Topic: Mikhail Gorbachev

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Opinion Obama and Myanmar (Burma): 4 points about conflict there

A long-simmering ethnic conflict in Myanmar (Burma) recently broke into American newspapers: At least 89 people have been killed and more than 35,000 displaced in what is being described (not entirely accurately) as Buddhist-Muslim violence. With President Obama as the first US head of state to visit this country, there are four points to bear in mind about this detour from Myanmar’s road to a more open society:

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Global News Blog Opposition leader Navalny joins growing roster of jailed opponents of Putin (+video)

The five-year sentence meted out to Alexei Navalny has deepened doubts among many about the Russian justice system.
Reader recommendation: The Year that Changed the World

Monitor readers share their favorite book picks.
Vladimir Putin, wife announce divorce on state television

Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila made the statement on state television after attending a ballet performance at the Kremlin.
Japan and Russia want to finally end World War II, agree it is 'abnormal' not to

Today's summit between Shinzo Abe and Vladimir Putin comes at an opportune moment but may founder on the old problem of the Kuril Islands, which Japan still wants back.
Has Britain 'got it right' with Margaret Thatcher's $15 million funeral?

The late prime minister's London funeral Wednesday, while falling just short of a full state ceremony, will command a hefty price tag, leaving some Britons less than pleased.
Margaret Thatcher: the divisive creator of modern Britain

Though loved and loathed equally in Britain, the former prime minister was undeniably a force for change, breaking the British unions and helping the West win the cold war.
Global News Blog At #Thatcher, no halfhearted tweets on Iron Lady's legacy

The global reaction to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's death displayed the depth of her impact – like it or not.
Margaret Thatcher, Iron Lady, transformed Britain

For admirers, Margaret Thatcher was a savior who rescued Britain from ruin and laid the groundwork for an extraordinary economic renaissance. For critics, she was a heartless tyrant who ushered in an era of greed that kicked the weak out onto the streets and let the rich become filthy rich.
Van Cliburn: A piano virtuoso who transcended Cold War (+video)

Van Cliburn passed away Wednesday at his Texas home. Van Cliburn, a Grammy award-winning classical pianist, was a star in both the US and Russia.
Dave Brubeck was jazz pioneer, helped define the rhythms of the 20th century (+video)

Dave Brubeck was best known for pieces such as 'Take Five,' which featured challenging rhythms.
Former President George H. W. Bush expected to recover

After being admitted to the Texas Medical Center last Friday, former President George H. W. Bush is now predicted to be released within 72 hours. Bush served as the 41st president, taking office in 1989.
Opinion Obama and Myanmar (Burma): 4 points about conflict there

A long-simmering ethnic conflict in Myanmar (Burma) recently broke into American newspapers: At least 89 people have been killed and more than 35,000 displaced in what is being described (not entirely accurately) as Buddhist-Muslim violence. With President Obama as the first US head of state to visit this country, there are four points to bear in mind about this detour from Myanmar’s road to a more open society:
'Mao: The Real Story' and 'Former People'

Russian, Chinese lives lost in the rush to a new brotherhood.
Editor's Blog Election 2012: Choose a future, any future

If you have diligently read the position papers, listened to the speeches, and watched the debates, by now you know a lot about both candidates for president. That's good citizenship -- but it doesn't necessarily mean the next four years will unfold the way you think.
Opinion The path forward in Georgia: Will billionaire Ivanishvili invest in democracy?

Georgia’s Oct. 1 parliamentary elections set up billionaire businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili to become prime minister. This presents a unique opportunity to build a consolidated democracy, develop civil society, and seek justice for those persecuted under President Mikhail Saakashvili.
Eccentric billionaire now poised to become Georgia's next president (+video)

Billionarie Bidzina Ivanishvili, who won a surprise victory in Georgia's parliamentary elections, says that he hopes to restore ties with Russia while continuing to move his country toward EU and NATO membership.
In Kremlin's crosshairs? Russian tycoon Lebedev charged with hooliganism

Alexander Lebedev, who has been an outspoken critic of the Pussy Riot verdict, could face up to five years in prison for punching a fellow tycoon on Russian television last year.
After 15 years, Aung Sun Suu Kyi and Nazi resistance figure Hessel finally meet

French intellectual Stéphane Hessel, a former Nazi resistance figure, will meet Aung Sun Suu Kyi tomorrow as she concludes a tour of Europe. He talks to the Monitor about what this means to him.
Rio +20 Summit kicks off amid global pessimism (+video)

Expectations are low at the UN conference that seeks to preserve Earth's ecosystems amid a growing population.
Keep Calm At Rio+20 environmental summit, is 'catastrophe' inevitable?

Wealthy Western nations are financially exhausted and unwilling to commit to help fund greener development for poorer nations. Will this week's conference in Rio find any solutions?
Opinion Russia should be rewarded with NATO membership

Russia should be on the agenda for NATO summit in Chicago this weekend. In spite of recent tensions, the historically fractured relationship between Russia and NATO is the most ripe for transformation. Obstacles like missile defense and Eastern Europe can be resolved.
Top Picks: The soundtrack to the HBO series Treme, CNN's series about the postwar era, and more top picks

National Geographic follows paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey and his family, a videographer uniquely captures his children's lives, and more top picks.
Putin steps up to run a vastly changed Russia (+video)

The powerful protests before and during Vladimir Putin's inauguration today signal the fraying image of a Russia united behind its leader.
Cover Story Putin inauguration: World view of a Russian feeling dissed

As the second presidential inauguration of Vladimir Putin approaches, a former correspondent who once worked for him looks at the world view of the Russian iron man. His theory: The president is feeling dissed by the West and believes it conspires to "destroy" Russia.
Reagan and Thatcher

They may have been soulmates, but the special relationship of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher never did run smooth.