Politics News

Geneva - Russia and Ukraine sit down for high-stakes talks in Geneva on Thursday, seeking to ease the crisis as Interior Minister Arsen Avakov says Ukrainian troops killed three people and wounded 13 while repelling an overnight attack on their base.

Beirut - An Italian ex-senator and ally of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi who was arrested in Lebanon at the weekend was hospitalised in Beirut on Wednesday, his lawyer said.

Tiraspol - Moldova's pro-Russian breakaway region of Transdniestr on Wednesday called on Russia and the international community to recognise its independence, as fears grew that it could become a new flashpoint in East-West tensions.

Brussels - NATO said Wednesday it will deploy additional air, sea and land forces in eastern Europe in response to the worsening crisis in Ukraine and take further action if needed.

Warsaw - The Ukraine crisis has shifted Poland's campaign for next month's European elections, boosting the governing centre-right party's chances as its prime minister reassures voters nervous about Russia's next move.

Kiev - Ukraine's defence ministry said on Wednesday that pro-Russian militants had taken two of its soldiers "hostage" in the separatist eastern region of Lugansk.

The verdict is in — cutting unemployment benefits does not help workers. Surprised? Hardly. Squabbles between congressional Republicans and Democrats resulted in the end of federal emergency unemployment benefits for over 2 million Americans.

Donetskiy - Ukrainian and pro-Russian forces flexed their military muscles in the restive east of the country on Wednesday, a day ahead of high-level international talks on the escalating crisis.

Caracas - Venezuela's government and opposition reported progress Tuesday in a new round of talks aimed at ending two months of deadly protests that have rocked the oil-rich nation.

Cairo - Two bomb blasts in Cairo wounded six people including at least two policemen, the latest attacks since Egypt's Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was ousted.