Section: San Francisco Chronicle (USA)
French, German leaders push new peace plan for eastern Ukraine
The trip by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, who will follow by meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Moscow, came as concerns rose about whether the U.S. would grant lethal aid to Ukraine and as NATO formed a quick-reaction force of 5,000 soldiers in response to Russia’s increased...
Hagel concerned about possible split in NATO
BRUSSELS (AP) — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday he is worried about a potential division within NATO as countries in the north want to focus on the growing threat from Russia, while other alliance members in the south are more worried about the influx of foreign fighters from northern Africa. In his final appearance at a NATO meeting...
Top NATO general warns of Russian reaction to arming Ukraine
BRUSSELS (AP) — The top NATO commander says any move to provide Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons must take into account any possible angry reaction from Russia. […] other NATO allies are expressing unease and even outright opposition to any move to provide weapons to the Ukrainians. …read more Source: San Francisco...
French, German leaders head to Ukraine with peace initiative
PARIS (AP) — French President Francois Hollande says he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are heading to Ukraine with a new peace initiative. Speaking at a news conference in Paris and describing the Ukrainian conflict as a war, Hollande said the two will go to Kiev on Thursday and then head to Moscow the following day with a proposal...
3 killed in shelling in rebel stronghold in eastern Ukraine
Fighting between Russia-backed separatists and government forces picked up in January after a month of relative calm. The rebels pledge to carry on with their offensive on the government positions until Kiev stops shelling cities like Donetsk. …read more Source: San Francisco...
NATO official: alliance to beef up response force
BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO’s chief says the alliance is set to more than double the size of its Response Force in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine and the challenge of Islamic extremism. …read more Source: San Francisco...
Oligarchs unload Sochi Olympics assets to recoup investment
SOCHI, Russia (AP) — The ski jump sits shrouded in mist, its coat of snow undisturbed by any athletes hurtling down the ramp to take off into the air. A year ago, the jump bustled with activity at the Sochi Olympics as the world’s best ski jumpers — including women, for the first time — competed for gold. Two key investors have unloaded...
News of the day from across the globe, Feb. 5
Rocket salvos hit a previously safe section of Ukraine’s rebel stronghold of Donetsk on Wednesday, killing at least five people and damaging a hospital, six schools and five kindergartens, rebels said. Embattled Brazilian oil company Petrobras said Wednesday the company’s chief executive officer and five other top figures stepped down...
Civilian woes deepen as battle surges on Ukraine front line
There’s no time for anything more than a few words, as soldiers bark instructions at exhausted people boarding evacuation buses with overflowing bags in hand. On the front lines of Ukraine’s separatist war, despair is deepening for a shrinking population that has been without power, heating and running water for almost two weeks. The...
US tilts toward arming Ukraine
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is tilting toward sending arms to Ukraine to help it fight Russian-backed rebels as three Cabinet-level officials head to Europe for consultations with Ukrainian officials and NATO allies in Brussels, Kiev and Munich. The remarks were the latest in a series of signals this week that the White House may...
