Red Square and other Moscow landmarks are being visited by World Cup fans doing a bit of sightseeing between matches. But just upriver, more adventurous tourists will find an anonymous-looking apartment block whose history sheds light on the Soviet Union's darkest days. VOA's Henry Ridgwell reports.
The House of the Embankment was home to Russia’s first revolutionary elite
Moscow’s famous landmarks – Red Square and the Kremlin, the domes of St Basil’s Cathedral - are swarmed with World Cup fans doing a bit of sightseeing in between matches. But just upriver, more adventurous tourists will find an anonymous-looking apartment block whose history sheds light on the Soviet Union’s darkest days. As Henry Ridgwell reports from Moscow, that history is once again the subject of fierce debate in modern Russia.
Britain fears migration showdown will push Brexit talks to sidelines
Even as hundreds of thousands of fans celebrate the football World Cup in Russia, ceasefire monitors just over the border in eastern Ukraine say there has been a significant uptick in violence in recent days, including the use of heavy weapons. Russia's President Putin spoke on the phone Thursday to his Ukrainian counterpart. And as Henry Ridgwell reports, the two sides are no closer to reaching agreement on how to fully implement the Minsk peace agreement.
Demands growing for FIFA to use leverage on Moscow
Human rights campaigners say Russia is using the glitz of the football World Cup to try to gloss over its deteriorating human rights record. Opposition groups, journalists, LGBT communities and non-governmental organizations have all been targeted in a crackdown that has intensified over the past six years, according to campaigners. As Henry Ridgwell reports, some are demanding that World Cup organizer FIFA use its leverage to force change.
The World Cup in Russia is the most expensive ever – with the official price tag around $15 billion. The result: several huge new stadiums, railroads and upgraded airports, plus the chance to reboot Russia’s global image. So, will the tournament represent a good value for Russians? As Henry Ridgwell reports from Moscow, the government appears to have used the World Cup to bury some bad economic news.
Pension changes announced on opening day of World Cup
With the World Cup in full swing, fans from across the globe are arriving in Russia, many visiting for the first time, after long journeys from South America, Africa and Asia. Many Russians say the fans have already transformed their home cities. Henry Ridgwell reports from Red Square in Moscow.
The phrase 'don't mix politics and sport' is often heard in Moscow these days. But it's difficult to escape the unique circumstances of this year's World Cup. As the tournament gets underway in Russia, the country remains subject to a range of international sanctions over its annexation of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine. As Henry Ridgwell reports from Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin sees the World Cup as an opportunity to break that isolation and present a different image of Russia.
Henry Ridgwell gives us a sense of the atmosphere in Russia, where thousands of fans, who have arrived to attend matches. World Cup kicked off Thursday with a match featuring host country Russia against Saudi Arabia. Russia won the match 5-0.
Up to a million football fans from around the world are expected to travel to Russia over the coming weeks for the World Cup, which kicks off Thursday. They include hundreds of thousands of supporters from South America and Africa, who are famous for bringing their passion and partying to the tournament. But as Henry Ridgwell reports, there are concerns that stem from a record of racism and violence in Russian football.
Eight years after it was awarded the right to host the football World Cup, Russia says it is ready for kick-off in the month-long competition. But with the total World Cup budget having been increased no less than 12 times and allegations of corruption surrounding stadium construction, how ready is Russia to host one of the world’s biggest sporting competitions? Henry Ridgwell reports.
Plastic has now been found in every corner of the world’s oceans
Microplastics, the tiny particles of plastic from decaying waste in the world's oceans, have been found in seawater and snow in Antarctica. It had been hoped that the frozen continent was protected from the soaring levels of plastic waste in the world's oceans, but research by environmental campaign group Greenpeace has revealed that few, if any, places on Earth appear able to escape the reach of plastic pollution. Henry Ridgwell reports.
International investigators looking into the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in July 2014 have identified the Russian military brigade they believe owned the missile that was used to bring down the airliner. It is the first time the Joint Investigation Team has suggested Russian involvement. As VOA's Henry Ridgwell reports from London, analysts say Moscow is unlikely to cooperate if any indictments are filed.
International investigators looking into the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in July 2014 have identified the Russian military brigade they believe owned the missile that was used to bring down the airliner. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.
Investigators release preliminary findings on flight MH-17 that was shot out of the sky over eastern Ukraine
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