Catholic News 2
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- World leaders meeting at the United Nations starting Monday will be trying to make progress on two intractable problems at the top of the global agenda - the biggest refugee crisis since World War II and the Syrian conflict now in its sixth year which has claimed over 300,000 lives....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Latest on the 2016 presidential campaign (all times EDT):...
BEIRUT (AP) -- The Latest on the conflict in Syria, where the U.S. military says it may have unintentionally struck government forces. (all times local):...
BEIRUT (AP) -- The U.S. military said it may have unintentionally struck Syrian troops while carrying out a raid against the Islamic State group on Saturday, threatening an already fragile U.S. and Russian-brokered cease-fire that has largely held despite dozens of alleged violations on both sides....
(Vatican Radio) Early voting has begun in Russia's parliamentary election, amid rising tensions with the West. The United States already said it would not recognize the outcome of voting in Russian-occupied Crimea. Listen to Stefan Bos' report: Most Russians were to vote later on Sunday, but in a country spanning 11 time zones at least some already cast ballots in an election dominated by President Vladimir Putin's supporters. The West is closely monitoring voting for 450 parliamentarians expected to occupy seats in the State Duma, or lower house, for the next five years. The outgoing Duma had just a handful of legislators opposing President Putin.Opposition figures and Western officials are worried about possible wrongdoing. Evidence of vote-rigging already sparked mass protests after the 2011 elections, and concerns remain over the plight of opposition leaders. Yet ahead of Sunday's election, President Putin urged all Russians to trust ...
(Vatican Radio) Early voting has begun in Russia's parliamentary election, amid rising tensions with the West. The United States already said it would not recognize the outcome of voting in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Listen to Stefan Bos' report:
Most Russians were to vote later on Sunday, but in a country spanning 11 time zones at least some already cast ballots in an election dominated by President Vladimir Putin's supporters.
The West is closely monitoring voting for 450 parliamentarians expected to occupy seats in the State Duma, or lower house, for the next five years. The outgoing Duma had just a handful of legislators opposing President Putin.
Opposition figures and Western officials are worried about possible wrongdoing. Evidence of vote-rigging already sparked mass protests after the 2011 elections, and concerns remain over the plight of opposition leaders.
Yet ahead of Sunday's election, President Putin urged all Russians to trust the vote would be free and fair. "The elections of deputies for legislative assemblies and heads of executive departments will be held in many regions across the country...All its participants have gained equal terms aimed at an open, fair contest so they could outline their position on various problems and offer solutions," he said.
Comparing programs
"The electorate could objectively asses and compare the programs, goals, actions and achievements of the parties and candidates," Putin claimed.
Critics disagree. And the U.S. expressed concern that for the first time Russia is also holding elections to its parliament in Crimea, which it annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
Washington warned that it would not recognize the vote there. U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement that the peninsula remains "an integral part of Ukraine" and stressed that "Crimea-related sanctions against Russia would remain until Russia returns control of Crimea to Ukraine."
Kiev called the elections "completely illegitimate" and complained about the many Russian troops it said are in Crimea.
Despite Russia's tensions with the West over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, as well as massive economic difficulties, some commentators called the election campaign the most boring in recent memory.
Widespread reported voter apathy suggested that turnout could be low. First exit polls were expected late Sunday.
ATLANTA (AP) -- Fuel supplies in at least five states are threatened by a gasoline pipeline spill in Alabama, and the U.S. Department of Transportation has ordered the company responsible to take corrective action before the fuel starts flowing again....
SEASIDE PARK, N.J. (AP) -- A pipe bomb exploded in a Jersey Shore town Saturday shortly before thousands of runners were due to participate in a charity 5K race to benefit Marines and sailors, authorities said....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- All summer long, Hillary Clinton delighted in snappy attack lines about Donald Trump....
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The Latest on a Friday night shooting rampage in Philadelphia that left two police officers wounded, one woman dead, and three other people injured. The suspect was later killed by police. (all times local):...
BEIRUT (AP) -- The Latest on the conflict in Syria, where a fragile cease-fire has entered its fifth day. (all times local):...
