Russia to expand Arctic presence, Putin says
MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin says Russia will expand its presence in the Arctic and restore a Soviet-era military base there.
Putin said Thursday that the Arctic region is essential for Russia’s economic and security interests.
He told activists of the main Kremlin party that the Russian military has been restoring a Soviet-era military base on the New Siberian Islands that was shut down after the Soviet collapse. He added that the facility is key for protecting shipping routes across the Arctic Ocean.
Russia, the U.S., Canada, Denmark and Norway have all been trying to assert jurisdiction over parts of the Arctic, believed to hold up to a quarter of the Earth’s undiscovered gas and oil.
Group sues Britain over surveillance programs
LONDON – Three organizations in Britain have filed a lawsuit at the European Court of Human Rights, accusing their country’s eavesdropping agency of using its online surveillance programs to violate the privacy of millions of citizens.
English PEN, Big Brother Watch and the Open Rights Group claim that Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters, known as GCHQ, acted illegally by collecting vast amounts of data, including the contents of emails and social media messages.
The legal challenge came after documents disclosed by U.S. National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden exposed the extent of mass data gathering carried out by NSA and GCHQ.
U.S., Japan announce defense changes
TOKYO — The United States and Japan moved Thursday to modernize and expand their defense alliance to counter new challenges, including a nuclear-armed North Korea and potential aggression from China over disputed territory.
In the first update to the defense partnership in 16 years, the allies agreed to position a second early-warning radar in Japan within the next year to help protect against North Korea. And by next spring, they will deploy new long-range surveillance drones to help monitor disputed islands in the East China Sea, a move that may well raise tensions with Beijing.
Japan will pay up to $3.1 billion of the estimated $8.6 billion cost of the move, which includes development of new facilities in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Associated Press
