ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The latest on the war in Syria, including Russian warplane shot down by Turkey. All times local: 4:10 p.m. Syrian rebels say Russian forces are pounding insurgent-held areas in Syria’s Latakia province, unleashing a wave of airstrikes on mountains near where a Russian jet was shot down the previous day. Jahed … Continue reading
HONG KONG (AP) — The chairman of the Hong Kong arm of one of China’s biggest securities companies goes missing. The head of another firm resurfaces after months incommunicado. An executive at a film studio is detained for allegedly taking bribes. They’re not plot outlines for crime novels but real life cases lifted from the … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is hoping to generate early momentum for international climate talks in Paris next week by holding one-on-one meetings there with the leaders of China and India. While in Paris, the president also will meet with the leaders of island nations at risk from the effects of global warming, the … Continue reading
MOSCOW (AP) — Tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated further on Wednesday as Ukraine decided to stop buying Russian natural gas — hoping to rely on supplies from other countries — and closed its airspace to its eastern neighbor. Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 and its support for separatist rebels in … Continue reading
LONDON (AP) — European stock markets slid Tuesday as jitters about instability in the Middle East intensified following the downing of a Russian jet by Turkey over Syria. KEEPING SCORE: In Europe, France’s CAC 40 was down 1.8 percent at 4,801 while the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares fell 1 percent to 6,240. … Continue reading
BANGKOK (AP) — A Thai military court on Tuesday indicted two foreigners accused of carrying out a deadly bombing at a shrine in Bangkok but questions hang over the case because of the attackers’ unclear motive and an opaque investigation. Both men have been described by officials as ethnic Uighurs (pronounced “wee-ghurs”) from western China’s … Continue reading
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane Tuesday — a long-feared crisis in Syria’s civil war and apparently the first time a NATO member has downed a Russian plane in a half-century. At least one of the pilots was reported killed. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Turkey’s action a “stab in … Continue reading
CAIRO (AP) — The Islamic State group has released a photo of a bomb hidden in a soft drink can that it said had brought down a Russian passenger jet over Egypt last month, and it also announced it had killed hostages from Norway and China. Wednesday’s disclosure of the new violence by the militants … Continue reading
BEIJING (AP) — China’s president on Thursday strongly condemned the killing of a Chinese hostage by Islamic State extremists, saying such groups are enemies of mankind. Though President Xi Jinping expressed resolve to crack down on terrorism, there was no indication that China would change its consistent opposition to outside involvement in the conflict in … Continue reading
MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian military says its strategic bombers have struck targets in Syria in a third straight day of a heavy bombing blitz. Russia, which has conducted air campaign in Syria since Sept. 30, sharply raised its intensity this week on President Vladimir Putin’s orders. Putin told the military to step up the … Continue reading
LONDON (AP) — The Latest from the IAAF investigation (all times local): ___ 10:50 p.m. The Russian track federation admits it is has many problems but insists it has made significant progress on reforms despite Friday’s ban. Federation general secretary Mikhail Butov tells reporters “we know that we have problems, not a few of them, … Continue reading
CAMP FOSTER, Japan (AP) — Pittsburgh and Gonzaga made a long trip to Japan to play a college basketball game. It must have seemed a lot longer when they only got to play 20 minutes. The Armed Forces Classic between No. 9 Gonzaga and the Panthers was canceled at halftime because of slippery conditions on … Continue reading
HONG KONG (AP) — Shares of companies that make diapers, baby strollers and infant formula got a boost Friday from China’s decision to scrap its one-child policy. But for the maker of a popular brand of condoms, it was not the brightest of days. Investors are betting on a bump in sales for companies with … Continue reading
TOKYO (AP) — John Woo was surprised to receive an award honoring trailblazers who have made outstanding contributions to the art of filmmaking. “I have made a lot of films, but it hardly qualifies as making a special contribution. I’m just a hard-working filmmaker,” the Hong Kong director said in Tokyo before the award presentation. … Continue reading
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian intelligence on Wednesday warned of an increased risk of Taliban or Islamic State fighters invading Central Asia. FSB director Alexander Bortnikov said in comments carried by Russian news agencies that a concentration of Taliban fighters, some of whom had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, at Afghanistan’s northern border make … Continue reading
Spartan Echo 