Section: US & Canada
Putin On Kadyrov, Groysman and Russia’s Next First Lady
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about drowning world leaders, visiting Crimea instead of Turkey and the possibility of his country getting a new first lady during his annual call-in ‘telefon’ show on Thursday. The show got off to an awkward start when Putin decided to answer the first video call before sitting down at his desk. He...
Vladimir Putin Calls Panama Papers a U.S. ‘Provocation’
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Vladimir Putin on Thursday dismissed media reports that billions of dollars in Panama offshore accounts might be linked to him as a U.S.-backed “provocation”, as he told ordinary Russians that the country’s economic crisis will ease next year. The leak of confidential documents from a Panamanian law firm...
Putin assures Russians economy on the mend
MOSCOW — Mixing wry jokes with economic statistics, Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to reassure the nation during his annual marathon call-in TV show Thursday, promising that its troubled economy will rebound and vowing to make other countries take account of Russia’s interests. Putin answered questions from adults and children from...
Ukraine elects new prime minister amid internal turmoil, corruption
The government hopes the appointment will end a months-long political crisis but reformers instead say it gives Ukraine’s oligarchs a free hand. …read more Source: Toronto...
Russian President Putin covers political issues and private life at annual call-in show
The question from 12-year-old Varya Kuznetsova to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday went something like this: If Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko were drowning, whom would Putin save first? The question, among several million submitted for… …read more Source: Los Angeles...
Ukraine Just Got a New PM. What It Needs Is Reform.
Matthew Rojansky Politics, Eurasia A fresh face isn’t enough to fix corruption. The resignation on Sunday of Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the man who became Ukraine’s “kamikaze” prime minister in the aftermath of the 2014 Maidan Revolution, created an immediate power vacuum in Kyiv. But that vacuum was filled predictably quickly with the...
Biden Urges Speedy Reforms In Call With New Ukrainian PM Hroysman
The White House says U.S. Vice President Joe Biden urged new Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman to quickly implement reforms in a telephone call after Ukraine’s parliament approved the new premier on April 14. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
Russia rejects criticism of fly-by near US Navy destroyer
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s defense ministry has rejected complaints by U.S. officials who said Russian attack planes buzzed dangerously close to a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Baltic Sea this week. The U.S. European command says the Russian planes buzzed a U.S. ship multiple times Monday and Tuesday in what the U.S. officials described as an...
Panama Papers and Political Turmoil Deal Ukraine a Reality Check
KYIV, Ukraine—The sniper’s bullet went into the head of the man standing in front of Valentyn Onyshchenko. Blood and brain matter sprayed into Onyshchenko’s face with enough force to break the then-21-year-old’s eyeglasses. “Like a robot” he weaved through the thousands of protesters gathered in central Kyiv for the February...
Inside The Siberian Cafe Dedicated To Vladimir Putin
If you’ve ever wanted to enjoy a leisurely meal with Russian President Vladimir Putin staring at you, here’s your chance. All you need to do is travel to Siberia.Welcome to President Cafe, an eatery dedicated to honoring the glory of Putin and Russia. The cafe, which is located in the eastern Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, opened last...
