SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Disguised Russian agents on Twitter rushed to deflect scandalous news about Donald Trump just before last year’s presidential election while straining to refocus criticism on the mainstream media and Hillary Clinton’s campaign, according to an Associated Press analysis of since-deleted accounts. Tweets by Russia-backed accounts such as “America_1st_” and “BatonRougeVoice” on … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — Exasperated U.S. senators harshly criticized representatives of Facebook, Twitter and Google at a hearing Tuesday for not doing more to prevent Russian agents interfering with the American political process as early as 2015. At one point, Sen. Al Franken shook his head after he couldn’t get all the companies to commit to … Continue reading
MOSCOW (AP) — While their country has become a daily source of headlines and political intrigue in the United States, most Russians are watching the drama over President Donald Trump’s relationship with Moscow with resignation, even indifference. Russian media, state-owned and private, chronicle Trump’s troubles matter-of-factly. Regular citizens generally care little about them. Many share … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, secretly worked for a Russian billionaire to advance the interests of Russian President Vladimir Putin a decade ago and proposed an ambitious political strategy to undermine anti-Russian opposition across former Soviet republics, The Associated Press has learned. The work appears to contradict assertions by … Continue reading
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) — The U.S. Navy is hosting a memorial on Friday for Russian sailors buried more than a century ago in a naval cemetery. The Navy says the Russians were part of an official delegation that sailed to Hampton Roads in 1877. Six of the Russian ship’s sailors died of typhus. They were buried … Continue reading
by Shaye Southall On Oct. 25, a conversation took place between a group of Norfolk State students and journalists from Russia through a Norfolk Sister City program. In the meeting, there were discussions of journalism, race, free speech and some religion. With the use of an interpreter, the journalists discussed their reasons for becoming journalists … Continue reading
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Russian news agency says its general manager for Turkey has been barred from entering the country, days after Turkish authorities blocked access to its website. State-owned Sputnik quoted Tural Kerimov as saying Wednesday that he was informed after landing at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport that he has been barred from entering … Continue reading
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronaut Scott Kelly returned to Earth on Wednesday after an unprecedented year in space for NASA, landing in barren Kazakhstan with a Russian cosmonaut who shared his whole space station journey. Their Soyuz capsule parachuted onto the central Asian steppes and ended a science-rich mission at the International Space Station … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his 500th goal Sunday night, becoming the 43rd player in NHL history to reach the milestone. Ovechkin reached the mark in vintage fashion, scoring from just beyond the left hash marks during a second-period power play to give the Washington Capitals a 5-1 lead over the Ottawa Senators. Ovechkin … Continue reading
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Wet and cloudy weather prevented NASA from resuming commercial space station deliveries Thursday. The space agency was looking to get back on track with the first U.S. shipment to the International Space station in nearly eight months, but thick clouds and rain prevented an unmanned Atlas rocket from lifting off … Continue reading
JERUSALEM (AP) — A Russian jet recently penetrated Israeli airspace but was not shot down thanks to an open communication system between the two countries, Israel’s defense minister said Sunday as tensions continued to flare between Ankara and Moscow after Turkish troops downed a Russian warplane. Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said the plane entered about … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) — Airstrikes believed to have been carried out by Russian warplanes killed at least 18 civilians and wounded dozens more on Sunday in a northern Syrian town held by insurgents, Syrian opposition media reported. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the airstrikes struck the town of Ariha, killing at least 18 … Continue reading
LONDON (AP) — British and U.S. officials said Wednesday they have information suggesting the Russian jetliner that crashed in the Egyptian desert may have been brought down by a bomb, and Britain said it was suspending flights to and from the Sinai Peninsula as a precaution. Intercepted communications played a role in the tentative conclusion … Continue reading
MOSCOW (AP) — As Russian warplanes carried out a second wave of airstrikes Thursday in Syria, Moscow defended its military involvement against Western criticism of its intentions, saying it sees “eye-to-eye” with the U.S.-led coalition campaign on its targets in the country. The claim of agreement with Washington came amid conflicting reports about Russia’s intentions … Continue reading
Spartan Echo 