Section: KXAN (USA)
Rio still struggles with litany of problems through 1st week
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Rows of empty seats, green water, controlled explosions, stray bullets, the killing of a young policeman in a favela, muggings of team officials, an attack on a media bus, spotty weather, snarled traffic, long travel distances and lack of a Carnival atmosphere. Halfway through the Olympics, Rio de Janeiro is still struggling...
Trade body rules against Russia in tariff dispute with EU
BERLIN (AP) — A World Trade Organization panel has found largely in the European Union’s favor in a dispute over tariffs imposed by Russia on some agricultural and manufactured goods. The ruling released Friday was the first involving Russia since it joined the global trade body in 2012. The case was launched by the EU in October 2014. The...
Russia could break diplomatic ties with Ukraine, PM says
MOSCOW (AP) — Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says Russia could break diplomatic ties with Ukraine over reported security incidents in Crimea, something it did not do even after annexing Crimea or throwing its support behind separatist rebels in the east. State news agencies on Friday quoted Medvedev as saying that he wouldn’t like the ties...
Australian official rejects criticisms of China investor ban
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s treasurer on Friday rejected accusations that the true reason his government plans to ban Chinese bidders from leasing a Sydney electricity grid is to appease influential lawmakers with xenophobic views. Treasurer Scott Morrison announced Thursday that he intends to block Chinese state-owned State Grid...
At least 6 die in bus crash in Crimea
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s top investigative agency says that at least six people have died when a bus fell off a mountain road in Crimea. The Investigative Committee’s branch in Crimea said that the bus traveling from Sudak to Kerch veered off the road and fell 50 meters (164 feet) into a ravine Thursday. It said four passengers,...
The Latest: NATO concerned by Russia, Ukraine tensions
MOSCOW (AP) — The Latest on the Crimean border dispute between Ukraine and Russia (all times local): 5:10 p.m. A NATO official says the U.S.-led alliance is deeply concerned by rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine and is monitoring the situation closely. The official, who wasn’t authorized to make statements on the record and spoke on...
Russia’s Putin meets top brass to discuss security in Crimea
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has held a meeting of the country’s top brass to discuss boosting security in Crimea following the reports of foiled attacks. The Russian intelligence said Wednesday that two people were killed while fending off what it described as a series of attempted attacks in Crimea by Ukrainian...
Australia to ban Chinese from leasing Sydney power grid
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia announced on Thursday it plans to block Chinese bidders from leasing a major Sydney electricity grid on national security grounds. Treasurer Scott Morrison said Chinese state-owned State Grid Corp. and Hong Kong-registered Cheung Kong Infrastructure Group had until next Thursday to respond to his preliminary...
2 Russians killed in reported foiled attacks in Crimea
MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian intelligence agency FSB says one of its employees and a soldier were killed in separate incidents described as foiled terrorist attacks. The FSB said in a statement on Wednesday that its officer was killed late on Saturday outside the town of Armyansk on the de-facto border between Crimea and Ukraine when FSB officers...
Out of sorts, Serena Williams upset at Olympics by Svitolina
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Out of sorts and out of answers, defending champion Serena Williams is out of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Shanking shots of all sorts, including five — yes, five! — double-faults in one game alone, Williams lost to Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3 in the third round in a real shocker Tuesday, ending the No. 1-seeded...
