Why it matters: The bill is deeply unpopular among Russians and has caused President Vladimir Putin's approval rating to drop considerably. Protestors at the rally, organized by the opposition Libertarian Party, chanted "Putin is a thief" and "away with the tsar" as they marched through the streets of central Moscow.
Ahed Tamimi, the 17-year-old Palestinian girl arrested for slapping and kicking two Israeli soldiers, has been released from prison after serving an eight-month sentence, reports the AP.
Why it matters: She became a polarizing, global figure of Palestinian resistance in December, when a video of her hitting the soldiers in retaliation for the death of her 15-year-old cousin went viral. Per the AP, she received "a hero's welcome" upon returning to her West Bank village Sunday.
The East Coast may be the usual backdrop in spy stories, but the U.S. West Coast—and specifically San Francisco and the rest of the Silicon Valley—has a long history as a hub for espionage, as Politico details in a new feature.
Why it matters: Despite growing spy operations from countries like China and Russia, former intelligence officials say that Silicon Valley companies are often unprepared to deal with attempts to gather trade secrets or intelligence. And worse: They often also prefer to turn a blind eye instead of suffering the bad press.
China has begun importing natural gas from just above the Arctic circle at Russia's Yamal plant, reports CGTN.
Why it matters: China is on pace to be the world's leader in natural gas imports in large part due to the Yamal plant. It owns nearly a 30% stake in the Russian operation and believes that, in the next 10 years, its trade of natural gas with Russia will exceed 70 billion cubic meters, making Russia the largest natural gas supplier to China.
