April 26, 2008

On Wednesday, US Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey announced a new federal strategy in the fight against international organized crime that will address this growing threat to the US security and stability.
The Law Enforcement Strategy to Combat International Organized Crime was developed following an October 2007 International Organized Crime Threat Assessment (IOC Threat Assessment) [...]

April 22, 2008

The war of words between Russia and Georgia about the apparent downing of an unmanned Georgian reconnaissance plane over the separatist region of Abkhazia has prompted calls for caution from both the United States and the United Nations.
Georgia’s Defense Ministry released a video on April 21 purportedly shot by a remote-controlled camera inside the downed [...]

Abkhaz rebels shot down a Georgian spy plane recently, according to the foreign ministry of Russia. Georgian officials have blamed Russia for the incident. Putin, the Russian President, said that he was bewildered by the Georgian government’s alleged move of sending a spy plane into that area.
Russia has denied any involvement with the shooting. International [...]

March 24, 2008

By Brian Whitmore
When Russia and China held joint military exercises last summer, it appeared that a powerful new strategic alliance was about to come of age.
The two countries, after all, routinely cooperate on the UN Security Council to thwart the West on issues ranging from Kosovo’s independence to sanctions against Iran. They are the frontline [...]

March 21, 2008

A Sukhoi Su-25 military jet has exploded in midair near Vladivostok, Russia, killing the pilot. The Russian Air Force said the plane was 140km (90 miles) from the port city on the Pacific coast.
The plane, a single seat twin jet used to support ground forces, was on a training mission when the explosion occured. Russia [...]

March 17, 2008

By RFE/RL analyst Robert Coalson
Although there has been considerable talk in recent months about possible political, constitutional, or economic crises in Russia, only distinguished human rights activist Sergei Kovalyov has drawn attention to a crisis that is already under way: Russia’s “shameful moral crisis.”
In a largely ignored open letter to President Vladimir Putin published shortly [...]

By Claire Bigg
Protests were expected when authorities in February shut down St. Petersburg’s European University, one of the city’s most respected higher-learning institutions.
But the revolt unleashed by the closure may have exceeded authorities’ worst expectations.
Defiant students and professors have launched an all-out campaign to save their university. With their building now off-limits, they have fallen [...]

March 13, 2008

Hugo Chavez is making news again, this time threatening war with Colombia (a U.S. ally) over the assassination of terrorist elements that have taken refuge in Ecuador. The facts aren't quite known, but it is alleged the Colombia sent military forces into Ecuador to attack members of the FARC, a terrorist group that has been [...]

March 6, 2008

Philip Bennett, the Washington Post’s managing editor, paid a visit to the University of California, Irvine for a little chat earlier this week. During his comments on the subject of religion and politics, Bennett claimed that the MSM should hire more Muslims because the media has too many misconceptions about Islam. Bennett told the UCI [...]

March 3, 2008

Dimitry Medvedev, age 42, has won the presidential election in Russia and is expected to take office on May 7, 2008, replacing Vladimir Putin who has served two 4-year presidential terms since 2000.
The elections were held on Sunday, March 2, and participation among registered voters was 69.65%. On Monday morning, Russian Central Election Commission announced [...]