Portside

There is no way to know whether Russian 'fake news' efforts proved decisive in electing Trump, but researchers say it was part of a broadly effective strategy. The tactics included penetrating the computers of election officials and releasing troves of hacked emails that embarrassed Clinton in the final months of her campaign.

Putin has just delivered a speech every American deserves to hear and consider. Few will have done so for the simple reason that our media declined to tell you about the Russian leader’s presentation to an annual gathering of leaders and thinkers called the Valdai International Discussion Club, a Davos variant. Readers can now decide: What they think of the speech and what they think of the American media for not reporting it.

In Germany heads fall - Lenin's head still needs to be kept buried, and Berlin's once-popular gay mayor bows out. Another head featured in the press belongs to a man who is certainly not gay nor a Lenin. Sadly, current references to Vladimir Putin, evoke all too sharply recollections of German language used against every Russian leader since the start of World War I a hundred years ago.

The State Department’s handling of the Ukraine crisis may go down as a textbook diplomatic fiasco, doing nothing to advance genuine U.S. interests while disrupting cooperation with Moscow and pushing Russia and China back together, reports Robert Parry.

Stephen Colbert takes exception to Vladimir Putin's Op-Ed. Revving Up Brain Skills. Dante de Blasio. A Million Years Before 'Lucy,' There Was 'Ardi.' Glee Fan Flash Mob.