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PARIS (AP) — French President Francois Hollande (frahn-SWAH' oh-LAWND') says he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have spoken with the leaders of Ukraine and Russia about the cease-fire that has been faltering amid fierce fighting over the eastern town of Debaltseve. Ukrainian forces began abandoning Debaltseve yesterday after weeks of heavy fighting against Russia-backed separatists. The railway junction straddles the most direct route between the separatist region's two major cities.
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The Dutch Finance Minister says Greece's European creditors have received a request from Greece for a six-month extension of its bailout program. The new Greek radical left-led government is looking to end the spending cuts, high taxation and reforms that have been a key condition of the bailout program. But negotiations have been deadlocked.
TOKYO (AP) — A delegation of U.S. lawmakers visiting Japan say a bipartisan congressional agreement on granting President Barack Obama trade promotion authority for a pan-Pacific trade deal is likely this spring. House Ways and Means Committee chairman Paul Ryan and seven other lawmakers are meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other top Japanese officials, promoting the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hospital officials say contaminated medical instruments are to blame for infecting seven patients with an antibiotic-resistant and potentially deadly "superbug" at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. UCLA says the bacteria may have been a "contributing factor" in two deaths. A total of 179 patients may be infected, and the university says those patients are being sent free home-testing kits that UCLA will analyze.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Las Vegas Strip put on a final salute to Jerry Tarkanian. The legendary University of Nevada, Las Vegas men's basketball coach died last week at the age of 84. The major Las Vegas Strip casino-hotels plus a few off-Strip properties and local casinos dimmed their exterior lights for three minutes last night. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority says Tarkanian joins entertainers Elvis Presley, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, George Burns and Frank Sinatra, who have been honored by a darkened Strip.
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