NYTimes: Fake Murder Spotlights Police Procedures in Russia

By: Michael Schwirtz; Full Article May Be Read Here

Russians Bet on a Market for Dampening Dissent

A great example of the conflicting tendencies of capitalist ingenuity and authoritarian tendencies... there's Russia for you.

Electricity Grid in U.S. Penetrated By Spies

By Sioban Gorham; full article can be read here.

Blogger Comment: An interesting article with implications for Obama's energy plan (with USD4.2mn going to smart grid development) and an intriguing revelation coming on the heels of cyber espionage sourced in China and aimed at the Dalai Lama and others in SE Asia.

New York Times: Obama Offered Deal to Russia in Secret Letter

By: Peter Baker, Full article may be read here

Blogger comment: Pressing of the reset button for U.S.-Russian relations is long overdue. Still Eastern Europeans must be pissed that all of their efforts both domestically and internationally to move the missile defense shield forward might have been in vain.

The New York Times: Despite Kyrgyz Vote to Close U.S. Base, Gates Explores Options to Keep It Open

By: Thom Shanker and Ellen Barry; Full article may be read HERE

New York Times: 3 Men Acquitted in Murder of Russian Journalist

By Ellen Barry and Michael Schwirtz; Full Article May Be Read Here

Financial Times: A Death Retold

"A verdict is due in a high-profile Moscow trail that has has shed unexpected light on the close links of current and former security and law enforcement officers with organize crime"
By: Charles Clover; Full Article May Be Read Here