Section: KXAN (USA)
Putin opens Crimean ‘energy bridge’
MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin has traveled to the capital of Crimea to open an electricity connection with the Russian mainland, 10 days after the peninsula lost power coming from Ukraine. After Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014, it began building an underwater electricity cable system to the peninsula from Russia’s Krasnodar...
Germany deals IOC and Bach a message: No thanks, to Olympics
LONDON (AP) — Once again, German voters delivered a harsh and sobering message to the Olympic movement: No thanks. The rejection of Hamburg’s bid for the 2024 Olympics in a referendum sent out another clear signal that the IOC still has a lot of work to do to convince cities that hosting the games is a boon not a burden. “That’s why...
Obama, Putin discuss Syria, Ukraine during climate talks
LE BOURGET, France (AP) — President Barack Obama is urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to decrease tensions with Turkey following the shoot-down of a Russian jet by Turkish forces. Obama and Putin met briefly on the sidelines of global climate talks outside Paris. The White House says Obama expressed regret for the death of a Russian pilot...
Romania OKs visit by Russian official under EU travel ban
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s foreign ministry has defended a visit by a Russian legislator who is on a European Union sanctions list, saying restrictions do not apply for international meetings. State Duma speaker Sergei Naryshkin arrived in Romania on Friday for a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic...
Central, eastern Europe protest Russian gas pipeline project
PRAGUE (AP) — Slovakia’s economy minister says his country will join forces with other Central and Eastern members of the European Union to protest a recent deal to expand a pipeline that delivers natural gas directly from Russia to Germany. The plan, known as Nord Stream 2, already received angry reactions from some, including Ukraine and...
IAAF says Russia accepts ban, will cooperate with inspectors
MONACO (AP) — Russia vowed Thursday to work “very actively” with track and field’s governing body to eradicate the doping culture that led to its blanket ban from international competition, possibly including next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The decision by Russia’s athletics federation not to contest the ban and its...
Russia holding up Turkish goods at border as relations sour
MOSCOW (AP) — A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin says customs officials are scrutinizing Turkish goods at the border due to “various reasons” including a possible terrorist threat. Relations between the two countries soured after Turkey on Tuesday shot down a Russian warplane on a bombing mission near the Syria border. One of the...
The Latest: US vice president meeting south Europe leaders
BERLIN (AP) — The latest on the mass movement of asylum seekers and others seeking refuge in Europe. All times local: 10:25 a.m. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is attending a summit of southeast European leaders that focuses on tensions in the region over a surge of asylum seekers and migrants crossing the territory. Biden’s trip Wednesday...
Russia halting gas supplies to Ukraine
MOSCOW (AP) — The chief executive of the Russian state-controlled gas company says it is halting supplies to Ukraine. Gazprom’s CEO Alexei Miller said on Wednesday that Russia sent the last shipment to Ukraine at 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday and would not send more because Ukraine has not paid in advance for future supplies. Russia...
Experts study evidence in criminal probe into MH17 downing
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — International experts are meeting in the Netherlands to examine evidence in the criminal investigation into the downing last year of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine, Dutch prosecutors announced Tuesday. The three-week meeting will draw together experts in ballistics, weapons systems, explosives and...
