The concept of the elusive Russian soul emerged in France and elsewhere in Europe in the late 19th century, after local readers discovered what became known as the Russian psychological novel.

// Jul. 16, 2010 - 08:20 GMT

The character of the Russian revolutionary is recognizable and universally known, since some of the best-known figures of Russian history were, at least at some stage of their lives, revolutionaries. Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin were professional revolutionaries who chose the career of professional insurgents early in their lives.

// Jul. 15, 2010 - 09:08 GMT

France's draft law banning the wearing of full veils in public easily passed the National Assembly Tuesday by a vote of 335 to 1.

// Jul. 15, 2010 - 08:24 GMT

If one was to set about the rather barmy task of pinpointing the geographical origins of the Russian soulâ”some kind of locus point emitting Russianness and uniting its peopleâ”then a good place to start might well be the heart of Siberia, at the bottom of the worldâ™s largest freshwater lake. </p>

// Jul. 11, 2010 - 08:55 GMT

Forty-seven year old Alexei Varlamov is one of the most prominent modern Russian writers. He debuted with short stories in the late 1980s and gained fame in 1995 with his semi-autobiographical novel âœLokhâ� (roughly translated into English as âœDupeâ�), to be followed by âœRozhdenieâ� (âœBirthâ�), which won him the prestigious Anti-Booker award. </p>

// Jul. 10, 2010 - 06:38 GMT

On a weekday afternoon in mid-June it took one hour of standing in a quiet line at the Convent of the Protection of Our Lady in east-central Moscow to reach the Russian capitalâ™s most popular shrineâ”the relics of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow. On weekends and holidays the line may take several hours to get through. </p>

// Jul. 09, 2010 - 08:48 GMT

Russian scientists have stunned the world for years. Last March Grigori Perelman, Russiaâ™s ascetic math maverick, cracked a puzzle that had baffled mathematicians for a centuryâ”and then mystified the worldâ™s laymen when he spurned the $ 1 million prize. But behind Russiaâ™s reputation for scientific genius, the specter of pseudoscience looms large. </p>

// Jul. 08, 2010 - 08:08 GMT

// Jul. 07, 2010 - 09:07 GMT

There are many reasons to be suspicious of anyone using the phrase âœRussian soul,â� and not only because of the frequency with which it is trotted out by peddlers of travel books, photographs, and package cruises down the Volga river. Any term can be misapplied, abused and overused until it becomes hollow. </p>

// Jul. 07, 2010 - 08:28 GMT

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton completed her whirlwind tour of Ukraine, Poland, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia on July 5.

// Jul. 06, 2010 - 07:59 GMT