Crikey media wrap: The United States government has begun reviewing military options in Syria, as the Syrian army ramps up its military assault on opposition fighters in the city of Homs.
Russia
Russia goes its own way over Syria
Last week there was some hope that Russia might be coming on board with the need to do something about the steadily increasing bloodshed in Syria.
Crooks, thieves, ex-finance minister and a blogger in Russia
Headed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, United Russia has come to be known throughout the country as the party of crooks and thieves, writes freelance foreign correspondent Matthew Clayfield.
Putin a comic book hero to stir the Russian spirit
Vladimir Putin has been the subject of everything from pop songs to Chippendale-like wall calendars. Now his mock-heroics have become comic books, in the dangerous
Western journalists missing the real Russian roulette
Moscow-based Western correspondents spent the better part of this year holding out hope that Dmitri Medvedev might remain in the Kremlin for a second term and continue pushing his pseudo-liberal platform.
In Russia, a bumper season for authoritarian self-sabotage
Russian nationalists have been in the news as of late. And there’s the perfect demonstration of the bifurcation of Russian nationalism into its two distinct halves.
Media briefs: ABC News changes … tweeting at court … Russian media attacked …
The ABC is losing Lateline host Ali Moore, who hosted her final program on Friday night. She’s off to Singapore with her family. Plus other ABC news changes and media news from around the globe.
Ukraine still teetering between east and west
This week Europe’s politicians have had the chance to put aside, if only briefly, their economic fears and join in a chorus of condemnation of Ukraine.
Putin apologists line up to justify the ruling tandem’s bitch slap to democracy
Commentators and analysts have been lining up, not only to explain the ruling tandem’s bitch-slap to democracy with Putin’s return to the Kremlin, but also, worse, to justify and excuse it.
Cameron goes to Russia to break four-year ice
The issue of Russian participation in Europe has been thrown into sharper relief this week by the visit of British Prime Minister David Cameron to Moscow.
It was 20 years ago today — remembering the Soviet coup
The fall of the Berlin Wall is probably the thing people remember most, but the Soviet empire, truncated and divided, limped on for another two years. It was the August coup, 20 years ago today, that really finished it off.
PHOTO GALLERY 
The children of Russia’s nouveau riche
A fascinating look at the wealthiest children in Russia, where little girls play football in the marble ballrooms in their homes and boys play with Kalashnikovs in their opulent bedrooms.
Richardson: tension at the top in Russia
There’s a fairly widespread view that what they have is just a well-honed “good cop, bad cop” routine, in which Medvedev presents the friendly face of authoritarianism while Putin actually runs the show.
Political snippets: Liberals providing a reason for the flood tax
The arguing within the Liberal Party over what programs should be cut to finance the cost of Queensland’s flood damage repairs proves again that politicians find it easier to spend money than save it.
moscow airport bomb blast 
Global airport security set to tighten
Airport security experts say the Moscow bomb blast was triggered in the arrivals area because it made an easier target than the departures zone and the incident will almost certainly lead to a global boost in airport security, reports Bryony Jones.
Moscow bomb blast kills 35 people
Media wrap: At least 35 people have been killed and more than 100 wounded in an explosion at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport this morning triggered by a suspected suicide bomber.
Wikileaks 
The Dagestan wedding of the year
Amongst all the incriminating WikiLeaks embassy cable news lies a a fascinating tale of a rural Russian wedding, which included a “perpetually tipsy” Olympic wrestler named Vakha and a performance by Benya the Accordion King.
Crikey Conversations: Obama makes up ground on the Russian front
Improving relations with Russia is a classic win-win proposition; it reduces the pressure on the West and also strengthens the more progressive forces in Russia by drawing the country more closely into the European net.
Gorbachev accuses Putin of blocking democracy
Former Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev, now 80, has spoken out against Vladimir Putin, arguing Putin’s leadership is deliberately blocking the path to democracy that Gorbachev forged, reports Clifford L. Jevy.
PHOTO GALLERY: Colours of a pre-revolution Russia
Go back to a land of colourful pants, patterned dresses and the building of the Trans-Siberian railway. Yes, it’s rare photos of pre-revolution Russia, Uzbekistan and Turkey, taken in full colour at the turn of the century.
Russian blogger are sad and cranky naysayers
The political blogosphere in Russia is a burgeoning sphere of vitriol and nastiness. Russian bloggers are quick to turn on anybody and the public would be well advised to stay away and stick with good old fashioned newspapers, writes Victor Davidoff.
Russia’s first elected black politician
48-year-old Jean Gregoire, from the West African country of Benin, has become the first black person to be elected to office in Russia. The press have dubbed him “Russia’s Obama,” a mantle he passionately rejects.
Why Russia and the US are freaking out about a tiny nation
Kyrgyzstan may be small, but the current violence could have a significant affect on Russia and the US, since both have military bases in the country. The US base is an important transit hub for supplies to its war in Afghanistan.
The Russians invading NY
Billionaire — and owner of the NBA team the New Jersey Nets — Mikhail Prokhorov is the face of the New Russians taking over New York City, a mix of Russian culture, Western education and a snobbish attitude.
A Soviet solution to the oil spill: nuke it
Forget your fancy containment domes and underwater pipes, Russian newspaper Komsomoloskaya Pravda has a far simpler solution to cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill: blast it with nukes. That’s how the Soviets would’ve done it.
