Fox News - Fair & Balanced

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 as of 11:14 AM ET

Search Site

Obama Tour

Merkel presses Putin on Russian democracy

German Chancellor Angela Merkel pressed Vladimir Putin on Friday to allow "democratic diversity" to develop in Russia as he made his first trip abroad since returning to the presidency.

Putin and his United Russia party have faced high levels of discontent in recent months, especially after December's fraud-marred parliamentary election.That election prompted massive street protests that have evolved into regular, smaller rallies more recently decrying corruption, the growing authoritarianism of the government, and Putin's win in the March presidential contest.Putin has toughened his stance against the opposition since winning a third term, rejecting dialogue with its leaders and stonewalling their demands.Merkel said after meeting Putin that they had discussed "the development of civil society" in Russia."I made clear on my part that we have every interest in democratic diversity in Russia being able to develop further, because my experience is it is only that way that a truly robust c...

Read More

  1. Syrian opposition leader urges Arab military action to end Assad's crackdown

    The head of Syria's largest exile opposition group says he would welcome Arab military action aimed at ending attacks by Bashar Assad's regime against Syrian rebel f...

  2. Life sentence against Egypt's Mubarak caps fall from war hero to prison inmate

    War hero. Savior of the nation. An anchor of stability in a turbulent region. And in the twilight of his life, a criminal convicted for his role in the deaths of tho...

  3. Emergency landing after jet engine catches fire on Saudi Arabia -to-India flight; no one hurt

    A Jet Airways plane has made an emergency landing at Mumbai airport after its left engine caught fire, but the Indian airline says no one was hurt.The airline says i...

  4. US university professor to head Holocaust -era archive in Germany

    A U.S. university professor has been appointed director of the International Tracing Service's Holocaust-era archive in the German town of Bad Arolsen.The ITS said W...

  5. Tens of thousands join Bahrain protest against unity plans with Saudi Arabia

    Tens of thousands of protesters chanting "Bahrain is not for sale" jammed a major highway Friday to denounce proposals for closer unity between the unrest-torn Gulf ...

  6. Militants post appeal of kidnapped Saudi diplomat online

    Militants have posted online a video in which a man identifying himself as a Saudi diplomat kidnapped by Al Qaeda in Yemen appeals to Saudi Arabia's rulers to respon...

  7. Militants post appeal of Saudi diplomat kidnapped by al-Qaida in Yemen

    Militants have posted online a video in which a man identifying himself as a Saudi diplomat kidnapped by al-Qaida in Yemen appeals to Saudi Arabia's rulers to respon...

  8. Irish say 'yes' to EU treaty that means more austerity, now seek deal on growth and bank debt

    Ireland's voters have agreed to ratify the European Union's deficit-fighting treaty with a resounding 60.3 percent "yes," results Friday showed, but government leade...

  9. Putin says Russia will help find 'positive results' in Syria

    Russia wants to help U.N. envoy Kofi Annan achieve "positive results" and prevent an all-out civil war in Syria, President Vladimir Putin said in Germany on Friday.M...

  10. EU calls for clarity on bank bailout plan to calm markets, Spain sends official to Washington

    The European Union urged Spain on Thursday to come clean on how it plans to finance the overhaul of its banking sector, warning that uncertainty over this has contri...

  11. D-Day veterans connect with new generation of cadets

    The Greatest Generation pays it forward

  12. Holocaust survivor and Jewish scholar Arno Lustiger dies in Germany at age 88

    Germany's Central Council of Jews says Holocaust survivor and scholar Arno Lustiger has died at age 88.Council President Dieter Graumann said Wednesday that Lustiger...

  1. Germany's Merkel presses Putin on democracy in Russia as he returns to presidency

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel pressed Vladimir Putin on Friday to allow "democratic diversity" to develop in Russia as he made his first trip abroad since returnin...

  2. Obama expresses 'regret' to Poland over inadvertent 'death camp' gaffe

    President Barack Obama has written a letter to the Polish president expressing "regret" for an inadvertent verbal gaffe that caused a storm of controversy in Poland ...

  3. Jordan's king calls peaceful solution in Syria

    Jordan's king has urged for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis in talks with international envoy Kofi Annan.The royal palace says King Abdullah II and Annan di...

  4. Fresh clashes erupt between pro- and anti-Syrian groups in north Lebanon; 7 killed

    Gunbattles between pro- and anti-Syrian groups in northern Lebanon killed at least seven people and wounded 22 on Saturday, security officials said, as activists rep...

  5. A nation-by-nation look at the fate of authoritarian leaders swept up by the Arab Spring

    Egypt's longtime leader Hosni Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison Saturday for failing to stop the killing of protesters during the uprising that forced him from...

  6. AP Interview: UN rights chief says there must be no amnesty for violations committed in Syria

    The U.N.'s top human rights official said Saturday that there should be no amnesty for serious crimes committed in Syria, even if the threat of prosecution might mot...

  7. Gas myths debunked

    John Stossel tackles oil misconceptions

‹ Prev12345Next ›