Section: San Francisco Chronicle (USA)
Merkel faces Greek challenge with strong political capital
BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel has emerged undamaged from the global financial crisis, European bailouts, an astonishing u-turn on nuclear power and the crisis over Ukraine. […] voters are unlikely to hold a failure of that effort against her “because she has owned this role of protector in the euro crisis for several...
News of the day from across the world, June 26
The death toll reached 1,000 on Thursday in the southern Pakistan port city of Karachi as residents grappled with a devastating heat wave that has crippled the city and overwhelmed its health system. Marines to Bulgaria: A U.S. Marine Corps unit equipped with tanks, light armored vehicles and artillery will be sent to Bulgaria this fall as part...
Putin vows to further strengthen Russian military
Despite the fact that oil-rich Russia is now in a recession, Putin’s plan aims to spend 22 trillion rubles (over $400 billion) through 2020 to give the armed forces dozens of navy ships, hundreds of new planes and missiles and thousands of tanks and other weapons. Coupled with plummeting prices for oil, Western sanctions helped drive the...
Armenian protesters block road for 3rd day over energy hikes
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — A standoff between police and demonstrators protesting a hike in electricity prices blocked the central avenue in Armenia’s capital on Wednesday for a third straight day, with no visible progress toward resolving the worst unrest that the impoverished former Soviet nation has seen in years. Politicians in Russia have...
Diplomats seek to calm Ukraine fighting, break stalemate
PARIS (AP) — The foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany are meeting in Paris to discuss efforts to try to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine. European countries have pushed for a diplomatic settlement while some U.S. legislators want to increase military aid to Ukraine. An array of political, security, humanitarian and economic...
Russian consumer rights group warns against trips to Crimea
Acting on a request from prosecutors, the government communications watchdog on Monday quickly blocked the website of the Society for Protection of Consumer Rights. Last week, the group published a notice warning Russians that after visiting the Black Sea peninsula without permission from Ukrainian authorities they could face criminal punishment...
Kremlin warns of retaliation after sanctions extended
The extension until Jan. 31 will keep the economic pressures in place through the deadline for implementing all parts of a cease-fire agreement to settle the conflict between Ukraine’s Western-allied government and pro-Moscow rebels. Western leaders have repeatedly stated that Russia must support implementation of the cease-fire agreement...
Putin criticizes U.S. but offers to cooperate on global crises
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Russia isn’t seeking dominance or superpower status, but wants its interests to be respected by the United States and its Western allies, President Vladimir Putin said Friday as he sought to assuage investors spooked by Russia’s recession and a showdown over Ukraine. While Putin repeated a litany of...
Putin criticizes US but offers to cooperate on global crises
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — Russia isn’t seeking dominance or superpower status, but wants its interests to be respected by the United States and its Western allies, President Vladimir Putin said Friday as he sought to assuage investors spooked by Russia’s recession and a showdown over Ukraine. While Putin repeated a litany of...
US official: Russian bombers threaten commercial air safety
LONDON (AP) — Russia’s increasingly aggressive military flights near European airspace pose a risk to commercial air safety in the region’s crowded skies, the commander of the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command said Friday. Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson said U.S. forces in the area are following accepted safety practices to make sure that...
