overturn. France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine are trying to set up talks in Astana, Kazakhstan,...
