Section: San Francisco Chronicle (USA)
Report: Flight 17 likely downed by outside impact
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch team investigating the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Eastern Ukraine says the crash was likely caused by the plane being hit by multiple “high-energy objects from outside the aircraft.” The preliminary report published Tuesday by the Dutch Safety Board stopped short of saying the...
AP Analysis: Putin pins his hopes to Ukraine truce
From the onset of the Ukrainian crisis, Putin’s objective has been to secure enough autonomy for Ukraine’s Russian-speaking east that the region can keep its close ties to Russia — and to prevent Ukraine from ever joining NATO. Putin couldn’t afford to see the insurgents defeated, and the rebel counter-offensive sharply turned...
Canadian navy ship buzzed by 3 Russian jets
TORONTO (AP) — A Canadian navy frigate taking part in a NATO exercise in the Black Sea was buzzed by three Russian military jets off the southern coast of Ukraine in an “unnecessarily provocative” incident, Defense Minister Rob Nicholson said Monday. Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told Russian news agencies on Tuesday that the...
EU formally adopts new sanctions against Russia
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Council has formally adopted a package of further EU sanctions against Russia over its actions in eastern Ukraine, but is delaying the enforcement to assess the implementation of the cease-fire agreement first. …read more Source: San Francisco...
No body, no end to grieving for Flight 17 family
The room, with its mural of palm trees, unmade bed and a table cluttered with clothes and books, is a constant reminder to Bryce’s parents Silene and Rob Fredriksz of the unbearable loss of their 23-year-old son and his 20-year-old girlfriend. Experts working to identify remains found at the crash scene have still found no trace of the...
Serbia caught in middle over Ukraine
Serbia finds itself caught in the middle of Moscow’s row with the West over Ukraine and is suddenly being confronted with a hard choice: continue down its path toward EU membership, or give up that dream and seek closer ties with its traditional Slavic ally Russia. […] Serbia could sit on the fence. Serbian officials are finding it...
New UN rights chief: Syria, Iraq is first priority
GENEVA (AP) — The Jordanian prince taking the helm of the U.N.’s human rights office urged the world Monday to set as its first priority bringing a halt to the gruesome and conjoined conflicts in Iraq and Syria. The veteran diplomat and campaigner for international justice also told the U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday that at least...
Cease-fire holds in eastern Ukraine
The Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Monday that 15 Ukrainian soldiers had been released by rebel forces, another key element of the deal. …read more Source: San Francisco...
Cease-fire in Ukraine immediately jeopardized by clashes
Clashes broke out Sunday outside Donetsk, the main rebel-held city in eastern Ukraine, throwing the freshly forged cease-fire agreement between government troops and Russian-backed separatists into deepening peril. Cease-fire negotiators had agreed on the withdrawal of all heavy weaponry, the release of all prisoners and the delivery of...
US to help Georgia boost its defenses
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says Russia President Vladimir Putin’s (POO’-tihn) move to annex the Crimea region of Ukraine has further isolated Moscow. …read more Source: San Francisco...
