Russia: Recent Russian News Reports - Page 164

Kyrgyzstan Votes to Shut
Critical US Airbase

Feb 19, 2009 7:00 AM CST

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

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

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

Feb 7, 2009 6:26 PM CST

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

Feb 7, 2009 3:38 PM CST

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

Feb 6, 2009 9:56 AM CST

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

Feb 4, 2009 3:24 PM CST

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

Feb 4, 2009 7:30 AM CST

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

Feb 3, 2009 8:11 PM CST

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

Feb 3, 2009 2:01 PM CST

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

Feb 1, 2009 2:19 PM CST

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?

Jan 31, 2009 2:55 PM CST

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

Jan 29, 2009 6:02 PM CST

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

Jan 28, 2009 7:38 PM CST

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

Jan 28, 2009 5:27 AM CST

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

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...

Obama Out to Topple Mugabe

Jan 28, 2009 1:49 AM CST

Obama Out to Topple Mugabe

US to lead push for UN sanctions

(Newser) - President Obama is preparing to lead an international effort to crack down on the Mugabe regime with an aim to driving the controversial autocrat from office, reports the Times of London. The US will push for tougher UN sanctions against Zimbabwe, including a foreign investment ban, and press Russia and...

In Case Pen Is No Mightier, Russian Journos Want Guns

Jan 26, 2009 4:15 PM CST

In Case Pen Is No Mightier, Russian Journos Want Guns

Novaya Gazeta 's work has earned it a grim legacy of dead reporters

(Newser) - The murders of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and reporter Anastasia Baburova last week are only the latest to strike the Novaya Gazeta newspaper, and show just how costly freedom of the press still is in Russia, Der Spiegel reports. Investigative reporters are likely to make so many enemies—from members of...

Russian Gas Again Flows
to Europe Through Ukraine

Jan 20, 2009 1:25 PM CST

Russian Gas Again Flows to Europe Through Ukraine

Supplies had been cut for 2 weeks amid political squabbles

(Newser) - Gas is again flowing from Russia to Ukraine, a major gas gateway for Europe, after disputes between the two countries shut down supplies for two weeks, Reuters reports. Leaders couldn’t agree on a 2009 gas contract amid political tensions over Ukraine’s wish to join NATO; 20 European countries...

Top Human Rights Lawyer Slain in Moscow

Jan 19, 2009 4:41 PM CST