Section: San Francisco Chronicle (USA)
Putin says Russia will scrap South Stream pipeline
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Russia is scrapping the South Stream natural gas pipeline project and may cooperate with Turkey on building a gas hub for southern Europe, President Vladimir Putin said Monday. Putin met his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan amid striking differences over the crises in Syria and Ukraine, but the leaders focused...
US businessman jailed in Russia over broken window
MOSCOW (AP) — Last year, he tried to bring NFL superstar Tim Tebow to Moscow to play for his American football team on a $1 million-per-game contract. […] accused of breaking a window, American businessman Mike Zaltsman shares a packed jail cell with drug dealers. Much has changed for the Boston entrepreneur since a dispute over an office...
Putin in Turkey amid Syria differences
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish host, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, were expected to gloss over their striking differences over the crises in Syria and Ukraine during talks on Monday, focusing instead on their countries’ booming economic and trade ties. Putin arrived in Turkey accompanied by a...
War-hit Ukraine schools turns to Web for education
In early November, a sports field at a high school in Donetsk was hit by shells, killing two teenagers as they were playing soccer. The rebel-held city’s education department says 50 out of the 150 schools in Donetsk have now switched to distance-learning. Andrei Udovenko, head of the Donetsk education department, said school closures have...
Russian ruble takes a nosedive on low oil prices
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s ruble has dropped more than 3 percent, pressured by declining oil prices and the flagging economy. The ruble has been suffering from low oil prices as well as its flagging economy and the pressure of Western sanctions over its role in Ukraine. …read more Source: San Francisco...
Partial results: Moldova parties favoring EU ahead
CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Partial results from elections in Moldova show parties that want to move closer to Europe leading those that favor returning into Moscow’s sphere of influence. Sunday’s parliamentary election has taken on wider significance with the unrest in neighboring Ukraine. …read more Source: San Francisco...
Thousands march in Moscow over planned doctor, hospital cuts
Doctors, patients and other protesters braved the freezing cold to voice their opposition to an ongoing Moscow health care reform that could remove up to 10,000 doctors from their jobs and close 28 hospitals and clinics by early next year. The pressure on the country’s budget has intensified as the economy is taking a hit from low oil...
Thousands rally in Moscow against health care cuts
Doctors, patients and other protesters braved the freezing cold to voice their opposition to an ongoing Moscow health care reform that could remove up to 10,000 doctors from their jobs and close 28 hospital and clinics by early next year. The pressure on the country’s budget has intensified as the economy is taking a hit from low oil...
Pope, patriarch seek dialogue, peace in Ukraine
ISTANBUL (AP) — Pope Francis and the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians have called for peace in Ukraine and for all sides to pursue dialogue based on international law to resolve the conflict. …read more Source: San Francisco...
At least 2 killed in Ukraine shelling
DONETSK, Ukraine (AP) — At least two people have been killed in a rocket attack that left a hospital badly damaged in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, where fighting is raging between government forces and Russian-backed separatist rebels. The mayor’s office in the rebel-held city said Friday that a 12-year old boy and 55-year old...
