How do rural working class Russians really feel about Vladimir Putin?

A group of 30 intellectuals, Protestant ministers, and theologians even released a petition calling for the bill to be withdrawn, saying it would turn Christ’s teachings on their head.

The feminist rockers have put Putin’s Kremlin firmly under the international microscope

A newspaper owned by the ruling Nur Otan party won $23 million in state tenders from 2009 to 2011.

As their ‘hooliganism’ trial ends, Russia’s newly famous feminist rockers stand firm

The converse of immunity, of course, is that the more of it you have, the more impunity you enjoy.

A billionaire and satellite dishes are getting a lot of attention, but increasing repression is hitting less-visible targets, too.

It makes strategic sense for Israel to cozy up to the nasty regimes of Central Asia, but will the public care?

“Their horizon has opened. Then they will not need our efforts to desegregate their children; they will do it for themselves.”

Judging by his first 60 days in office, the Russian president could be turning into his own worst enemy

Two World War II heroes, in their 80s, almost ended up murdering a communist-era prosecutor a few years ago.

Who would have thought Hungary, of all the former Warsaw Pact countries, would be inching toward authoritarianism today?

The fatal flaw of “Balkan Benelux” is the brutal fact that wider Europe doesn’t need these four countries.

With Kosovo gaining full sovereignty in September, what are the security implications?

Romania’s new prime minister decides to set his own precedents.

“Belarusian public opinion is actually a pretty good judge of what is going on. Lukashenka’s poll ratings collapsed along with the economy in 2011 to the 20s. They have now recovered, but not to massively high levels.”

The history of Belarus is fogged with “what ifs”

When it comes to poverty reduction or small business creation, just how effective is microfinance?

“Three out of five managers of Czech SMEs believe it is impossible to win a public contract without resorting to bribery, a kickback or some other ‘incentive.’ “