The United States began building a case Friday that would pin the blame for the downing of the passenger jet over Ukraine on separatist forces supported by Russia. President Barack Obama said one American was among the nearly 300 killed…

In our news wrap Thursday, President Obama advised Russian President Vladimir Putin to avoid further sanctions, a day after new measures to punish Moscow’s support of Ukrainian rebels. Putin said the sanctions will push U.S.-Russia relations to a “dead end,”…

Jul 14

U.S. reputation survives spying revelations, poll finds

WASHINGTON — Widespread global opposition to U.S. electronic surveillance since the revelations by onetime National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has not badly tarnished the overall image of the United States, and it remains far more popular around the world…