Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA | Results of the latest poll showed on Friday that 59 percent of Russians trust President Vladimir Putin, up from 58 percent a week ago. On June 19-21, the Moscow-based Public Opinion Foundation surveyed 4,000 adults, 31 percent of whom said they did not trust Putin, down …
Read More »All-Russian vote on constitutional amendments begins
Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA | The all-Russian vote on constitutional amendments, postponed from April 22 due to the COVID-19 epidemic, began on Thursday. Voting was originally scheduled to run for one day only on July 1, but election officials opened polls a week early to avoid overcrowding that could spread coronavirus …
Read More »Putin has ‘disinfection tunnel’ to protect him from coronavirus
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Visitors meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin at his country residence must first pass through a walk-through device that sprays them with disinfectant to protect him from the coronavirus, officials said. The measures have provoked anger from some observers, given the authorities have ruled it is safe enough to hold nationwide …
Read More »Putin says ‘majority’ back plan to change Russian constitution
Moscow, Russia | AFP | President Vladimir Putin said Friday an “absolute majority” of Russians backed his controversial plan to change the constitution, as he made his first public appearance after weeks of lockdown. Russia, which has the world’s third-largest coronavirus caseload, this week lifted tight restrictions as Putin set the stage for a vote …
Read More »US and Russia to resume nuclear talks, but China casts cloud
Washington, United States | AFP | Russia called Tuesday on the United States to make a “positive” proposal as the powers open talks on a major disarmament treaty, warning that US insistence on including China could scuttle efforts. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov will meet in Vienna on June 22 with …
Read More »Putin tells metals giant to pay for full cleanup after Arctic spill
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said he expected metals giant Norilsk Nickel to fully restore the environment after an unprecedented Arctic fuel spill, as responders said they had managed to stop the slick from spreading further. A national-level state of emergency was announced after 21,000 …
Read More »Russia struggles to clean up Arctic river fuel spill
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russia on Thursday intensified efforts to clean up a major fuel spill that environmentalists say is theworst such accident in the Arctic, as investigators made their first arrest. A diesel reservoir collapsed at a power station outside the northern Siberian city of Norilsk on Friday, releasing …
Read More »Strongman admirer Trump sees US protests in warlike terms
Washington, United States | AFP | From the White House, President Donald Trump delivered blunt — some say alarming — instructions to local leaders confronting nationwide street protests against police brutality: “dominate.” “If you don’t dominate, you’re wasting your time,” he told state governors. And if they tried, but failed? “Then I …
Read More »Trump says ‘common sense’ for Russia to rejoin G7
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Wednesday said it is “common sense” to bring Russia back into the G7, despite Moscow’s expulsion from the club after invading part of Ukraine. Speaking to Fox News radio, Trump said that the G7 countries — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United …
Read More »Putin declares state of emergency over Siberian fuel spill
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered a state of emergency and criticised a subsidiary of metals giant Norilsk Nickel after a massive diesel spill into a Siberian river. The spill of over 20,000 tonnes of diesel fuel took place on Friday. A fuel reservoir collapsed …
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