Topic: Vladimir Putin
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Briefing
Chechnya: How a remote Russian republic became linked with terrorism
The main suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing are two brothers from Chechnya, a Russian republic that has been the scene of cyclical revolts and brutal crackdowns for the past 200 years.
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Hugo Chavez: Global reactions to the Venezuelan leader's death
While he was alive, Hugo Chávez – the longest ruling democratically elected leader in Latin America – inspired people who loved him as often as he inflamed those who didn’t. That polarization seemed to follow him in death.
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War with Iran? 5 ways events overseas could shape Obama's second term.
The threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program is the most urgent example of the foreign-policy challenges that face President Obama in his second term. Here are four others.
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In Pictures: Julian Assange and the WikiLeaks Scandal
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What is Russia thinking on Syria? A brief guide
As the crisis in Syria collapses into what looks like full-blown civil war, Russia's response stems from a complicated mix of principle, self-interest, mistrust of Western motives, and differing perceptions of the situation.
All Content
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Pussy Riot: the anonymous band behind the high-profile conviction (+video)
Pussy Riot – which has members beyond the three convicted – isn't your typical band that performs songs back to back in a live concert. But the group now has worldwide recognition and is expected to continue recording.
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How Russia transformed Pussy Riot into international cause célèbre (+video)
Few people took much note of Russia's Pussy Riot punk band before it was put on trial for blasphemy. Now even Putin supporters are sympathizing with the young women.
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Assange: US may be holding one of 'world's foremost political prisoners'
Speaking from Ecuador's embassy in London, WikiLeak's founder Julian Assange urged the US to release Pfc. Bradley Manning, who is charged with passing US documents to WikiLeaks.
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What if US rockers were convicted of ‘hooliganism’ like Russia’s Pussy Riot?
Bands from 'Rage Against the Machine' to the 'Dixie Chicks' have harshly criticized political leaders in the US. Like Russia's 'Pussy Riot,' shouldn't they be charged with hooliganism?
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Pussy Riot sentence: How did it play in Russia?
The Pussy Riot punk band's harsh sentence drew swift Western condemnation. More important for Putin will be how it influences the views of Russians, especially the elite.
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Why Pussy Riot supporters hold rallies from New York to Berlin (+video)
The Russian punk rock band spawned small bands of supporters dressed as Pussy Riot look-a-likes Friday dozens of cities worldwide. The three women were sentence Friday to two years in prison for hooliganism.
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Russian band Pussy Riot sentenced to two years in prison (+video)
The judge in Moscow said the three women were blasphemers who had deliberately offended Russian Orthodox believers by storming the altar of a cathedral in Feburary. President Putin's opponents portray the trial as part of a wider crackdown to crush their protest movement.
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Russian feminist band Pussy Riot found guilty of hooliganism
The sentence has yet to be issued, the verdict is spoken: The three Russian women are guilty of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred. Pussy Riot had stormed the altar of Moscow's cathedral in February. The charges raised concern abroad about freedom of speech in Russia.
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Pussy Riot punk band verdict caps rocky first hundred days for Putin
Since it began on May 7, Putin's third term in the Kremlin has appeared mostly defensive and downbeat.
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Iran's twin quakes kill hundreds, flatten mud-brick villages
Nobody was killed or hurt in the nearby city of Tabriz, however, thanks to more substantial construction materials than in the countryside.
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Was Putin in charge during Georgia war? Medvedev begs to differ.
On fourth anniversary of the Georgia war, Russia's President Putin said he was in close contact with then-President Medvedev. He also created a stir by saying Russia had a 'war plan' before the conflict.
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Opinion: Vladimir Putin's karate chop to Russian liberties
In less than 100 days since he returned to the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin has further curbed Russian civil liberties and dissenters. But this is risky. As political dialogue no longer becomes an option, radicals on both sides are emboldened and the threshold for violence is lowered.
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Prosecutors ask for 3 years in Russian punk band Pussy Riot hooliganism case
Defense lawyers and an influential Russian Orthodox cleric warned that jail time for the women could backfire by severing trust between ordinary Russians and the country's institutions.
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Madonna, in Moscow, wades into Pussy Riot trial controversy
The Russian Orthodox church, responding angrily to Madonna's sympathy for the embattled Pussy Riot punk rock group, charged that 'this little singer is openly mocking our laws.'
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Pussy Riot trial: Putin expresses hope for 'correct decision'
Popular sentiment about the trial of Pussy Riot, a band accused of profaning a Russian Orthodox altar, has shifted amid dismay over the women's harsh treatment. Putin has now weighed in.
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Kayla Harrison: first-ever gold for US judo forged from adversity
Kayla Harrison was sexually abused by her coach as a teenager, but finding support and love in a new setting helped turn around her life and set her on a path to Olympic judo gold Thursday.
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Russian punk rockers challenge close church-Putin ties (+video)
The punk rock group, Pussy Riot, goes on trial in what is seen as a test of how Russian leader Vladimir Putin will handled political dissent. The three women say the Russian Orthodox Church is backing Putin.
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Opinion: What would 'President Romney' do about Syria?
The same thing President Obama has been doing. Contrary to his condemnations of Obama's foreign policy, handling of the Syria crisis, and stance toward Bashar al-Assad, Romney would effectively have the same policy on Syria as Obama.
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Opinion: The way forward in Syria after Bashar al-Assad
Yesterday's strategic bomb attack in Damascus shows it's not too soon to consider the way forward in Syria after the rule of Bashar al-Assad. Lessons from other countries teach that Syria and the international community will have to pull together for a successful transition.
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Massive bombing rocks Damascus: why it didn't break UN logjam on Syria
The crisis in Syria, capped by the massive bombing in Damascus, has yet to bridge the gap between world powers. While the US called for 'transition,' Russia said the UN has no place in supporting a 'revolution.'
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Global News Blog Got an appointment with Vladimir Putin? Better bring a book.
It doesn't matter if you're a business leader, a prime minister, royalty, or even the pope: Russian President Vladimir Putin keeps everyone waiting, sometimes for hours.
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Syria: Will the UN Security Council reach consensus?
The U.S. and its allies insist that Syria must face consequences for failing to comply with Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan. But Russia opposes the use of sanctions or force.
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Syrian opposition group warns: If the UN won't act, 'we have other options'
The opposition Syrian National Council issued an ultimatum of its own as the UN Security Council prepared to vote on extending the mandate of the UN's cease-fire monitors in Syria.
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Russia and the West lock horns over Syria
President Putin offered no indication that Russia will support a UN Security Council resolution backed by the US, Britain, and France that would open the door for military intervention.
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The Monitor's View: Out of disasters in Russia and China, a bloom of compassion
Russian volunteers rushed to the city of Krymsk after its July 7 flood, just as Chinese gave generously after a 2008 earthquake. Heartfelt, organized charity isn't easy for authoritarian regimes to tolerate.
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