The week at a glance ... International

International

St. Petersburg, Russia

Putin finds his thrill: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin became a YouTube sensation this week with his pop performance at a fundraiser for a children’s charity. Putin, who has been taking piano lessons, painstakingly plunked out a Soviet patriotic song on the piano, then grabbed a microphone and launched into a heavily accented rendition of Fats Domino’s hit “Blueberry Hill.” At the end of the four-minute routine, the crowd, which included American film stars Sharon Stone, Kevin Costner, and others, gave him a standing ovation. The display was a departure for the prime minister, who tends to favor macho stunts like sparring with the national judo team or piloting fire-fighting planes.

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