Even though democratization in Russia is going through a lockdown phase at present, a University of California-Los Angeles scholar says there is still reason to dream that a civil society could someday emerge there.
Now that the initial shock from the release of American diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks has passed, journalists are starting to evaluate the impact of the revelations contained in the dispatches.
Alcohol is a major cause of unnecessary death among Russian men. That fact is unlikely to surprise even the most casual observer of Russia. But after crunching several years’ worth of data, a leading researcher expressed a sense of surprise over the extent of reckless drinking in Russia and its impact on heart disease.
As Russian President Dmitry Medvedev prepares to make an appearance in Lisbon during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit on November 19-20, Russian officials are pushing for the Atlantic Alliance to demonstrate a greater spirit of cooperation with Moscow in combating drug production in Afghanistan.
For over three decades, the US Helsinki Commission has promoted the former Soviet states’ compliance with international human rights norms. Now the commission appears to be expanding the scope of its mission to include economic affairs.
Higher energy prices have helped Russia regain its fiscal footing after the global financial crisis walloped the country in 2008. But some experts say the economic forecast for the Kremlin remains cloudy, as Russian leaders are mired in deficit spending.
