European politicians call for new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine
By Andrew Osborn and Anton ZverevReuters•
Ukrainian ships are detained in Kerch Strait in this still image from video released by Russian Federal Security Service November 27, 2018. Russian Federal Security Service/Handout via REUTERS By Andrew Osborn and Anton Zverev MOSCOW/KERCH, Crimea (Reuters) – Several senior European politicians on Tuesday raised the possibility of new sanctions against Russia to punish it for capturing three Ukrainian vessels at sea, an incident the West fears could ignite a wider conflict.A Russian minister said further sanctions would solve nothing and that the incident should not be used to derail the Minsk accord, which aims to end fighting in eastern Ukraine between Kiev’s forces and pro-Russian separatist rebels.Russian assets have come under pressure on financial markets amid concerns that possible new sanctions could hurt the economy, though the rouble on Tuesday clawed back some earlier losses as investors bet any sanctions would not be swift.Russia opened fire on the Ukrainian boats and then seized them and their crews on Sunday near Crimea – which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Moscow and Kiev have tried to pin the blame on each other for the incident.President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Angela Merkel by phone on Monday that Moscow was ready to provide more details to bolster its version of events. Moscow says Kiev deliberately provoked it in order to trigger a crisis.Merkel, who also spoke on Monday with Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko, called for de-escalation and dialogue.The United States urged European nations on Tuesday to do more to assist Ukraine in its standoff with Russia.Ukraine has introduced martial law for 30 days in parts of the country it deems most vulnerable to an attack from Russia. It has said its ships did nothing wrong and that it wants the West to impose new sanctions on Moscow.Some of the 24 Ukrainian sailors held by Russia for straying into Russian waters appeared on Russian state TV on Tuesday admitting to being part of a pre-planned provocation. Kiev denounced what it described as forced confessions.A court in Crimea ordered seven of the Ukrainian sailors to be detained for two months pending a possible trial. It was expected to order the other sailors to be detained for the same period in separate hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday.Their vessels were captured by Russian forces at sea near the Kerch Strait, which is the only outlet to the Sea of Azov and controls access to two major Ukrainian ports.A Reuters reporter at the Crimean port of Kerch where the vessels are being held saw masked armed men on board one of the ships removing boxes of ammunition.Two Russian police officers with automatic rifles stood on the pier where the Ukrainian vessels were moored. The vessels bore traces of collisions and big holes in places.NEW SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA? Senior German conservative Norbert Roettgen, a close Merkel ally, said the European Union may need to toughen its sanctions against Russia, imposed partly over Moscow’s annexation of Crimea.Karin Kneissl, foreign minister of Austria, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said the EU would consider sanctions depending „on the exposition of facts and the further conduct of both parties”.Poland and Estonia, both hawkish on Russia, expressed support for more sanctions.Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Bartosz Cichocki told Reuters the incident in the Kerch Strait vindicated Warsaw’s call for a more unified Western stance toward Russia.”Russia remains wrongly convinced that the reaction of the West isn’t unified… because in energy matters there is one stance and in defense matters there is another,” he said, noting that some EU states such as Germany backed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that increases Europe’s reliance on Russian gas.U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert also raised Nord Stream 2 on Tuesday when asked to comment on the Ukraine-Russia spat, saying some European nations should review their support for a project that „helps the Russian government”.Nauert also said Europe could more vigorously implement existing sanctions against Russia over its actions in Ukraine.”The United States government has taken a very strong position in… support of Ukraine. We would like other countries to do more as well,” she told a regular briefing in Washington.Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, speaking during a visit to Berlin, said more sanctions against his country would „not help to solve any problem at all”.He suggested Kiev provoked the incident to derail already halting implementation of the Minsk accord in eastern Ukraine, and said Moscow had a keen interest in ending that conflict after absorbing more than a million refugees from the region.EU foreign ministers are due to discuss the crisis on Dec. 10. EU leaders are expected later next month to agree to extend existing sanctions on Russia, diplomats said.Russia’s FSB security service released video footage on Tuesday of the captured sailors saying they had ignored Russian orders to stop. At least one appeared to be reading from a script. Ukrainian politicians said the sailors were coerced, rendering their confessions meaningless.The FSB said it had information showing the sailors’ mission had been pre-planned by the Ukrainian government and that two intelligence officers from Ukraine’s SBU security service had been on board to coordinate the provocation.Vasyl Hrytsak, the head of the SBU, confirmed that his officers were on board to support the military and said one of them had been seriously wounded after Russian aircraft fired missiles at the Ukrainian vessels.(Additional reporting by Natalia Zinets and Matthias Williams in Kiev, Tom Balmforth and Andrew Osborn in Moscow, Tassilo Hummel, Sabina Siebold, Andrea Shalal and Andreas Rinke in Berlin, Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels, John Irish in Paris, Angel Krasimirov in Sofia, Joanna Plucinska in Warsaw, David Alexander and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Ukraine introduces martial law citing threat of Russian invasion

By Andrew Osborn and Natalia Zinets
MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine on Monday imposed martial law for 30 days in parts of the country most vulnerable to an attack from Russia after President Petro Poroshenko warned of the „extremely serious” threat of a land invasion.
Poroshenko said martial law was necessary to bolster Ukraine’s defenses after Russia seized three Ukrainian naval ships and took their crew prisoner at the weekend.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he did not like what was happening between Russia and Ukraine and was working with European leaders on the situation.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Russia’s seizure of the Ukrainian vessels „a dangerous escalation and a violation of international law” and called for restraint from both countries.
„The United States condemns this aggressive Russian action. We call on Russia to return to Ukraine its vessels and detained crew members, and to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Pompeo said in a statement.
The State Department said Pompeo spoke by phone with Poroshenko and reiterated strong U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian „aggression”.
The Ukrainian parliament approved the introduction of martial law after Poroshenko reassured some skeptical lawmakers that it would not be used to curb civil liberties or delay elections scheduled for next year.
It came at the end of a day when Ukraine and Russia traded accusations about Sunday’s standoff and Kiev’s allies weighed in to condemn Moscow’s behavior.
With relations still raw after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and its backing for a pro-Moscow insurgency in eastern Ukraine, the crisis risked pushing the two countries into open conflict.
„Russia has been waging a hybrid war against our country for a fifth year. But with an attack on Ukrainian military boats it moved to a new stage of aggression,” Poroshenko said.
In a phone call with Poroshenko, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg offered the alliance’s „full support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.” Ukraine is not a NATO member though it aspires to membership.
Washington’s envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Russia’s actions were an „outrageous violation of sovereign Ukrainian territory” and sanctions on Russia would remain in place.
The European Union, Britain, France, Poland, Denmark, and Canada all condemned what they called Russian aggression. German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the need for dialogue.
The stand-off in the Azov Sea is more combustible now than at any time in the past four years as Ukraine has rebuilt its armed forces, previously in disarray, and has a new generation of commanders who are confident and have a point to prove.
(Map of the Kerch Strait bridge: https://tmsnrt.rs/2PRMbqh)
„PROVOCATION”
Russia’s foreign ministry blamed Kiev for the crisis.
„It’s obvious that this painstakingly thought-through and planned provocation was aimed at igniting another source of tension in the region in order to create a pretext to ramp up sanctions against Russia,” it said in a statement.
Such a policy was „fraught with serious consequences,” it said, adding that Kiev was acting in coordination with the United States and the European Union.
Russia summoned the ranking diplomat at Kiev’s embassy in Moscow over the incident, the foreign ministry said.
In Kiev, Poroshenko said intelligence data suggested there was an „extremely serious threat” of a land-based operation against Ukraine by Russia.
„I have a document of intelligence in my hands … Here on several pages is a detailed description of all the forces of the enemy located at a distance of literally several dozens of kilometers from our border. Ready at any moment for an immediate invasion of Ukraine,” he said.
Martial law would allow Ukraine to respond swiftly to any invasion and mobilize resources as quickly as possible, he said.
He dismissed „dirty speculation” by critics that he wanted to use the proposed measure to delay elections next year, where he faces a tough re-election fight and opinion polls show him trailing his opponents. Ukrainian lawmakers held a second vote to confirm the polls would take place as scheduled on March 31.
UKRAINIANS WOUNDED, VESSELS HELD
Russia’s rouble currency weakened 1.4 percent against the dollar in Moscow on Monday, its biggest one-day fall since Nov. 9, while Russian dollar-bonds fell.
Markets are highly sensitive to anything that could trigger new Western sanctions, and therefore weaken the Russian economy. A fall in the price of oil – Russia’s biggest source of revenue – has made its economy more vulnerable.
The crisis erupted when border patrol boats belonging to Russia’s FSB security service seized two small Ukrainian armored artillery vessels and a tug boat after opening fire on them and wounding three sailors on Sunday.
The Ukrainian vessels had been trying to enter the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea via the narrow Kerch Strait that separates Crimea from the Russian mainland.
Interfax news agency quoted Russia’s human rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, as saying on Monday that 24 Ukrainian sailors were being detained. Three of the sailors were wounded but were not in a serious condition and were recovering in hospital.
The FSB said the Ukrainian ships had ignored warning shots, forcing Russian vessels to open fire for real, after they illegally entered Russian territorial waters.
A Reuters witness in Kerch, a port in Crimea, said the three Ukrainian vessels were being held there on Monday.
Domestic politics in Moscow also add to the combustibility of the situation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has seen his high approval rating fall because of unpopular domestic policies. In the past, successful military action beyond Russia’s borders has buoyed his popularity.
Tensions have long been brewing over the Azov Sea. Crimea, on the western shore, is now controlled by Moscow, the eastern shore is Russian territory, and the northern shore is controlled by Ukraine.
(Additional reporting by Tom Balmforth and Polina Ivanova in Moscow, Jeff Mason, David Brunnstrom, Makini Brice and Doina Chiacu in Washington; Michelle Stine Buch Jacobsen in Copenhagen, Karin Strohecker in London, Joanna Plucinska in Warsaw, and European bureaux; Writing by Andrew Osborn, Christian Lowe and Matthias Williams; Editing by Angus MacSwan and James Dalgleish)
Trump, Pence seek to rescue embattled Republican in Mississippi

By Steve Holland
BILOXI, Miss. (Reuters) – President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence launched a rescue mission in Mississippi for a Republican candidate on the eve of a run-off election for the U.S. Senate, with Democrats hoping to win a seat in the state for the first time since 1982.
Trump appeared at two large, boisterous rallies in Biloxi and Tupelo, Mississippi, for Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who is in a close race against black Democrat Mike Espy in the deep South state.
The result of Tuesday’s run-off will determine whether Republicans widen their control of the U.S. Senate to 53 to 47 seats when the new Congress takes office early next year. Hyde-Smith remains a narrow favorite to win.
While Republicans did well in Senate races, Democrats took control of the U.S. House of Representatives from Republicans in midterm congressional elections three weeks ago.
In a question-and-answer session with reporters, Trump defended Hyde-Smith from criticism after a video surfaced showing her praising a supporter at a Nov. 2 public event by saying: „If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row.”
The comments triggered a political firestorm in a state that has a history of racism and lynchings and was a flashpoint in America’s civil rights struggle.
Trump, asked about Hyde-Smith as she sat nearby at a question-and-answer session with reporters, said her comments struck him initially as „something that was sad” and a little flippant but that she had apologized for them when they spoke about it on the phone.
„I’ve gotten to know her over the last period of time as a senator, as a very, very talented United States senator and I know where her heart is, and her heart is good. That’s not what she was meaning when she said that,” he said.
Pence joined Trump for the Biloxi rally, declaring Espy too liberal for the state of Mississippi.
The rally venue was adorned with Christmas trees and wreaths and Trump emerged from backstage out of a fake fireplace, waving away some fake snow that was blown out from the ceiling.
„There goes the suit, there goes the hair,” he said.
(Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
Donald Trump Gets Fact-Checked By Reporter Right To His Face, Walks Away
A reporter earned praise Monday after she called out President Donald Trump, over one of his more questionable claims, right to his face.
CBS’ Paula Reid challenged Trump over his discredited assertion that his administration’s policy of separating migrant children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border was the same as that conducted by former President Barack Obama.
“Obama had a separation policy. We all had the same policy,” Trump said. “You did not have it, sir. No, you didn’t,” Reid fired back.
Trump said he “tried to do it differently” and claimed “Obama had a separation policy” but “people don’t like to talk about it.” As Trump walked away, Reid said: “Sir, it was different. You decided to prosecute everyone at the border.”
Check out the clip here:
And some of the responses below:
Geraldo Rivera Calls Out Fox News for Its Heartless and Demeaning Coverage of Immigrants
Conservative media has been practically gleeful over Sunday’s incident at the U.S.-Mexico border, both because it gives them fodder to claim that immigrants are lawless fence-jumpers and because launching tear gas at families is something that merits praise. But Fox News accidentally aired an unscheduled moment of clarity on Monday, when Jesse Watters tried to set up Geraldo Rivera for another round of bashing other media outlets’ coverage of the migrant caravan on The Five.
Rivera, however, did not take the bait. Talking through Watters’ attempts to interrupt him, Rivera made a passionate plea, presumably to Fox News itself, to cover these immigrants as though they were actually human beings. The show continued to run footage of the chaos that unfolded at the border as families ran from the Border Patrol’s tear gas as Rivera delivered a monologue that’s worth quoting in full.
I refuse to deal with this as a media issue, because it’s far too important, with all due respect, Jesse. This is something that goes to the very quick. This goes to my soul. Fulfilling my role as the designated pinata on Fox News, I am ashamed. This tear gas choked me. We treat these people, these economic refugees as if they’re zombies from The Walking Dead. I think—we arrested 42 people, eight of them were women. With children. We have to deal with this problem humanely and with compassion. These are not „invaders!” Stop using these military analogies. This is absolutely painful to watch. This is—we are a nation of immigrants. These are desperate people, they walked 2000 miles—why? Because they want to rape your daughter or steal your lunch? No! Because they want a job. They want to fill the millions of unfilled jobs we have in the agricultural sector. They want to wash dishes in restaurants, they want to deliver the pizzas. For goodness´ sake, we suspend our humanity when it comes to this issue and I fear that it is because they look different than we do.
This extremely off-brand appeal to common decency on Fox News came just as the network faces accusations of doing extremely on-brand collaborations with the Trump administration. According to The Daily Beast, a FOIA request by the Sierra Club revealed emails between Fox & Friends producers and the communications team for Scott Pruitt during his disastrous run as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Fox & Friends provided the EPA with questions and topics for Pruitt beforehand, and on at least one occasion even submitted the script introducing Pruitt’s segment for the agency’s approval. Per The Daily Beast:
“Would this be okay as the setup to his segment?” producer Diana Aloi asked. She wrote: “There’s a new direction at the Environmental Protection Agency under President Trump—and it includes a back-to-basics approach. This after the Obama administration left behind a huge mess more than 1,300 super-fund sites which are heavily contaminated—still require clean-ups. So why was President Obama touted as an environmental savior if all these problems still exist?”
The EPA comms shop was pleased. “Yes—perfect,” [then-EPA press secretary Amy] Graham replied.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to any objective viewer: Fox News behaves more like a propaganda arm for the Republican Party than an actual news outlet, even while it accuses other networks of journalistic malpractice. This would be an embarrassing day for the network if anyone in charge there were capable of feeling shame.
Real Christmas trees are better for the environment, experts say
For many, the passing of Thanksgiving marks the official start of the Christmas season. Lights are hung from houses, holiday decorations start to appear practically everywhere, and many homeowners set out to find that perfect Christmas tree for the holiday season.
Fake trees have increased in popularity in recent years in the United States. In 1989, about 40 percent of homes displaying Christmas trees used an artificial tree. That number increased to 58 percent in a 2004 ABC News/Washington Postpoll.
And in 2016, that number was up to 81 percent, according to a survey conducted by Nielsen on behalf of the American Christmas Tree Association, (ACTA).
Consumers are leaning toward artificial trees for numerous reasons. Some suffer from allergies, others hope to save money and many opt for a fake tree for convenience.
Doug Hundley, seasonal spokesperson with the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), highly recommends real over fake Christmas trees.
„The scent and the meaningful impact of a real Christmas tree for children and adults cannot be replaced by a manufactured tree. Sometimes the convenience of using plastic isn’t worth it,” Hundley said.
Shop assistant Sven Helmich prepares a Christmas tree for selling on the market of a tree dealer in Dresden, Germany, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Matthias Rietschel)
There are several advantages and disadvantages for both real and fake trees.
However, real Christmas trees are better for the environment and often for your health than artificial Christmas trees, according to Mr. Green at the Sierra Club.
„A real tree is a renewable resource, whereas a fake tree is usually made from plastic, which is derived from oil, a nonrenewable resource. The real tree can be recycled as mulch, compost, or wildlife shelter, whereas the fake tree can’t,” according to Mr. Green.
Real trees absorb carbon dioxide while they grow, which helps to reduce the impacts of climate change.
The belief that real trees cause deforestation is false. Real trees are farmed, often on marginal land that can’t be used for other purposes, according to Mr. Green.
Real trees also do not contain harmful chemicals, but fake trees are often made with plastic polyvinyl chloride (PCP) or volatile organic compounds (VOCs), whose manufacture releases highly toxic material. Plus, lead may have been added to stabilize the plastic.
VOCs can pose numerous short- and long-term adverse health effects, according to an EPA spokesperson.
There are a few environmental disadvantages of real Christmas trees. However, these potential harms may be reduced through research.
Real trees require a lot more shipping energy than the one-time shipment of a fake tree that will be used for an average of nine years before being dispatched to the landfill.
While about 85 percent of fake trees are made in China and are shipped farther than real trees, they require considerably less energy to ship.
Real trees are also often grown with pesticides. However, it is unlikely that these cause more environmental problems than the petrochemical stew from which fake trees are produced, according to Mr. Green.
There are still a lot of real Christmas trees going into landfills. That is very bad for the environment because they decompose very slowly and create methane, which is a greenhouse gas, Sophie Neuberg, a campaigner for Friends of the Earth, told CNN.
Methane has 25 times the potency of carbon dioxide, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
These problems can be ameliorated by either buying a tree from a local source or by buying an organic tree. Find trees closest to home through the NCTA Real Christmas Tree Locator.
Quiz Maker – powered by Riddle