Vladimir Putin

Putin criticizes US policy in Syria ahead of Obama meeting

Putin made a point of noting the Pentagon's recent admission that an effort to train more than 5,000 Syrian rebels had yielded only four or five fighters after about 50 others were captured, wounded or fled in their first encounter with extremist militants.

After success with Iran, pope, next stop for Obama is UN

And he's carrying some heavy burdens.

There's the threat from Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, and the Syrian civil war and refugee crisis. Also, Russia's moves in Ukraine and, more recently, in Syria.

On Monday evening, Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin (POO'-tihn) meet on the sidelines of the U.N. gathering. It will be their first face-to-face encounter in nearly a year.

Kremlin: Putin to meet Obama on Monday

The announcement of the meeting was made Thursday by the Russian president's spokesman Dmitry Peskov and confirmed by the White House.

Putin is to speak Monday at the United Nations General Assembly. It was not immediately clear if the meeting with the U.S. President would take place before or after the speech. Peskov said Putin also is to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday.

Russia: If Syria asks us to send troops, we'll consider it

Dmitry Peskov spoke in response to comments by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, who denied reports that Russian combat troops were fighting with Syrian troops, but said Syria would ask for Russia's help if needed.

If such a request is made, it will be "discussed and considered," Peskov said.

Putin gives Roy Jones Jr. Russian citizenship

A decree published on the Kremlin's website in the Russian president's name said the American, a four-weight champion once regarded by many as the world's best boxer, had been given Russian nationality.

Jones asked Putin for citizenship in August over a cup of tea when they met in Crimea — the territory annexed by Russia last year — saying it would make doing business in Russia easier. 

China parade draws Putin, but few other major world leaders

 After them, the wattage gets pretty low.

Beijing says the attendance of 30 overseas leaders from countries ranging from Mongolia to Egypt to Venezuela is a sign that China's long-undervalued contributions to that victory in 1945 are finally getting their proper due.

Litvinenko widow accuses Putin of ordering husband killing

And the widow's lawyer called the Russian leader a "tin-pot despot" who sanctioned the killing.

At the end of the six-month inquiry, Marina Litvinenko said "any reasonable person" would conclude from the evidence "that my husband was killed by agents of the Russian state ... and this could not have happened without the knowledge and consent of Mr. Putin."