Today the newspapers are filled with stories about the mercury poisoning of Karinna Moskalenko. This one from Tony Halpin at the Times of London has some good information: “The machinery of the state is probably now so angry with my activities, but I still don’t know whether we have grounds to link this to my work. I don’t know if it is a demonstrative act to threaten me,” she said from her home in Strasbourg. “I am quite weak now and have been sick since Friday. I am really angry that I could not come to the Politkovskaya case, I was effectively prevented from coming.” The discovery has prompted speculation that she could have been the target of an attempt to silence her over the case. Exposure to high levels of mercury can damage the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, immune and nervous systems.

We've done a little bit of blogging from time to time about Vladimir Putin's interest in the martial art of Judo, and today, with the release his DVD to celebrate his 56th birthday, the media is scrambling to interpret what they can glean of his leadership style from his fighting advice. Tony Halpin at the Times of London writes: "Mr Putin lives up to his action-man image, however, and dons a white judo suit in a section of the film to throw an opponent to the mat during demonstrations of different moves. Dressed in a black robe, he also explains the history and philosophy behind judo, giving telling insights into his leadership style. "The practice of struggle permits compromises and concessions, but they are possible only if they are on the road to victory," says Mr Putin at one point. "This is achieved not ...

Tony Halpin's new article in the Times of London probably carries one of the paper's less tactful headlines today: "Russia engages in 'gangland' diplomacy as it sends warship to the Caribbean." Halpin reports: Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin made clear that Russia would challenge the US for influence in Latin America after visits last week to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba. He said: “It would be wrong to talk about one nation having exclusive rights to this zone.” Moscow was infuriated when Washington sent US warships into the Black Sea to deliver aid to Georgia after the war. Analysts said that the Kremlin was engaging in gunboat diplomacy over the encroachment of Nato into Russia’s former Soviet satellites of Georgia and Ukraine. However of far more significance in my opinion is Venezuela's recent military and energy dealings with China, which is ...