Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic faction in the State Duma, announced yesterday that his faction will boycott the Duma's proceedings from now until the end of the year. Zhirinovsky said his faction is protesting against alleged vote-rigging, which, he said, had caused the... MORE

In anticipation of the legislative elections that will be held in Novosibirsk Oblast on December 21, local supporters of retired general Aleksandr Lebed's People's Republican Party and Grigory Yavlinsky's Yabloko movement have agreed to join forces and form a single bloc. In the run-up to... MORE

Outgoing president Algirdas Brazauskas last night appeared on national television to urge Lithuanians to vote for Arturas Paulauskas in the December 21 presidential election. Brazauskas cited the presidential candidate's young age, his consensus-building skills, and his commitment to clean government and to law and order.... MORE

The Russian State Duma yesterday decided to investigate allegations that votes were rigged in last weekend's elections to the Moscow City Duma. The investigation was called for by parliamentary deputy Konstantin Borovoi. (ORT, December 17) Vyacheslav Igrunov, head of the Moscow organization of Yabloko, told... MORE

Boris Yeltsin's health is much improved and the Russian president will soon leave the Barvikha sanitarium and return home, presidential spokesman Sergei Yastrzhembsky told a press conference yesterday. Yastrzhembsky said Yeltsin will be back at work in the Kremlin by the New Year. (ORT, December... MORE

Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin yesterday reversed the decision, taken last week by the Provisional Emergency Commission for Enforcing Tax Discipline, to seize the property of two of Russia's largest tax laggards, the Omsk and Angarsk oil refineries. Chernomyrdin's action is a blow to the prestige... MORE

During their talks yesterday in Brussels, Primakov and Albright also discussed arms control, and Primakov reportedly expressed optimism that Russia's parliament would ratify the START II treaty sometime next year. The 1993 Treaty, which would reduce U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals to a maximum... MORE

On a day of intense diplomatic activity in Brussels, U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright yesterday continued to push the Clinton Administration's proposals for a rethinking of NATO's mission and urged world leaders to be "united and firm" in enforcing UN sanctions on Iraq. Albright's... MORE

Tajikistan's Supreme Assembly on December 12 opened its eighth session. A major component of the Assembly's agenda is the passing of the 1998 draft budget. Citing the liberal tax breaks it provides for companies starting up in the country, Finance Minister Anvarsho Muzaffarov described the... MORE

At an extraordinary sitting yesterday, the Georgian parliament unanimously resolved to set up four special commissions. They are mandated, respectively, to report on: whether it is appropriate for Georgia to remain a member of the CIS; whether Georgia should continue hosting Russian military bases on... MORE