DRAG artist Panti Bliss’s speech on homophobia, in the Abbey Theatre on February 2, is one of the greats of Irish politics, up there with Robert Emmet’s parting words. For anyone who has followed Bliss’s (real name Rory O’Neill) career, this is not surprising.

Stephen Fry has urged British Prime Minister David Cameron to support moves to strip Russia of the 2014 Winter Olympics over concerns about anti-gay laws passed in the country.

National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden wants asylum in Russia and is willing to stop sharing information as a trade-off for such a deal, according to a parliament member who was among a dozen activists and officials to meet with him.

Edward Snowden plans to seek asylum in Russia, an MP among those meeting the NSA leaker said today.

A former KGB colonel turned opposition MP who has angered the Kremlin with his criticism and involvement in street protests against president Vladimir Putin was stripped of his parliament seat today.

Several hundred demonstrators demanding a rerun of parliamentary elections are in a square in central Moscow for a second weekend of protests against the fraud-tainted vote.

Russia’s opposition will test Vladimir Putin’s grip on power today in nationwide protests that promise to be the largest demonstration of public outrage since the dying days of the Soviet Union.

POLICE clashed with protesters on a downtown Moscow square for a second night as demonstrators rallied against alleged vote fraud in Russia’s parliamentary elections.

VLADIMIR PUTIN’S ruling party suffered a big drop in support in a parliamentary election yesterday and was not certain even of holding on to a majority of seats, an exit poll showed.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has welcomed the US Senate’s decision to ratify a landmark US-Russian nuclear arms control treaty.

SECOND World War Katyn massacres were committed on the direct order of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, Russia’s lower house of parliament said yesterday — a statement hailed by Polish officials.

The Second World War Katyn massacres were committed on the direct order of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, Russia’s lower house of parliament said today – a statement hailed by Polish officials.

Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev today signed a law extending presidential terms from four years to six, a move seen as paving the way for Vladimir Putin’s return to the office.

European nations rushed to criticise Russia’s decision to recognise South Ossetia and Abkhazia’s independence today.

Russia formally voted Vladimir Putin as prime minister today leaving the country wondering just who is really in charge.

Russian politicians have voted for restrictions on the news media after a Moscow newspaper reported that President Vladimir Putin had divorced his wife and planned to marry a champion gymnast.

President Vladimir Putin accepted leadership of the dominant United Russia party today securing his grip on power after he leaves the Kremlin and becomes prime minister next month.

Vladimir Putin’s party won a crushing victory in Russia’s parliamentary elections, paving the way for the leader to remain in control even after he steps down as president.

RUSSIA’S President Vladimir Putin yesterday said a convincing victory for the party he is leading in next month’s parliamentary elections would give him the “moral right” to maintain strong influence after he steps down next year.

Russia’s president Vladimir Putin today gave the clearest hint yet that he intends to maintain a position of power even after standing down from office next year.

Russia's lower house of parliament voted unanimously today to suspend Moscow's participation in a key European arms control treaty.

The vehemently nationalist Liberal Democratic Party today named the prime suspect in the killing of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko to a top slot on its list for parliamentary candidates, Russian news reports said.

Russia’s lower house of parliament was today set to vote on President Vladimir Putin’s nominee for prime minister, with confirmation assured in the Kremlin-controlled chamber.

The head of Russia’s atomic energy agency today said Iran was ready for detailed discussions on the proposal to conduct Iran’s uranium enrichment in Russia.

Russia’s lower house of parliament today took the first step toward approval of a bill that would prevent foreign-funded rights groups from operating in the country – a move sure to heighten criticism of President Vladimir Putin’s commitment to democracy.

Russia will dispose of all its decommissioned nuclear submarines and ships by 2010, according to Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev.

AS the world prepared for the funeral of Pope John Paul II, some Europeans have questioned the deluge of ecstatic praise for the pontiff as well as the participation of scores of heads of state.

Russia’s lower house of parliament turned down a motion of no-confidence President Vladimir Putin's Cabinet but many MPs demonstrated their disdain for the government by boycotting the vote.

Russia’s lower house of parliament set hearings on ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on combating global warming for Friday, State Duma speaker Boris Gryzlov said today.

Russia’s prime minister signed a government order today officially approving the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and sending it to President Vladimir Putin, who is to submit it to parliament for ratification.

RUSSIA'S Cabinet approved the Kyoto Protocol on global warming yesterday, clearing the way for the worldwide adoption of the document once the Russian parliament ratifies it as widely expected.

The Russian Cabinet approved the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on combating global warming today, clearing the way for parliament to vote on the pact, which needs to be ratified by Russia to take effect.

THE Russian Duma marked its first session since the Beslan siege yesterday by rejecting a motion to restore capital punishment.

RUSSIA’S first post-Soviet leader Boris Yeltsin issued a veiled warning that President Vladimir Putin’s decision to hand sweeping new powers to the Kremlin in the wake of the Beslan hostage crisis could roll back democratic freedoms.

The EU yesterday warned Russian president Vladimir Putin that he must not use the fight against terrorism to increase his powers in the Federation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says he will fight terror by consolidating security agencies and further tightening political control over the country.

PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin strengthened his control over Russia yesterday with a series of far-reaching initiatives which he said were aimed at combating terrorism.

President Vladimir Putin today nominated Mikhail Fradkov, a former tax police chief who is Russia’s representative to the European Union, to the post of prime minister.

Flamboyant nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, whose party came a strong third in Russia’s parliamentary elections, announced today that he will run for president in March.

A SUICIDE bomb attack killed at least six people in the heart of Moscow yesterday, just two days after Russian voters handed President Vladimir Putin an even tighter grip on power.

Fears of a new wave of terrorism in Moscow have been heightened as a woman suicide bomber struck in the heart of the city today, killing five people.

Allies of President Vladimir Putin won a sweeping victory in Russia’s elections today but European human rights officials condemned the poll as having fallen short of international legal requirements and representing a retreat from democratic reforms.

The court jester of Russian politics, Vladimir Zhirinovksy, led his nationalist party to a surprisingly strong comeback in the parliamentary elections with his unique mix of bad-boy behaviour, populist politicking – and support for the Kremlin.

The biggest pro-Kremlin party is set to dominate the Russian legislature after parliamentary elections tightened President Vladimir Putin’s grip on power.