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Russian American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva marks a month behind bars on November 17, 2023 at 10:50 am
Russian American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva is getting little sleep in the crowded cell of a Russian prison, where she awaits a decision on improper registration charges after visiting Russia to see her elderly mother.
She is maintaining her “positive spirit,” said Jeffrey Gedmin, the acting president of Kurmasheva’s employer, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). But he told The Hill this week that the situation remains dire: The detention conditions are poor, she has yet to see U.S. officials and is separated from her husband and two children.
“I’m hoping that authorities will realize she’s not a threat,” Gedmin told The Hill. “She’s not a lawbreaker. She’s not a menace. She’s a mother … and deserves to be free.”
Gedmin said he is working with U.S. Embassy officials in Moscow to visit Kurmasheva, who are awaiting permission from Russia for the meeting, and he is also in constant talks with the White House and State Department.
“There’s broad support and energy and focus throughout the highest level,“ he said. “On consular affairs, the Americans have made the request and are ready to go.”
Gedmin hopes to potentially secure Kurmasheva’s release through negotiations, which could involve a U.S.-Russia prisoner swap, but in the meantime he is working to improve her legal representation given she only has a local Russian lawyer.
Kurmasheva, who holds dual Russian and U.S. citizenship but lives in Prague, Czech Republic, was arrested on Oct. 18 in Kazan, Russia, on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent, and she now faces up to five years in prison.
She has also been accused of collecting military secrets, but those charges have not been formally filed, according to Gedmin.
Kurmasheva’s family and employers, the U.S.-funded RFE/RL news agency, have denied the charges and called for her immediate release.
Her husband, Pavel Butorin, said last weekend that he and Kurmasheva had just marked 21 years together.
“She should be celebrating this anniversary at home with me and our children, not in a Russian prison cell,” he wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Alsu is not a criminal. We want her back.”
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the U.S. is working on meeting with Kurmasheva.
“We are deeply concerned about her pretrial detention,” he said in an October press briefing.
The U.S. ambassador to the European Union and the vice president of the European Commission said this month Kurmasheva is wrongfully detained. The United Nations, human rights groups and press freedom organizations have all called for her immediate release.
Kurmasheva is an editor for RFE/RL and has reported extensively on culture, ethnicity and minority rights in the republics of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan in the Volga-Ural region of Russia. She has worked for the organization since 1998.
Kurmasheva traveled to Russia in May to see her ailing mother and was temporarily detained in June, with Russia taking her passports at the time before formally arresting her in late October.
Gedmin said he is unaware of any piece she wrote that would prompt Russian authorities to arrest her but fears it may be part of Russia’s attempts to detain Americans.
“I can’t point to any article that she or colleagues were doing, and they’ve been doing what they do for years,” he said. “The climate is changing, and since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, it does seem to be that Russia is tightening, and repression is becoming more severe.
“So it was probably a confluence of factors. And very, very unfortunate timing that she was there at this moment.”
Russia has tightened its laws on foreign agent registrations following the war in Ukraine and high tensions with Washington over the conflict, making it easier to detain those accused of acting under a foreign influence. Even Russian citizens such as Kurmasheva must register under new, broad laws if they are collecting information that could technically be provided to a foreign government.
In the spring, Russian authorities arrested Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, accusing him of collecting state secrets on behalf of the U.S. government, charges his employer and the U.S. vehemently denies.
Gershkovich, who is still being held in pretrial detention, was the first American journalist arrested in Russia since the Cold War.
The Kremlin said it is not watching Kurmasheva’s case and does not arbitrarily detain Americans, according to Russian state-run media outlet TASS.
“There is absolutely no campaign in Russia to persecute U.S. citizens,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov last month. “There are U.S. citizens who violate the law [and] legal measures are taken against them. There is no other campaign of any kind.”
RFE/RL has had a tumultuous relationship with Russia since opening operations there in 1953, and it shuttered services in March 2022 after Moscow forced a bankruptcy case against the U.S.-funded group for not paying millions in fines. The fines were levied against the media group for failure to market itself as a foreign agent, among other charges RFE/RL has called unfair and tried to fight in court.
Russia has labeled more than 30 RFE/RL journalists as foreign agents. And three other RFE/RL journalists have been detained in Russian-allied Belarus and Russian-held Crimea since 2021, according to the media organization.
After the war in Ukraine, Russia also blocked the outlet’s website inside of Russia, although RFE/RL has continued to get its news out to Russian citizens.
Gedmin said since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the arrest of Gershkovich, he has warned his journalists not to travel to Russia, along with other countries hostile to the U.S. or to the media — but some employees must balance the risk of detention with seeing family.
“I don’t want any of them to go at all,” he said. “But when you’re in the shoes of someone who has strong family bonds and feels torn about responsibility and perhaps the last chance to see a parent, it’s very, very tough.”
Kurmasheva has a December hearing set on her pretrial detention, and Gedmin hopes his employee can, at the very least, be placed on house arrest.
“She’s a culture reporter. She’s a mother of two kids,” he said. “So I hope that they will come to the sense that she just should come home.”
Russian American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva is getting little sleep in the crowded cell of a Russian prison, where she awaits a decision on improper registration charges after visiting Russia to see her elderly mother. She is maintaining her “positive spirit,” said Jeffrey Gedmin, the acting president of Kurmasheva’s employer, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). But…
GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT RETURNS FOR ITS 5TH EDITION AT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT – HOUSE OF LORDS, PALACE OF WESTMINSTER
Theme: “People, Planet, and Profit in the Age of AI and Innovation”
London, United Kingdom — The Global Sustainability Summit (GSS) is officially back for its landmark 5th Edition, continuing its legacy as one of the leading international platforms driving sustainable development, climate action, ethical investment, innovation, and global collaboration.
Convened annually at the prestigious British Parliament, House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, by Ambassador Canon Chinenem Otto, the Summit has, over the last four years, successfully fostered international dialogue and partnerships that have contributed to the advancement of global sustainability goals, the establishment of sustainability-focused ministries, departments and policy structures across national and subnational governments, and the attraction of major investors into sustainable development projects, corporations and emerging economies.
This year’s summit, themed “People, Planet, and Profit in the Age of AI and Innovation,” will explore how emerging technologies, responsible leadership, sustainable finance, innovation, and global partnerships can shape a more inclusive, resilient and environmentally conscious future.
The 5th Edition promises to be the most impactful yet, bringing together world leaders, policymakers, diplomats, investors, academics, innovators, climate experts and youth leaders from across the globe to discuss actionable solutions toward achieving a sustainable and equitable future.
Among the distinguished speakers, delegates and honorees already lined up for the Summit are:
• His Excellency Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq — Executive Governor of Kwara State, Nigeria and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum
• His Excellency Senator Prince Bassey Otu — Executive Governor of Cross River State, Nigeria
• Ambassador Patricia Espinosa Cantellano — Former Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Former Foreign Minister of Mexico
• Lord Marvin Rees, Baron Rees of Easton OBE — Member of the House of Lords, United Kingdom
• Hon. Neema K. Lugangira — Secretary-General of Women Political Leaders (WPL), Brussels and Former Member of Parliament
• Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah — President of the Republic of Namibia
• His Excellency Nangolo Mbumba — Former President of Namibia
• Former President of Tanzania
• Her Excellency Ambassador Professor Olufolake AbdulRazaq — First Lady of Kwara State, Nigeria and Chairperson of Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum
• Your Excellency Dr. Dikko Umar Radda, PhD, CON — Executive Governor of Katsina State and Chairman of the Northwest Governors Forum, Nigeria
• Hon. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma — Governor of Khomas Region, Namibia
• H.E. Mr. Veiccoh Nghiwete — High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia to the United Kingdom
• Her Excellency Ms. Macenje “Che Che” Mazoka — High Commissioner of Zambia to the United Kingdom
• Ms. Danielle Newman — Partner Lead, ICT, World Economic Forum
• Leanne Elliott Young — Co-founder, Institute of Digital Fashion & CommuneEast
• Ms. Chloe Russell — Producer & Presenter, Art, Science and Nature
• Professor Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger — University of Cambridge & University of Waterloo
• Dr. Alexandra R. Harrington — IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL)
• Professor Payam Akhavan — Massey College, University of Toronto
• Mr. Mallai C. E. Sathya — President, Dravida Vetri Kazhagam and International Movement for Tamil Culture Asia
The Summit will feature high-level panel discussions, strategic investment conversations, sustainability awards, policy dialogues, innovation showcases, youth engagement sessions and international networking opportunities focused on climate resilience, ethical financing, food-water-energy sustainability, circular economy, artificial intelligence, diplomacy and sustainable development.
Speaking ahead of the Summit, Convener Ambassador Canon Chinenem Otto noted:
“As the world rapidly evolves through artificial intelligence and technological innovation, we must ensure that sustainability remains people-centered, environmentally responsible and economically inclusive. The Global Sustainability Summit continues to serve as a bridge connecting governments, institutions, innovators and investors to accelerate practical sustainability solutions globally. Our fifth edition is not only a celebration of progress made over the years, but also a renewed call for global collaboration and actionable impact toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Net Zero ambitions.”
The Global Sustainability Summit continues to position itself as a catalyst for transformative partnerships and sustainable global progress, reinforcing the urgent need for collective action toward a more resilient and sustainable future.
More announcements regarding additional speakers, partners and summit activities will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
President Donald Trump says the United States might one day get rid of federal income tax because of money the government collects from tariffs on imported goods. Tariffs are extra taxes the U.S. puts on products that come from other countries.
What Trump Is Saying
Trump has said that tariff money could become so large that it might allow the government to cut income taxes “almost completely.” He has also talked about possibly phasing out income tax over the next few years if tariff money keeps going up.
How Taxes Work Now
Right now, the federal government gets much more money from income taxes than from tariffs. Income taxes bring in trillions of dollars each year, while tariffs bring in only a small part of that total. Because of this gap, experts say tariffs would need to grow by many times to replace income tax money.
Questions From Experts
Many economists and tax experts doubt that tariffs alone could pay for the whole federal budget. They warn that very high tariffs could make many imported goods more expensive for shoppers in the United States. This could hit lower- and middle‑income families hardest, because they spend a big share of their money on everyday items.
What Congress Must Do
The president can change some tariffs, but only Congress can change or end the federal income tax. That means any real plan to remove income tax would need new laws passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. So far, there is no detailed law or full budget plan on this idea.
What It Means Right Now
For now, Trump’s comments are a proposal, not a change in the law. People and businesses still have to pay federal income tax under the current rules. The debate over using tariffs instead of income taxes is likely to continue among lawmakers, experts, and voters.
Former President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing federal agencies to declassify all government files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier whose death in 2019 continues to fuel controversy and speculation.
The order, signed Wednesday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, instructs the FBI, Department of Justice, and intelligence agencies to release documents detailing Epstein’s network, finances, and alleged connections to high-profile figures. Trump described the move as “a step toward transparency and public trust,” promising that no names would be shielded from scrutiny.
“This information belongs to the American people,” Trump said in a televised statement. “For too long, powerful interests have tried to bury the truth. That ends now.”
U.S. intelligence officials confirmed that preparations for the release are already underway. According to sources familiar with the process, the first batch of documents is expected to be made public within the next 30 days, with additional releases scheduled over several months.
Reactions poured in across the political spectrum. Supporters praised the decision as a bold act of accountability, while critics alleged it was politically motivated, timed to draw attention during a volatile election season. Civil rights advocates, meanwhile, emphasized caution, warning that some records could expose private victims or ongoing legal matters.
The Epstein case, which implicated figures in politics, business, and entertainment, remains one of the most talked-about scandals of the past decade. Epstein’s connections to influential individuals—including politicians, royals, and executives—have long sparked speculation about the extent of his operations and who may have been involved.
Former federal prosecutor Lauren Fields said the release could mark a turning point in public discourse surrounding government transparency. “Regardless of political stance, this declassification has the potential to reshape how Americans view power and accountability,” Fields noted.
Officials say redactions may still occur to protect sensitive intelligence or personal information, but the intent is a near-complete disclosure. For years, critics of the government’s handling of Epstein’s case have accused agencies of concealing evidence or shielding elites from exposure. Trump’s order promises to change that narrative.
As anticipation builds, journalists, legal analysts, and online commentators are preparing for what could be one of the most consequential information releases in recent history.
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