Russian Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, announced an immediate ban on the import of fruit, vegetable, meat and milk products from the United States, European Union and several other countries during a government meeting on Thursday.

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,”…