Section: US & Canada
China Challenges America’s Financial Leadership
On March 20, Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso told reporters that under the right circumstances, his government might become a member of the Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). In Washington, which has urged allies to steer clear of the AIIB, jaws dropped. Tokyo, Washington’s closest Asian ally, is disregarding U.S....
Putin Says Russia Will Not ‘Make Concessions’ to Pressures From West
MOSCOW— President Vladimir Putin has vowed that Russia will stand firm in the face of what he described as Western attempts to isolate the country politically and pressurize its economy. Speaking Thursday before officials of the Federal Security Service, Putin said Moscow has no intention to “make concessions or bend down” and that “no one has...
Russian Nationalists Vandalise Kremlin-Critic Nemtsov’s Memorial
Allies of Kremlin-critic Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead in central Moscow last month, are to pursue legal action after a Russian nationalist group vandalised the tributes at the site of Nemtsov’s murder and accused the deceased opposition leader of being a “traitor” to Russia. Earlier this week a group of seven people wearing St....
Ukrainian Prisoners Abandoned By Their Guards
A prison in eastern Ukraine was abandoned by the guards when the area was captured by Russian-backed separatists, leaving the inmates to fend for themselves. Some took the opportunity to run away. But many others stayed – and are now baking bread for local people. (RFE/RL’s Current Time, www.currenttime.tv) …read more Source: Radio...
The Retreatniks
The new talking point for the Republican Party — actually, it’s an old talking point in expensive new clothing — is “America is in retreat.” That’s the title of a recent book by Bret Stephens, a Wall Street Journal columnist who believes that he’s discovered a virus of “neo-isolationism”...
Russia squeezed by sanctions, European leader says
Daniel J. GraeberBRUSSELS, March 26 (UPI) — Along with the low price of oil, sanctions imposed on Russia in response to crises in Ukraine have struck a major blow to its economy, a European leader said. …read more Source: United Press...
Memorial to Kremlin Critic Nemtsov Vandalized, Then Restored
MOSCOW— Nationalists have vandalized a makeshift memorial to Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov on the site of his killing, but it has been quickly restored. Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister and a top critic of President Vladimir Putin, was shot and killed on Feb. 27 on a bridge near the Kremlin. Mourners set up a memorial at the site...
The Bad Optics Of The NATO Snub
The Secretary General of NATO is knocking at the White House door, but nobody seems to be home. Josh Rogin at Bloomberg View reports: President Barack Obama has yet to meet with the new head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and won’t see Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg this week, even though he is in Washington for three days....
The Daily Vertical: Silly Season
The Daily Vertical is a video primer for Russia-watchers that appears Monday through Friday. Viewers can suggest topics via Twitter@PowerVertical or on the Power Vertical Facebook page. …read more Source: Radio Free Europe / Radio...
Kerry presses Iran as nuclear deadline looms
Lausanne (AFP) – US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart held down-to-the-wire talks in Switzerland Thursday, with US officials insisting the contours of a historic nuclear deal were in sight just days before a deadline.”We very much believe that we can get this done by (March) 31,” said a senior State...
