Russia

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Human Rights in Russia 'Under Siege': US State Dept.

(Newser) - Human rights in Russia are "under siege," and the Chinese government is engaging in "serious human rights abuses," the US State Department says. The finger-pointing, in an annual report released today, comes just a week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited China and downplayed...

Obama a Spineless Leader Thus Far: Krauthammer
Obama a Spineless Leader Thus Far: Krauthammer
OPINION
Feb 20, 2009 7:01 AM CST

Obama a Spineless Leader Thus Far: Krauthammer

While Russia and Iran make threats, president fails to show spine

(Newser) - Barack Obama has faced a spate of little challenges thus far from Russia, Iran, and Pakistan—and flunked them all, writes Charles Krauthammer. While Putin compounds his military strength and Ahmadinejad insults America, the new president has exhibited "utter passivity" on the world stage. In just one month, says...

Cheap Oil Keeps World Economy Off Balance
Cheap Oil Keeps World Economy Off Balance
ANALYSIS
Feb 20, 2009 5:18 AM CST

Cheap Oil Keeps World Economy Off Balance

With crude under $40, investment dries up, nations lose revenue

(Newser) - Oil surged 13% yesterday in New York trading—and still closed at less than $40 a barrel, reports the Washington Post. Cheap oil has been a boon for consumers in the recession, but the collapse in crude prices has contributed to further havoc in international markets from Canada to Kuwait....

4 Acquitted in Russian Journalist's Murder

Politkovskaya's killer remains at large after shambolic trial

(Newser) - Four men were acquitted today on charges related to the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, a prominent Russian journalist shot dead in 2006. Two Chechen brothers and a former Moscow policeman were found not guilty of offering operational support to her killer, and a Russian spy was cleared in a related...

Kyrgyzstan Votes to Shut Critical US Airbase

Military must leave Central Asian republic in 180 days

(Newser) - The parliament of Kyrgyzstan voted nearly unanimously to close a critical American military base in the country, dealing a blow to Barack Obama's efforts to reinforce troops in Afghanistan. The vote, 78-1, means that the US has 180 days to remove its airplanes and equipment, reports the Guardian. Kyrgyzstan's president...

Russia Loses Half of Its Billionaires
Russia Loses Half of Its Billionaires
Feb 16, 2009 10:00 AM CST

Russia Loses Half of Its Billionaires

Market woes, weak ruble have chipped away at fortunes

(Newser) - The 10 wealthiest Russians have lost two-thirds of their fortunes in the past year, AP reports, based on the magazine Finans' annual list of billionaires. The ranks of billionaires have been cut in half, from 101 to just 49. Last year's richest Russian, Oleg Deripaska, has fallen to eighth on...

Bye, Bye, Petro-Czars
 Bye, Bye, Petro-Czars 
ANALYSIS
Feb 15, 2009 6:02 PM CST

Bye, Bye, Petro-Czars

The power of petro-czars has slumped as oil prices have fallen

(Newser) - There is one silver lining to the global recession: The economic and political fortunes of America’s oil-rich antagonists have been tarnished, Rana Foroohar writes in Newsweek. Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez have all been humbled by the falling price of...

Want a Car in Russia? Try Bartering Undies

(Newser) - Bartering is coming back in Russia as the credit crunch and tight monetary policy leave buyers short of cash, the New York Times reports. At 3%-4% of total sales, such swaps are rare compared to the 1990s—when 50%-75% of Russian sales were bartered—but economists are noting an upswing....

Putin Denies Digging ABBA Cover Show

But spokesman admits that ex-KGB agent is a fan

(Newser) - Vladimir Putin is no dancing queen, the Kremlin insists, denying reports that Russia’s prime minister attended a hush-hush ABBA cover concert, AFP reports. “Officially and for sure Vladimir Putin never took part in any concert of the kind,” Putin’s spokesman said. “He wasn’t there....

Mamma Mia! Putin's a Dancing Queen

Putin's secret Abba tribute band concert

(Newser) - Russia's Vladimir Putin may appear to have ice flowing through his veins, but beneath that arctic exterior is the pulsating heart of an ABBA fan. The Russian PM paid $30,000 to have Abba tribute group Bjorn Again secretly flown to Moscow for a private concert for himself and a...

Russia Wants to Help US on Afghanistan: Medvedev

But fate of US air base in Kyrgyzstan remains unknown

(Newser) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today offered “full-fledged” cooperation with the US in the fight against terrorism, the AP reports, one day after Kyrgyzstan said it would close a base crucial to American-led operations in Afghanistan. It was unclear if Russia might propose concessions in return for continued access to...

Kyrgyzstan to Shut Only US Air Base in Central Asia

Announces as Russia offers billions in aid

(Newser) - The fate of America's only military base in Central Asia was in doubt today after the president of Kyrgyzstan announced plans to shut the facility, reports the New York Times. The Manas Air Base serves as a refueling station for NATO fighter jets traveling to Afghanistan. But during a visit...

Obama Seeks Deal With Russia to Slash Nuclear Arms

Talks could reduce stockpiles by 80%

(Newser) - President Obama plans to restart aggressive talks with Russia aimed at reducing both nations' nuclear arsenals by 80% to 1,000 warheads each, the Times of London reports. Obama will set up a special White House office to oversee the talks, aimed at forging a treaty to replace the 1991...

Russian Passengers Reject Drunk Pilot

Slurred speech sparked fear; airline blames 'mass psychosis'

(Newser) - Passengers on a Russian jet mutinied right before takeoff when they heard the slurred speech of their obviously inebriated pilot, the Times of London reports. They insisted on a replacement, despite flight attendants' initial efforts to brush them off, with one noting that drunkenness was no “big deal”...

French Priest Uncovers Holocaust's Beginning

Before gas chambers, Nazis used bullets, fire to kill Jews

(Newser) - Before the Nazis started shipping Jews to gas chambers, they marched across Eastern Europe, shooting more than 2 million above the mass graves they'd been forced to dig, or burning whole communities in bonfires. In an oft-forgotten and horrifying look at the Holocaust's beginnings, French priest Patrick Desbois traveled Eastern...

Saddam to Commanders: Wait, Do We Have WMDs?

(Newser) - Saddam Hussein didn't have weapons of mass destruction, but America made such a strong case that even the Iraqi leader himself had doubts, the Washington Post reports. Saddam, apparently in awe of US intelligence, asked his top commanders if the nation had stashes even he didn't know about. So says...

Jailed US Spy Tries to Collect From Russia

Ex-CIA agent sends son to get money, faces more time

(Newser) - A jailed spy who shared CIA secrets with Russia has improbably gotten himself into more hot water while behind bars, the Washington Post reports. Harold Nicholson, currently in the middle of a 23-year sentence, figured that Moscow still owed him money, so he got his son to travel around the...

Russia, China Blame US for World's Mess

(Newser) - The leaders of Russia and China laid the blame for the world's financial troubles squarely at the feet of the US today, the Wall Street Journal reports. In speeches at the world economic forum in Davos, both focused on the role of the dollar, with Putin calling the world's over-reliance...

Russia Scraps Plan for Nukes Near Europe

Moscow doesn't need missiles if US ditches own program in region

(Newser) - Russia will abandon its plans to deploy nuclear-capable missiles near Poland, the country's defense ministry said today. The Kremlin pulled back on the plan after President Obama announced a review of the Pentagon's controversial missile defense shield program in the region. The move offers an olive branch to Washington, says...

Hackers Zap Kyrgyz Internet
 Hackers Zap Kyrgyz Internet 
Jan 28, 2009 5:21 AM CST

Hackers Zap Kyrgyz Internet

Latest Russian assault in cyber warfare

(Newser) - A Russian "cyber-militia" has shut down access to the Internet in Kyrgyzstan, the Wall Street Journal reports. Service providers in the former Soviet republic have been swamped with traffic during the past several days, in a denial of service attack that has downed websites and crippled email delivery. Motivations...

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