Section: KXAN (USA)
Gorbachev barred from visiting Ukraine for Crimea remarks
MOSCOW (AP) — The Ukrainian intelligence agency SBU says it has barred the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, from visiting Ukraine for the next five years. The SBU said in a statement Thursday that this was a reaction to Gorbachev’s public condoning of the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea. The Sunday Times quoted 85-year...
Nuclear-free aspirations of Obama, Abe conflict with reality
TOBA, Japan (AP) — There is the soaring rhetoric. And then there’s the messy reality. When U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe make a historic visit to Hiroshima — the first time a sitting U.S. president has visited the site of the first atomic bomb attack — their words advocating nuclear disarmament will...
NATO general: Russia respects power, not compromise
BRUSSELS (AP) — A NATO general says Russia’s recent behavior and actions show its leaders only respect power. Czech Army Gen. Petr Pavel said the Kremlin “sees the liberal approach, the democratic approach, discussions, compromise as a weakness.” Pavel, chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, made the remarks in a videotaped interview...
The Latest: Ukrainian pilot Savchenko freed, flown to Kiev
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — The Latest on Ukrainian pilot Nadezda Savchenko (all times local): 3:35 p.m. Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko has returned to Kiev after nearly two years of being imprisoned in Russia. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman confirmed that the plane carrying Savchenko from...
Hungary wants transparency in EU choice on Russian sanctions
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s foreign minister says the European Union’s decision on whether to extend economic sanctions against Russia for its actions in Ukraine should be transparent and discussed openly. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Wednesday after meeting Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that Hungary will not...
Lawyer: Groundwork being laid for possible Savchenko swap
MOSCOW (AP) — The groundwork is being laid for a possible exchange of Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, who is imprisoned in Russia, and two Russian servicemen jailed in Ukraine, the lawyer for one of the Russians said Wednesday. Both of the Russians, Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev, have submitted a petition for a pardon to...
In final drive, Obama seeks better relations with US foes
WASHINGTON (AP) — In his final stretch as president, Barack Obama is driving the United States toward friendlier relations with longstanding adversaries, working to consign bitter enmities with Vietnam, Iran, Cuba and Myanmar to the history books. Though the reconciliations have been years in the making, Obama hopes he can prove the benefits of...
Ukraine: 7 soldiers killed, 9 wounded in eastern clashes
MOSCOW (AP) — Ukrainian officials say seven soldiers have been killed over the past day in fighting in eastern Ukraine. National Security Council head Oleksander Turchynov said Tuesday nine others have been wounded. The numbers were confirmed by Oleksander Motuzyanik, spokesman for the Ukrainian forces’ operations in the east. They...
New report says health facilities attacked in 19 countries
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Deliberate or indiscriminate attacks have decimated health facilities, killed medical workers and patients, and deprived countless civilians of care in 19 countries during 2015 and the first three months of 2016, a coalition of more than 30 health and humanitarian organizations said in a new report released Monday. The...
Leaders of 4 countries discuss settling Ukraine conflict
MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin says that the leaders of Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine have spoken by telephone about ways to settle the conflict in eastern Ukraine. A Kremlin statement said the participants in the call early Tuesday emphasized the need to observe a cease-fire and discussed raising the efficiency of a monitoring mission by the...
