Chechnya

An Austrian national, who is of Chechen origin, has gone on trial accused of collecting information for terrorist purposes after filming an Iranian TV channel.

Police waged hours-long gunbattles with Islamic militants who attacked Chechnya’s capital Thursday, leaving at least 20 people dead and underscoring Russia’s vulnerability just as President Vladimir Putin used patriotic and religious imagery in his state-of-the-nation address to defend his standoff with the West.

A suicide bomber blew himself up Sunday in the capital of Chechnya, killing five policemen and wounding 12 others as the city celebrated the birthday of its pro-Kremlin leader, officials said.

Chechen leader blames U.S.: Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, who has been described as a war criminal by human rights groups, blamed the U.S. on Friday for the Boston Marathon bombings.

Alvi and Ruslan Tsarni, two uncles of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, spoke about their nephews on Friday.