Newly available accounts by independent military observers of the beginning of the war between Georgia and Russia this summer call into question the long-standing Georgian assertion that it was acting defensively against separatist and Russian aggression. Instead, the accounts suggest that Georgia‘s inexperienced military attacked the isolated separatist capital of Tskhinvali on August 7 with […]
Is it too dangerous to downgrade terrorist threat?
IS TERRORISM still a significant threat to Australian society? This might seem a strange question, especially when seven Melbourne men have just been convicted of terrorism-related offences. But such is the careful and slow-moving justice system in this country that offences committed several years ago have only now been through trial. Much has happened in […]
Russian stocks, rouble tumble
Russia’s stock market lost over a tenth of its value on Friday, hitting its lowest levels since late 2004 as a further oil price fall cast fresh doubts over Russia’s ability to avoid a recession and defend its currency. The rouble slid a further 23 kopecks to 27.23 rouble per dollar, touching a two-year low, […]
Refused Gaza Fulbright Students Speak Up
A few weeks a group of students from the Gaza Strip who were due to go to the United States on Fulbright scholarships had their visasrevoked at the last moment. Two of the students who were denied the chance to pursue their studies have since written heartfelt letters pleading their case. Haitham Sabbah, a Palestinian blogger based in […]
Did Kosovo Set Precedent for South Ossetia?
Posted by Sinisa Boljanovic to Global Voices Online See Global Voices special coverage page on the South Ossetia crisis. When Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on February 17, 2008 governments around the world were divided about the legitimacy of such an act. As of today, 45 out of 192 sovereign United Nations member states have formally […]
Russia shot down Georgian spy plane
The UN on Tuesday concluded in a report that a Russian fighter jet shot down an unmanned Georgian spy plane last month, boosting Tbilisi’s claims of Russian military interference on its territory. The report, posted on the UN website, said evidence gathered by UN monitors "leads to the conclusion that the aircraft belonged to the […]