Russia

Trump: 'I think it was Russia'

In his first news conference since winning the election, a combative Trump made clear he will not mute his style when he is inaugurated in nine days. He lashed out at media and political foes alike in a bravura performance.

Young Russians born this decade face complete smoking ban

It's part of a tough anti-tobacco strategy the country's politicians are trying to make a reality.

The ban on the sale of tobacco to this generation and younger would continue even after they reach adulthood.

It's only being considered at the moment but it could mean smoking eventually becomes illegal for all Russians.

Russian news site Izvestia says it has seen a policy document titled "concept for the state policy to counter tobacco consumption in the years 2017-2022 and beyond".

Trump, Putin both seek to boost their nuclear capability

The exchange appeared to raise the prospect of a new arms race between the two nuclear superpowers, which between them boast more than 14,000 nuclear warheads, the still deadly legacy of their four-decades long Cold War standoff.

But the comments by Putin, who is presiding over a project to restore Russia's lost global power and influence, and Trump, who will shortly become the US commander-in-chief, did not spell out exactly what each side is proposing or whether a major change of nuclear doctrine is in the offing.

Russia does the Hunger Games for real in Siberia but no guns are allowed

Contestants will have to survive on their own for nine months in Siberia.

Producers say that anything goes, including rape and murder, although they warn people taking part that they're still subject to the rule of law and can be arrested at any time.

"You must understand that the police will come and take you away. We are on the territory of Russia, and obey the laws of the Russian Federation."

Aleppo battle: Russia and China veto UN truce resolution

Russia said the document infringed the council rule allowing countries 24 hours to consider the final wording.

The US dismissed this as a "made-up alibi", saying Russia wanted to preserve recent military gains by Syrian government troops in Aleppo.

The army are reported to have seized more parts of rebel-held east Aleppo.

If confirmed, that would mean the government had recaptured about 70% of the rebel-controlled area in just over a week.

LinkedIn blocked by Russian authorities

Russia's communications regulator Roskomnadzor said LinkedIn would be unavailable in the country within 24 hours.

Some internet providers have already cut access to the site, which has more than six million members in Russia.

LinkedIn told the BBC it hoped to meet Roskomnadzor to discuss the block.

In 2014, Russia introduced legislation requiring social networks to store the personal data of Russian citizens on Russian web servers.

It is the first time the law has been enforced against a US-based social network.

 

Russia beat Pukpuks 49-19

Russia captain and flanker Viktor Gresev was instrumental in the win with a hat trick of tries to his name.

The defending champions were out to a 21-0 lead after Gresev’s first two tries in the 12th and 19th minute.

The Pukpuks were on the board after 21 minutes of play when winger John Ephraim crossed over. An unsuccessful conversion brought the score to 21-5.

But Russia continued to pile on the points with more points to Anton Ryabov and Valery Tsnobiladze.

Russia moves to block LinkedIn

A Moscow court ruled Thursday that access to the social network for professionals can be blocked because it has not complied with personal data storage regulations.

LinkedIn (LNKDTech30) was found to be in violation of a rule requiring data on Russian citizens to be stored on servers inside the country.

Giant snowballs appear on Russian beach in Siberia

An 11-mile (18km) stretch of coast was covered in the icy spheres.

The sculptural shapes range from the size of a tennis ball to almost 1m (3ft) across.

They result from a rare environmental process where small pieces of ice form, are rolled by wind and water, and end up as giant snowballs.

Locals in the village of Nyda, which lies on the Yamal Peninsula just above the Arctic Circle, say they have never seen anything to compare to them.

Russian TV quoted an explanation from Sergei Lisenkov, press secretary of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute:

MI5 chief: Britain faces growing threat from Russia

In an interview with The Guardian newspaper published Tuesday, Andrew Parker, director-general of MI5, said that the covert threat from foreign countries, most notably Russia, was rising at a time when the threat of radical Islam drew the most attention.