Zelenskyy, atomic agency chief discuss nuclear plant fears
March 27, 2023 GMTZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — The U.N.'s atomic energy chief warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a meeting Monday that the perilous situation at Europe’s largest nuclear plant “isn’t getting any better” as relentless fighting in the area keeps the facility at risk of a disaster.
Poland: Foreigner held on suspicion of spying for Russia
March 27, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Prosecutors in northern Poland said Monday a foreign national suspected of spying for Russia will remain in custody for three months until an investigation is completed.
Prosecutors in Gdansk responsible for military matters said the foreigner, whose identity has not been released, admitted to having passed sensitive information to Russian intelligence.
Ukraine demands emergency UN meeting over Putin nuclear plan
March 26, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's government on Sunday called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to “counter the Kremlin's nuclear blackmail” after Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed plans to station tactical atomic weapons in Belarus.
New Russian campaign tries to entice men to fight in Ukraine
March 26, 2023 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Advertisements promise cash bonuses and enticing benefits. Recruiters are making cold calls to eligible men. Enlistment offices are working with universities and social service agencies to lure students and the unemployed.
Putin says Russia will station tactical nukes in Belarus
March 25, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans on Saturday to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, a warning to the West as it steps up military support for Ukraine.
Russia ‘largely stalled’ in Bakhmut, shifting focus, UK says
March 25, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The top commander of Ukraine's military said Saturday that his forces were pushing back against Russian troops in the long and grinding battle for the town of Bakhmut, and British military intelligence says Russia appears to be moving to a defensive strategy in eastern Ukraine.
New Zealand tells China its concern on lethal aid to Russia
March 25, 2023 GMTBEIJING (AP) — New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has expressed concern to China over any provision of lethal aid to support Russia in its war against Ukraine during a meeting with her Chinese counterpart.
Biden, Trudeau say ‘inseparable’ nations won’t fail Ukraine
March 25, 2023 GMTOTTAWA, ONTARIO (AP) — President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday celebrated the close, “inseparable” U.S.-Canada relationship and vowed that the two nations remain committed to defending Ukraine as it tries to repel a Russian invasion that has no end in sight.
Russia puts ex-Putin speechwriter on wanted list
March 24, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Police in Russia placed a former speechwriter for President Vladimir Putin on a wanted list for criminal suspects, the latest step in a sweeping crackdown on dissent.
US sanctions Belarus’ election officials, president’s plane
March 24, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. imposed sanctions Friday on seven Belarusian elections officials, two state-owned automotive manufacturers and President Alexander Lukashenko's aircraft.
Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, intensified his repression after a wave of protests in 2020 following a presidential election that the West and Belarus’ opposition denounced as a sham.
UN decries torture, killing of Ukrainian and Russian POWs
March 24, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.N. human rights monitors have documented dozens of summary killings of Ukrainian and Russian prisoners of war, as well as other possible war crimes such as the use of torture, human shields and other abuses against POWs since Russia invaded its neighbor, according to a report released Friday.
Russian strikes in Ukraine kill 10 civilians, wound 20 more
March 24, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Long-range Russian bombardment killed at least 10 civilians and wounded 20 others in several parts of Ukraine on Friday, officials in Kyiv said, as a Kremlin official boasted that its forces were prepared to repel an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive this spring.
Saudi Arabia, Syria may restore ties as Mideast reshuffles
March 24, 2023 GMTBEIRUT (AP) — Saudi Arabia is in talks with Syria to reopen its embassy in the war-torn nation for the first time in a decade, state television in the kingdom reported late Thursday, the latest diplomatic reshuffling in the region.
House China panel turns focus to plight of Uyghurs
March 24, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Two women who experienced life in Chinese “reeducation” camps for Uyghurs told lawmakers Thursday of lives under imprisonment and surveillance, rape and torture as a special House committee focused on countering China shined a light on human rights abuses in the country.
Prince William thanks Poland for generosity to Ukrainians
March 24, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Britain's Prince William paid tribute on Thursday to Poles who lost their lives in past wars, and expressed gratitude to the nation for what it is doing today to provide humanitarian and military support to Ukraine.
A look at the uranium-based ammo the UK will send to Ukraine
March 24, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Russia threatened to escalate attacks in Ukraine after the British government announced it would provide to Ukraine a type of munition that Moscow falsely claims has nuclear components.
Biden’s Canada agenda stacked: NORAD, migration deals likely
March 24, 2023 GMTOTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — President Joe Biden arrived in Canada on Thursday for talks with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on several of the world's most difficult challenges: the war in Ukraine, climate change, trade, mass migration and an increasingly assertive China.
Trump arrested? Putin jailed? Fake AI images spread online
March 23, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump getting gang-tackled by riot-gear-clad New York City police officers. Russian President Vladimir Putin in prison grays behind the bars of a dimly lit concrete cell.
Russian officials seek another opposition activist’s arrest
March 23, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — A Russian court on Thursday issued an order to arrest an opposition activist on charges of disparaging the military, and auhorities declared other activists and bloggers “foreign agents” amid efforts to muzzle criticism of Russia's action in Ukraine.
Ukraine president visits front-line areas as new phase nears
March 23, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's president on Thursday made his third visit in two days to areas that have felt the brunt of Russia’s war, with a trip to the southern Kherson region that was retaken from the Kremlin’s forces, and as a senior Kyiv commander hinted that a brewing Ukrainian counteroffensive could come “very soon.”
DeSantis walks back ‘territorial dispute’ remark on Ukraine
March 23, 2023 GMTCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is walking back his characterization of Russia’s war in Ukraine as a “territorial dispute,” following criticism from a number of fellow Republicans who expressed concern about the potential 2024 presidential candidate’s dismissive description of the conflict.
Russia’s security chief blasts West, dangles nuclear threats
March 23, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — A top Russian security official warned Thursday about the rising threat of a nuclear war and blasted a German minister for threatening Russian President Vladimir Putin with arrest, saying that such action would amount to a declaration of war and trigger a Russian strike on Germany.
China’s Xi invites Spanish PM on state visit next week
March 23, 2023 GMTMADRID (AP) — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has accepted an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping to make a state visit to Beijing as Xi tries to galvanize support for China's peace proposal for Ukraine.
Hungary would not act on Putin arrest warrant, official says
March 23, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Authorities in Hungary would not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he were to enter the country despite him being the subject of an international warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, a Hungarian official said Thursday.
Ukraine: Russia hits apartments and dorm, killing civilians
March 23, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia stepped up its missile and drone attacks against Ukraine on Wednesday, killing students and other civilians, in a violent follow-up to dueling high-level diplomatic missions aimed at bringing peace after 13 months of war.
Prince William visits Poland to support ally helping Ukraine
March 23, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Prince William made a surprise visit to Poland on Wednesday that underscored Britain’s support for a nation on the front line of efforts to help refugees displaced by Russia's war in Ukraine and to assist the Ukrainian military in fighting off the invasion.
Today in History: March 23, “Titanic” wins 11 Oscars
March 23, 2023 GMTToday in History
Today is Thursday, March 23, the 82nd day of 2023. There are 283 days left in the year.
Analysis: China’s sway over Russia grows amid Ukraine fight
March 22, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — It was a revealing moment during Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s tightly scripted visit to Moscow: Standing in the doorway of the Grand Kremlin Palace, he told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the two of them were “witnessing the changes that haven't been seen in more than a century, and we are pushing them together.”
What if an America under Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis turns its back on the Ukraine war?
March 22, 2023 GMTWhile in office, US secretary of state Madeleine Albright referred to America as an "indispensable nation", a statement that is still true. Last century, America ensured that Adolf Hitler's totalitarian barbarism did not turn Europe into a dark place.
Antony Blinken says China will be capable of invading Taiwan by 2027
March 22, 2023 GMTUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday concurred with a US intelligence chief's assessment that China will be able to invade Taiwan by 2027.
"In February, CIA Director (William) Burns said that, as a matter of assessment, China seems to be capable of conducting an invasion by 2027, if so ordered.
China calls Xi’s Russia visit one of friendship, peace
March 22, 2023 GMTBEIJING (AP) — China on Wednesday said President Xi Jinping’s just-concluded visit to Russia was a “journey of friendship, cooperation and peace,” and again criticized Washington for providing military support to Ukraine.
Japan’s Kishida pledges aid for Ukraine-backing Poland
March 22, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Japan's prime minister pledged Wednesday to provide Poland with development support to help the European country assist neighboring Ukraine as it defends itself from Russia's invasion.
China and Russia: explaining a long, complicated friendship
March 22, 2023 GMTTAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping just concluded a three-day visit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a warm affair in which the two men praised each other and spoke of a profound friendship.
Ukraine, IMF agree on $15.6 billion loan package
March 22, 2023 GMTFRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund have agreed on a $15.6 billion loan package aimed at shoring up government finances severely strained by Russia's invasion and leveraging even more support by reassuring allies that Ukraine is pursuing strong economic policies and fighting corruption.
Ukraine, Russia trade claims after blast rocks Crimean town
March 21, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian and Ukrainian officials gave conflicting accounts Tuesday of what appeared to be a brazen attack on Russian cruise missiles transported by train in the occupied Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula.
Japan’s PM offers Ukraine support as China’s Xi backs Russia
March 21, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made a surprise visit Tuesday to Kyiv, engaging in dueling diplomacy with Asian rival President Xi Jinping of China, who met in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin to promote Beijing's peace proposal for Ukraine that Western nations have all but dismissed as a non-starter.
Putin hosts Xi in the Kremlin with imperial palace pageantry
March 21, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Russia and China showcased their “no-limits friendship” on Tuesday during a pomp-laden Kremlin ceremony intended to further cement ties amid the fighting in Ukraine.
After hosting Chinese leader Xi Jinping over a seven-course private dinner for 4½ hours the previous night, Russian President Vladimir Putin greeted him in the old imperial palace for talks involving top officials from both countries.
Russia’s reliance on China rises amid Ukraine sanctions
March 21, 2023 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Like a salesman buttering up his best customer, President Vladimir Putin gushed about China's economic success as he welcomed Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the Kremlin.
Russia targets Nobel Peace Prize rights group with raids
March 21, 2023 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russian authorities on Tuesday raided the homes and offices of multiple human rights advocates and historians with the prominent rights group Memorial that won the Nobel Peace Prize last year.
Millions in extra funding pledged for ICC work in Ukraine
March 21, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — An international conference in London raised 4 million pounds ($4.9 million) to support the International Criminal Court in its investigations into alleged war crimes in Ukraine and its work to hold Russia to account, officials said Monday.
Japan, China push opposing visions in top-level visits
March 21, 2023 GMTBANGKOK (AP) — Asia’s stake in Europe’s war was made crystal clear Tuesday when the leaders of the region's two richest countries sat in the capitals of Russia and Ukraine in strong shows of support for the opposing sides.
Today in History: March 21, Johann Sebastian Bach is born
March 21, 2023 GMTToday in History
Today is Tuesday, March 21, the 80th day of 2023. There are 285 days left in the year.
Ukraine hints it hit Russian missiles in occupied Crimea
March 21, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence agency reported what appeared to be a brazen attack late Monday on Russian cruise missiles being transported by train in the occupied and illegally annexed Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula.
Russia to hold UN meeting on Ukraine kids taken to Russia
March 21, 2023 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia plans to hold an informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council in early April on what it said is “the real situation” of Ukrainian children taken to Russia, an issue that has gained the spotlight following the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes related to their abduction.
Putin welcomes China’s Xi to Kremlin amid Ukraine fighting
March 20, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin warmly welcomed Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the Kremlin on Monday, sending a powerful message to Western leaders that their efforts to isolate Moscow over the fighting in Ukraine have fallen short.
Putin sticks to protocol during Chinese leader Xi’s visit
March 20, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin wasn't waiting at the end of the red carpet to greet Chinese leader Xi Jinping upon his arrival in Russia on Monday for a high-profile visit.
Putin warns Russia could drop grain deal after 60 days
March 20, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed on Monday that Moscow has agreed to extend a deal allowing the exports of Ukrainian grain to global markets only for 60 days and could drop it altogether if its conditions aren't met.
US sending ammunition, tanker trucks, boats to Ukraine
March 20, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department announced Monday that the U.S. will send Ukraine $350 million in weapons and equipment, as fierce battles with Russian forces continue for control of the city of Bakhmut, and troops prepare for an expected spring offensive.
China’s Xi meeting Putin in boost for isolated Russia leader
March 20, 2023 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping is due to meet with Vladimir Putin in a political boost for the isolated Russian president after the International Criminal Court charged him with war crimes in Ukraine.
New Zealand’s foreign minister to visit counterpart in China
March 20, 2023 GMTWELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand's Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will visit her counterpart Qin Gang in Beijing this week in the first trip by a New Zealand minister to China in four years, officials said Monday.
Today in History: March 20, Menendez brothers convicted
March 20, 2023 GMTToday in History
Today is Monday, March 20, the 79th day of 2023. There are 286 days left in the year.
Long-serving Montenegro president to face newcomer in runoff
March 19, 2023 GMTPODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — The long-serving incumbent will face a political newcomer in a runoff presidential election in Montenegro next month no one won in the first round of voting on Sunday held amid a political turmoil in the Balkan country, early projections showed.
Russia’s Putin makes surprise trip to occupied Mariupol
March 19, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the occupied port city of Mariupol, his first trip to Ukrainian territory that Moscow illegally annexed in September and a show of defiance after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest on war crimes charges.
Serbian president criticizes ICC arrest warrant for Putin
March 19, 2023 GMTBELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Issuing an international arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin will have negative consequences and will only prolong the war in Ukraine, Serbia’s president said Sunday.
China’s Saudi-Iran deal is a clear victory in its global push to be a force for peace
March 18, 2023 GMTBeijing deserves credit for seizing the opportunity to support Saudi-Iranian rapprochement.
Russia, Ukraine extend grain deal to aid world’s poor
March 18, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — An unprecedented wartime deal that allowed grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where hunger is a growing threat and high food prices are pushing more people into poverty was extended just before its expiration date, officials said Saturday.
Pro-Moscow voices tried to steer Ohio train disaster debate
March 18, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Soon after a train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals in Ohio last month, anonymous pro-Russian accounts started spreading misleading claims and anti-American propaganda about it on Twitter, using Elon Musk's new verification system to expand their reach while creating the illusion of credibility.
How a warrant for Putin puts new spin on Xi visit to Russia
March 18, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week highlighted China’s aspirations for a greater role on the world stage.
Facing arrest warrant, Russia’s Putin visits annexed Crimea
March 18, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the Black Sea peninsula’s annexation from Ukraine on Saturday, the day after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader accusing him of war crimes.
Today in History: March 18, Hitler and Mussolini join forces
March 18, 2023 GMTToday in History
Today is Saturday, March 18, the 77th day of 2023. There are 288 days left in the year.
International court issues war crimes warrant for Putin
March 18, 2023 GMTTHE HAGUE (AP) — The International Criminal Court said Friday that it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine.
Russia will extend Ukraine grain deal for 60 days — not 120
March 18, 2023 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — On the eve of the expiration of a deal enabling Ukraine to export grain, the United Nations’ humanitarian chief on Friday called its extension crucial to ensuring global food supplies and keeping prices from spiraling as they did after Russia’s invasion of its smaller neighbor.
US and other Western nations wary of Xi’s trip to Moscow
March 17, 2023 GMTWashington and other Western capitals reacted warily on Friday to the announcement of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia next week, with the US "deeply concerned" Beijing could try to pose as a peacemaker by promoting an immediate ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.
How Moscow grabs Ukrainian kids and makes them Russians
March 17, 2023 GMTOlga Lopatkina paced around her basement in circles like a trapped animal. For more than a week, the Ukrainian mother had heard nothing from her six adopted children stranded in Mariupol, and she was going out of her mind with worry.
Russia to award pilots involved in US drone incident
March 17, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Russian fighter pilots involved in an incident with a U.S. drone that resulted in its crash will be given state awards, the Defense Ministry announced Friday. The move appears to signal Moscow's intention to adopt a more aggressive stance toward future U.S.
China’s Xi to meet Putin as Beijing seeks bolder global role
March 17, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to visit Moscow next week, offering a major diplomatic boost to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the same day the International Criminal Court announced it wants to put the Russian leader on trial for alleged war crimes.
UN rights chief decries ‘systematic repression’ in Belarus
March 17, 2023 GMTGENEVA (AP) — The U.N. human rights chief called on Belarus Friday to end its “systematic repression” of critics and immediately release people held on political grounds, saying some violations may amount to crimes against humanity.
Montenegro presidential vote seen as test of future policies
March 17, 2023 GMTPODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Montenegro is preparing to hold a presidential election this weekend, a vote taking place amid political deadlock that has stalled the small NATO member's bid to join the European Union and questions about whether the Balkan country will align more closely with Serbia and Russia.
Slovakia, after Poland, agrees to give Ukraine Soviet jets
March 17, 2023 GMTPRAGUE (AP) — Slovakia’s government on Friday approved a plan to give Ukraine its fleet of 13 Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets, becoming the second NATO member country to heed the Ukrainian government's pleas for warplanes to help defend against Russia's invasion.
Pentagon video shows Russian jet dumping fuel on US drone
March 17, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Biden administration released video Thursday of a Russian fighter jet dumping fuel on a U.S.
China foreign minister in rare call with Ukraine counterpart
March 17, 2023 GMTBEIJING (AP) — In a rare phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Thursday, China’s foreign minister says Beijing is concerned about the year-old grinding conflict with Russia spinning out of control and urged talks on a political solution with Moscow.
US Secretary of State Blinken visits Niger on Africa tour
March 16, 2023 GMTNIAMEY, Niger (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $150 million in direct assistance to Africa's Sahel region Thursday as he visited Niger, seeking to strengthen ties with a country that has so far avoided the recent spate of military coups and Russian mercenaries destabilizing its neighbors.
Montenegro: President dissolves parliament ahead of election
March 16, 2023 GMTPODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Montenegro's president, who is running for reelection this weekend, dissolved parliament Thursday, paving the way for an early parliamentary election in the near future.
Russia OKs alternative civil service for mobilized believer
March 16, 2023 GMTTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A court in Russia on Thursday affirmed the right of a man mobilized to fight in Ukraine to perform an alternative form of civil service due to his stated religious beliefs, setting a precedent that could persuade more reluctant draftees to try to get out of military service.
Russian dissident ex-mayor handed 14-day sentence
March 16, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — A former mayor of Russia's fourth-largest city was ordered to spend 14 days in custody on Thursday pending his trial on charges that could entail a longer prison term, part of authorities' efforts to muzzle dissent.
Today in History: March 16, Obama nominates Merrick Garland
March 16, 2023 GMTToday in History
Today is Thursday, March 16, the 75th day of 2023. There are 290 days left in the year.
US, Russian military chiefs resume contact to discuss drone
March 15, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to his Russian counterpart on Wednesday about the destruction of a U.S.
Putin, Assad discuss rebuilding Syria, regional issues
March 15, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Syrian leader Bashar Assad in the Kremlin on Wednesday for talks that focused on rebuilding Syria after a devastating civil war and efforts to stabilize the region.
Garcetti confirmed as India ambassador after 20-month fight
March 15, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti won confirmation Wednesday from a divided Senate as the nation’s next ambassador to India, more than a year and a half after he was first nominated by President Joe Biden and after weathering doubts about his truthfulness in a sexual harassment scandal involving a City Hall adviser.