February 22, 2008: Serbian President Boris Tadic called for an emergency meeting of the national security in the aftermath of violence following Kosovo’s declaration of independence. The United States, Britain, France and Germany have formally recognized Kosovo. In northern Kosovo, a traditional Serbian stronghold, demonstrators waved Serbian flags. Serbian police said one person died and more than 150 people were injured in unrest which erupted after a state-sponsored rally. Nearly 200... Read Full Story
The debate over independence for Kosovo is likely to contribute to the return of the Cold War in Europe. Separating Kosovo from Serbia is certain to renew disputes between Russia and the West over a issues including missile defense and NATO membership for the former Soviet republics of Georgia and Ukraine. Kosovo is sacred to Serbs, who call it the cradle of their statehood and religion. The province is also special to the Kremlin, for reasons beyond the roots Russia shares with Slavic... Read Full Story
January 18, 2008: US Grandmaster Bobby Fischer died in Reykjavik, Iceland at the age of 64. Fischer became world champion after a legendary game against Soviet player Boris Spassky in Reykjavik in 1972. After winning the world title, he did not play another chess match for 20 years. In 1992, he played a rematch against Boris Spassky in Serbia, in violation of UN sanctions. As a result, he could have faced a ten year sentence if he ever returned to the United States. He lived in Hungary... Read Full Story
TBILISI, Georgia, January 13, 2007: Tens of thousands of opposition protesters in rallied against presidential poll winner Mikhail Saakashvili on Sunday alleging vote fraud. Opposition leader Levan Gachechiladze called for a second round of elections. Gachechiladze came second in the January 5 vote to the incumbent Saakashvili, who was the outright winner in the first round with 53.47 percent, according to final results issued by the Central Elections Commission earlier on Sunday. The... Read Full Story
December 17, 2007: Russia has made its first shipment of nuclear fuel to the Iranian nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr. Iran contends its plant is strictly for civilian purposes, but the project concerns the United States and contend that the plant could be used to build nuclear weapons. The American position was weakened earlier this month with the release of a new U.S. intelligence report that concluded Iran had halted its nuclear weapons development program in 2003... Read Full Story
Garry Kasparov, Putin critic and former world chess champion will not run in Russia's March 2008 presidential elections. Kasparov was jailed for five days after a rally in Moscow last month. After the Russian Parliamentary elections held in December 2007, President Vladimir Putin said that he supported Dimitri Medvedev to become Russia's next president. Medvedev reciprocated, asking that Putin be his prime minister. As Prime Minister, Putin would retain substantial power without... Read Full Story
Dmitrii Medvedev, President Vladimir Putin’s designated successor, called for Putin to become prime minister after the March 2 election. The Russian Constitution prohibits Putin for running for a third consecutive term, but Putin clearly wants to retain a powerful role once he steps down. Medvedev's proposal provides such a role, especially if the constitution were amended to increase the prime minister's powers. This is well within the realm of possibility as the pro-Putin faction in... Read Full Story
