Is the Orthodox Church really in control of Russia?

Could the Kremlin be abandoned by the Russian Orthodox Church? When ordinary Russians began protesting against the Kremlin last year, Patriarch Kirill spoke of revolutions triggering a "blood bath". The Church tried to dissuade protesters from taking to the streets and openly supported the Kremlin. But now the wind seems to be changing...

FOCUS

21/02/2012 - YEMEN

A long awaited election

After the revolution comes a long awaited election. Yemenis took to the polling booths despite recent outbreaks of violence. The winner didn't come as a surprise, given that the only candidate in the running was the incumbent Vice-president Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. This election was more about getting rid of the old regime under Ali Abdullah Saleh. The new President will have a lot on his plate but says Yemen has closed an old chapter and is looking ahead to a better future.

21/02/2012 - FRANCE

France's housing crisis

As Nicolas Sarkozy enters the presidential election race we take a look at the issues likely to dominate the campaign. The recent cold snap highlighted the acuteness of France's housing shortage. Housing advocates are now fighting to make it a headline election issue. With an estimated 10 million French people affected by a lack of appropriate housing, this issue has the potential to be a vote winner. Catherine Nicholson and Marine Casalis find out who is promising what.

20/02/2012 - IRAN

Iran halts EU oil exports

The latest in a series of tit for tat retaliations between Iran and the West has resulted in the halt of oil exports to Britain and France. However, business shouldn't be greatly affected as Iran sells most of its oil to Asia and the EU is winding down its imports from Iran. Tehran does hold a big bargaining chip though and continues to threaten the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway carrying a third of the world's oil shipments.

20/02/2012 - USA

Downsizing the US military

In a bid to decrease US debt, President Obama is planning to cut military spending. With the Iraq war over, and a pull out date set for all combat troops in Afghanistan, the troop drawdown comes as military expenditure has reached a breaking point. However, some disagree with the proposal. Our Washington correspondents Philip Crowther and Stanislas de Saint Hippolyte report.

17/02/2012 - LIBYA

Reining in Libya's militias

A year ago they rose up to take on Muammar Gaddafi's brutal regime. Today, Libya's revolutionary militias patrol the streets, man checkpoints and control access to Tripoli's airport. But Amnesty International has warned of human rights abuses, and says that these groups now pose a threat to the country's stability. Meanwhile, the government appears incapable of bringing the various factions in line.

- Kremlin - Orthodox Church - Russia - Russian politics - Vladimir Putin

Is the Orthodox Church really in control of Russia?

A long awaited election

France's housing crisis

Iran halts EU oil exports

Downsizing the US military

Reining in Libya's militias

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