Topic: Russia

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Opinion Go North, America – to the Arctic

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski writes that until the US makes the Arctic an issue of national importance, America’s future there will be severely limited while other countries move ahead. The US can take a crucial step by ratifying the Law of the Sea treaty.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev indicted in Boston Marathon bombing (+video)

A grand jury has indicted Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in the Boston Marathon bombing. He faces 30 charges, including murder and using weapons of mass destruction in an attack that killed three spectators and injured hundreds more.
Kremlin's hammer falls on first 'foreign agent' NGO

Russian authorities ordered a six-month closure of independent election monitor Golos this week.
Why Russia evacuated its naval base in Syria

Now that Russian ships can stop in Cyprus, having personnel in Syria isn't worth the risk.
Snowden stuck in Moscow: Public support falls

Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden flew to Moscow from Hong Kong on Sunday. His ongoing presence in a Moscow airport may test the relationship between the United States and Russia. He faces U.S. charges of espionage for leaking secret government surveillance details.
With more at stake, US and Russia cool war of words over l'Affaire Snowden (+video)

The Edward Snowden affair elicited a round of threats and needling from US and Russian officials, but the two powers have appeared to pull back, mindful they have more consequential mutual interests.
Snowden, stuck in Moscow airport, becoming headache for Russia

Most Russian analysts say the former NSA contractor's saga has ceased to be amusing for the Kremlin, which has multiple reasons to keep Snowden at arm's length.
Backchannels The US demands Russia give up Snowden: Thanks, says Putin.

Every time the US 'demands' something from another country without considering the other parties' interests and motivations, it weakens itself. Vladimir Putin has been pointing this out.
Putin: Snowden, still in Moscow airport, is a 'free man'

While Edward Snowden is in Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, he is technically not in Russia. Vladimir Putin said today he will not extradite him.
Edward Snowden gives countries a chance to thumb nose at US

The US has long emphasized the importance it gives to the human rights of the citizens of the nations it is dealing with. Now, countries aiding Edward Snowden as he tries to evade US justice can turn the tables on the US.
Decoder Wire Rusty the red panda: The Edward Snowden of zoo animals? (+video)

Rusty the red panda escaped from the National Zoo, and for a few hours Monday was the second-most famous fugitive on the planet, at least to Washingtonians. Rusty-as-Snowden quickly turned into a Twitter meme.
Ecuador: Snowden would be protected on our soil

But the South American nation is no bastion of free speech. Its ranking on press freedom is going from bad to worse.
Backchannels Snowden says he doesn't want NSA leaks to be about him. Really?

'I want it to be about what the US government is doing,' said NSA leaker Edward Snowden. But if that were true, we probably wouldn't even know his name.
Global News Blog Whither Snowden? NSA whistleblower skips Moscow-Havana flight

Edward Snowden's decision to miss his flight to Cuba – and apparently stay in Russia, at least for the moment – may lead the US to push harder on the Kremlin to turn him over.
Edward Snowden heads for asylum: Why Ecuador?

Edward Snowden, who leaked information about top-secret NSA surveillance programs, reportedly is headed to asylum in Ecuador. US officials still hope to prosecute Snowden on espionage charges, but that may be difficult given US relations with Ecuador.
Global News Blog Snowden's stealthy exit: How WikiLeaks and maybe Russia helped

The NSA leaker is traveling to Moscow en route to a third country. Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman told journalists Sunday that he knows nothing of Snowden's travel plans.
Modern Parenthood First day of summer 2013 has nothing on northern Norway's 60 days of sun

The first day of summer 2013 in the United States, the longest day of the year, still has less sunlight than northern Norway right now. Territories in the arctic circle have, effectively, 60 first days of summer.
Kerry and 'Friends of Syria' to meet in Doha

The meeting will address arming Syrian rebels and a stalled peace effort. Lots of supporters of rebels will be there, but key backers of Syria's government, like Russia, won't.
Obama nuke proposals: Status quo, or too risky?

Obama's offer to Russia to jointly cut deployed strategic nukes was just part of a broader, and more cautious, nuclear weapons strategy announced by the White House.
Slavery: US gives bad marks to China and Russia in its annual report

The State Department report on slavery notes that more countries are prosecuting traffickers and providing services to rescued victims. But China and Russia are failing to make progress, the US says.
Energy Voices The consequences of 'extreme energy'

Proponents of fracking, the Keystone XL pipeline, and deep-offshore production all say that these are just other forms of 'oil' and 'clean-burning natural gas,' without explaining that these forms of 'extreme energy' have significantly worse impacts on the environment, Michael Klare, a professor of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College, says in an interview with OilPrice.com.
Obama pushes big cut in nuclear weapons. Is that a good idea? (+video)

In Berlin, President Obama calls for cutting US deployed nuclear weapons by one-third and urges NATO allies to pursue 'the security of a world without nuclear weapons.'
Briefing How Russia views nuclear disarmament - and why it may resist

In his speech today in Berlin, President Obama called for the US and Russia to cut their strategic nuclear arsenals by a third. But the proposal may meet a chilly reception in Moscow.
G8 wraps with progress on tax evasion - but not on Syria

The summit leaders agreed to crack down on money laundering and illegal tax evasion, but Russia and the West remain at odds over how to resolve the Syrian civil war.
The Monitor's View Brazil protests in a global trend

The Brazil protests follow those in Turkey and India, all three developing countries with established democracies. While the sparks for the protests differ, the theme is the same: Fix democracy; don't replace it.