Russia & Caucasus

Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, will receive this year's Nobel Peace Prize. (Photo by Futoshi Kuwamoto)
Interview

Nobel-winning Russian journalist vows to combat fake news

Dmitry Muratov says award is for 6 colleagues killed

12 November 2021
A boy in Bogota receives a COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac. Roughly half of the global population has received at least one shot so far.
COVID vaccines

Vaccines help slash coronavirus death rate to 2%: Hopkins data

Unequal access and distrust loom large as global death toll tops 5 million

2 November 2021
U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders stand for a family photo at the G20 summit in Rome.
G20 Summit

Indo-Pacific a focus for U.S. and Europe on G-20 sidelines

Group endorses minimum corporate tax; Biden calls for energy output boost

31 October 2021
Russia has not rushed to formally recognize Taliban rule in Afghanistan, but President Vladimir Putin has called for gradually welcoming the group into "the civilized family of nations."
Asia Insight

Russia puts Taliban on 'probation' with Central Asia on knife edge

Moscow cautiously warms to once sworn enemy in light of other threats

26 October 2021
Osumi Peninsula and Tanegashima Island are both in Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture. (Google Maps) 
International relations

China, Russia ships needle through Japan's southern chokepoint

In unprecedented provocation, two navies circle nation in less than a week

24 October 2021
Members of the Taliban delegation, including its head Abdul Salam Hanafi, Afghan acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and representative of the Taliban political office Anas Haqqani, attend a media briefing following international talks on Afghanistan in Moscow on Wednesday.
Opinion

What are China and Russia up to in Afghanistan?

A coordinated pattern of engagement is starting to emerge

23 October 2021
A Russian Ka-27 helicopter lands during military exercises in 2019. Russian and Chinese military helicopters flew Oct. 21 from vessels near Japan.
International relations

Russia and China fly military helicopters near Japanese island

Tokyo scrambles fighters on heels of joint naval passage through northern strait

23 October 2021
The Tsugaru Strait lies between Japan's main island of Honshu and the northern island of Hokkaido. (Google Earth)
International relations

Chinese, Russian warships jointly pass Japan chokepoint for 1st time

Tsugaru Strait, between Honshu and Hokkaido, includes international waters

20 October 2021
A coal field in India: The country outperforms the U.S., Japan and Germany on a per-capita emissions basis.
Climate Change

Coal set to be stumbling block at COP26 as China, India balk

Nations face uphill road to deal on emissions cuts at U.N. climate conference

19 October 2021
The U.S. National Security Council is hosting a meeting of about 30 friendly nations in attempt to blunt cyber threats coming from China and Russia. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
International relations

U.S. hosts global talks on China, Russia cyber threats

Ransomware attacks top agenda of 2-day meeting among 30 or so nations

14 October 2021
Researchers found that the U.S. share of average monthly global hashrate -- the computational power used to mint new bitcoin and process transactions -- grew to 35.4% in August from 16.9% in April.
Cryptocurrencies

U.S. overtakes China in bitcoin mining after Beijing clampdown

Cambridge report shows Kazakhstan, Russia and Malaysia rising in rankings

13 October 2021
From left, the Philippines' Maria Ressa and Russia's Dmitry Muratov have won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2021. (Source photos by AP and Reuters)
International relations

Philippines' Maria Ressa, Russian journalist share Nobel Peace Prize

Prominent Duterte and Kremlin critics win for defending freedom of expression

9 October 2021
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, visits Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on Sept. 29. (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
International relations

Turkey keen to deepen ties with Russia, from submarines to space

Amid tensions with Biden, Erdogan defends missile deal after talks with Putin

1 October 2021
A car bridge connecting the Chinese and Russian sides of the Amir River was completed in 2019, though it remains shut to traffic due to coronavirus restrictions. (Photo by Shin Watanabe)
29 September 2021
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, left, speaks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon while attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Dushanbe on Sept. 17.
International relations

Iran to gain Central Asia clout with entry into SCO security club

China and Russia-led group expands amid fear of radical spillover from Afghanistan

17 September 2021
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in the BRICS summit via a video link in Moscow on Sept. 9.
Afghanistan turmoil

BRICS summit: Putin blasts US over Afghanistan 'crisis'

Leaders urge 'inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue' to ensure stability, law and order

10 September 2021
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Sept. 3.
International relations

Russia to tighten grip on islands claimed by Japan with economic zone

Putin strikes a conciliatory with Tokyo, calling the lack of a peace treaty 'nonsense'

4 September 2021
Imported soybeans in China: The Russian Far East is seen as a promising source of the staple.
International relations

Russian food industry's pivot to China sows rewards and risks

Far East soybean ambitions raise concerns of overproduction and overdependence

2 September 2021
Can Russian President Vladimir Putin come to terms with the Taliban and claim a stake in the war-torn country? (Source photos by AP and Reuters)
Afghanistan turmoil

Russia looks to fill Afghanistan power vacuum as US exits

Bitter memories and a shaky plan bode ill for Moscow's try at a geopolitical win

28 August 2021
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both nations fear that Taliban rule in Afghanistan could lead to a resurgence of Muslim extremists in the region, fueling terrorism and separatist movements. (Nikkei montage/AP)
Comment

US retreat from Afghanistan threatens China and Russia

Beijing and Moscow fear extremists flooding into Central Asia as Taliban return

17 August 2021
Chinese and Russian soldiers train in China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, amid growing concern over the Taliban's rapid advance in Afghanistan.
International relations

China and Russia show unity as Taliban bang on Central Asia's door

Drills prepare for possible joint intervention if Afghan crisis spills over

12 August 2021
The importance of the Arctic Ocean is spurring competition between the U.S., China and Russia for control of the region.
Transportation

Arctic opening: How the Northern Sea Route will reshape the world

Melting ice caps bring a shorter path for shipping -- and a race for resources

5 August 2021
Back in 1964, just before the first Tokyo Olympics, Mao Zedong came out in support of Japan over its territorial dispute with the Soviet Union. Now Xi Jinping sees few benefits to siding with Tokyo. (Source photos by AP, Reuters and Kyodo) 
China up close

Analysis: Like '64, China enters Japan-Russia row at Tokyo Games

Beijing signals subtle shift away from Mao's policy on territorial dispute

5 August 2021
Global warming has rendered the Arctic more accessible to fishing vessels, making rule-setting imperative. 
International relations

International research planned to manage Arctic fish stocks

Joint efforts raise hopes for cooperation among US, Russia and China

1 August 2021
Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin attend a meeting at Villa La Grange in Geneva on June 16: when Putin sat down with Biden in Geneva, Biden kept things cordial.
Opinion

Biden is tougher on China and nicer to Russia than Trump

White House will focus on increasingly contentious relationship with Beijing

28 July 2021