Russia & Central Asia

Russian move raises supply crunch fears
Reject Russia’s Energy ‘Blackmail’, Vaclav Havel Urges Europe
EU executive demands new powers in gas crises

Report: Climate change will bring big problems for small number of countries
Moscow warns of future energy wars
King Abdullah of Jordan's ultimatum: peace now or it’s war next year
Pipelineistan goes Af-Pak

In the unfolding global financial collapse, it is not just our accounts and balance sheets that come up short, but our language as well. What do you call a bunch of liar loans packaged into toxic assets and placed on the balance sheet of the Federal Reserve as collateral for rescue loans? ... The Russians actually have a word for precisely the thing that has bewitched us, first accounting for an ever-increasing share of our gross domestic product, and is now responsible for our ever-larger financial black hole.

Russia to cut oil exports, raise domestic consumption - Sechin
Saudi warns of 'catastrophic' energy crunch
Mass. conference on health care and peak oil (April 14)

Russian household plots produced about 90% of all the potatoes in Russia, 80% of all the vegetables, 50% of the meat and milk, etc.

Congratulations, everyone, we have a new president: a fresh new face, a capable, optimistic, inspiring figure, ushering in a new era of responsibility, ready to confront the many serious challenges that face the nation; in short, we have us a Gorbachev.

Eastern Europe braced for a violent 'spring of discontent'
Study looks at mortality in post-Soviet era (importance of community)
Military report raises concerns about social unrest fueled by globalization, urbanization
The new ecology of war (Mike Davis interview)

Heinberg: Opportunity for FUNDAMENTAL change
Friedman: If China and America each give birth to a pig — a big, energy-devouring, climate-spoiling stimulus hog ...
A Crossroad for Russia and America
Upgrading the electric grid - many pluses but some minuses too
RMI's oil imports map

Gas emergency declared across Europe
Ukraine and Russia: the role of a middleman
The Russian bear?

Jérôme Guillet: The battle of the oligarchs behind the gas dispute
Europe begins to feel gas pipeline pinch
Ukraine will end up paying more – but it needs to wean itself off Russian gas
It's time to see through Gazprom
Gazprom's tactics harsh but its logic sound