BRUSSELS – The European Union is concerned that Russia might want to enforce its old gas contract with Ukraine once their current arrangement runs out, saying it could contravene Moscow’s peace obligations. EU energy chief Maros Sefcovic said Thursday that any return to the previous contract between Russia’s Gazprom and …
Read More »Independent Crimean TV station raided by Russian security forces
MOSCOW – Independent Crimean television station ATR has been raided by armed security officials, who told employees they were looking for archival footage of an anti-Russia protest last year. In an emotional video posted on YouTube, deputy director Liliya Budzhurova said that armed officials from Russia’s Investigative Committee and Center …
Read More »Belarusian leader defies Kremlin, warns it may opt out of Russia-dominated economic alliance
MINSK, Belarus – New cracks have emerged in a Russia-led economic alliance, with the president of Belarus warning that his nation may opt out of it. Alexander Lukashenko also sternly warned Moscow Thursday that his nation of 10 million will never be part of the “Russian world,” a term coined …
Read More »Israeli military arrests 29 Palestinians on suspected Hamas links in overnight West Bank raid
JERUSALEM – The Israeli military says it has arrested 29 Palestinians suspected of links to the militant Hamas group in an overnight raid in the West Bank. Palestinian security officials said Wednesday the suspects were nabbed in and near the city of Nablus. The military says the raid was conducted …
Read More »Jamaican officials to visit Cuba on trade mission, seek economic opportunities
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaican government is organizing a trade mission to Cuba with representatives from 18 private sector companies. Jamaican Industry Minister Anthony Hylton says the group’s members will meet with their Cuban counterparts from April 20-23 to talk about possible partnerships. William Mahfood is the director of one …
Read More »Romania: court sentences senior judge to 10 years, 8 months for bribes in exchange for rulings
BUCHAREST, Romania – A Romanian court has sentenced a senior judge to 10 years and eight months in prison for demanding money from defendants in exchange for favorable verdicts. Stan Mustata was convicted on six counts of taking bribes, influence peddling and abusing privileged information between October 2013 and April …
Read More »South Sudan: UN, aid groups charge that children are targeted in fresh fighting
JUBA, South Sudan – The U.N. children’s agency saysdozens of children have been killed, at least 12 raped and others abducted and recruited in a series of attacks in South Sudan’s Unity state over a two-week period. UNICEF said in a statement Monday that witnesses believe the attacks were carried …
Read More »Zelenskyy talks Israel, US elections with Fox's Benjamin Hall, and Ukraine's place among 'global risks'
FOX News correspondent Benjamin Hall recently sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a wide-ranging interview during his first visit to Ukraine since he was nearly killed while covering the war in March 2022. The two discussed whether Ukraine’s war against Russia has reached a stalemate and the Israel-Hamas …
Read More »Iowa's Kirk Ferentz takes aim at Lincoln Riley, USC football: 'What is important is wins per game'
By most accounts, the Iowa football team had a successful 2023 season. The Hawkeyes won the Big Ten West Division, but the team’s lack of offensive production was a point of contention throughout the season. Despite the offense’s woes, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz remains confident the style of football he …
Read More »Steelers' George Pickens explains lack of effort to block: 'I didn’t want to get injured'
Second-year NFL receiver George Pickens drew the ire of fans and others after he decided not to block during a running play in a recent Pittsburgh Steelers loss. At one point during last Saturday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts, Jaylen Warren was stopped short of the end zone. Multiple Colts …
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