On August 4 the Russian government held a meeting to discuss the economic results of the first six months of 2005. They listened to a report by German Gref, Minister of Trade and Economic Development and the main standard bearer for the besieged market-liberal wing... MORE

Are Syrian officials aiding the underground mujahideen railroad to Iraq? The many strong opinions on the matter reflect the different views of Syria’s future, its relations with neighbors, Iraq and Lebanon, and to jihadist and moderate Islamism. Certainly, we need to look at the totality... MORE

Syria is an enigmatic country. Ruled by a Ba’athist regime whose top leadership is drawn from a minority religious sect, Syria must contend with the enmity of the West and Islamists alike. This special issue presents a variety of perspectives on this important and controversial... MORE

As Russia and Kazakhstan are now threatened by the Asian bird flu, the outbreak is understood to potentially entail wider economic repercussions. In the words of Russia's popular newspaper Moskovsky komsomolets: "Europe is afraid of our poultry" (August 8). The first cases were confirmed in... MORE

Last week saw a significant shift of emphasis in the unseasonably hot political commentary in Moscow: It was not whether but how Vladimir Putin will secure a third presidential term for himself (Nezavisimaya gazeta, Grani.ru, August 3). The trigger for this re-targeting of professional speculations... MORE

Additional threats from the mujahideen against the United Arab Emirates emerged at the end of July, with a renewed warning from a group calling itself the "al-Qaeda Organization in the Emirates and Oman". It called for the dismantling of all U.S. military installations within ten... MORE

On August 2 a posting on the forum al-Mustaqbal al-Islami (Islamic Future) included what it termed the "First Declaration of al-Qaeda from the Land of the Outpost, Occupied Palestine," specifically the ‘military wing' of a group calling itself "Alwiyat al-Jihad fi Ard al-Ribat" (The Jihad... MORE

On August 1-2, Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a quick visit to Finland. Relations between the two neighboring countries are in an excellent state now, and the level of bilateral cooperation is intense, Finnish President Tarja Halonen told a news conference in the city of... MORE

As Russian President Vladimir Putin looks toward a scheduled state visit to Japan November 20-22, the pace of bilateral diplomatic activity has recently quickened. The upswing in contacts is also related to the resumption of the six-party talks over North Korean nuclearization and Russia's efforts... MORE