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Vladimir Putin won reelection as Russian President in March 2004, in an exercise in “managed democracy” in which he took 71% of the vote and faced no serious competition. The pro-Putin Unified Russia party similarly swept the parliamentary election in December 2003 and controls more than two-thirds of the seats in the Duma. Also in March, Putin replaced long-serving Premier Kasyanov with a little-known bureaucrat, Mikhail Fradkov, indicating Putin’s intent to take the reins of government even more completely into his own hands. Putin’s twin priorities remain to revive the economy and strengthen the state. He has brought TV and radio under tight state control and virtually eliminated effective political opposition. Federal forces have suppressed large-scale military resistance in Chechnya but face the prospect of prolonged guerilla warfare and terrorist-style attacks.

Text describes action on various war fronts: Japs advance to Lashio -- Allies raid Lae -- Japs attack in China -- Malta sends greetings -- Hitler in Detroit from Moscow -- Yanks in New Caledonia -- Gen. George killed -- Fourth registration -- President calls nation to new sacrifice -- Price control fixed -- Rescued crew hits sub -- U.S. movies bootlegged -- Home worries Hitler -- Eastern seaboard put under Army safeguard -- RAF 'second front' opens -- Malta stiffens fight -- Greek guerillas active -- Red commandos strike Large world map is keyed to text and illustrates time zones around the world. Inset map shows areas of heaviest rainfall around the Bay of Bengal. Photographs: Fortresses roamed from Australia -- Maj. Gen. Patch Jr. -- Brig. Gen. Harold H. George -- Ways will be found to deliver the planes -- The gun crew got the range -- Lt. Gen. Drum -- Germans reported Red armoured trains -- Training of U.S. Army glider pilots.

Front: Text describes action on various war fronts: North Africa, Command, Libya, New Guinea, Solomons, Burma, Russia, Fr. Somaliland. Large world map is keyed to text and illustrates time zones around the world. Includes inset maps: Indonesia -- Rostov region [USSR]. Photographs: Blimp patrol -- Supplies for Guadalcanal -- Along the road to Tunisia. Back: The Nerve System of the Army: text, illustration, and photographs show contributions of the Signal Corps to the war effort.

Front: Text describes action on various war fronts: Italy, Corsica, Russia, New Georgia, Gilbert Is., Ellice Is., New Guinea, Western Europe. Maps show Northeast New Guinea; central Italy; Italy, Yugoslavia, Sardinia, Sicily, Tunisia. All maps show Nazi or Japanese occupied areas. Includes photographs: Naples, On the beach at Salerno, Smoke screen over Palermo, Ship with a mouth. Back: A mournful melody, or, a dud dood it again : and watch out for booby traps! 8 cartoon panels graphically describe the dangers of unexploded projectiles.

This report discusses the increasing international pressure on Iran to curb its nuclear program and how that pressure discourages foreign firms from investing in Iran's energy sector, hindering Iran's efforts to expand oil production. This report discusses the history and progress of the formal U.S. effort to curb energy investment in Iran, which began with the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) in 1996. This report also discusses U.S. concerns that other nations, e.g., U.S. allies, Russia, and China, are not as strict with their economic sanctions against Iran, and how U.S. policymakers are combating this reticence with various pieces of legislation.

This report discusses the current political and economic conditions in Russia, focusing on the impact of Vladimir Putin's leadership and the leadership of his successor/protégé, Dmitriy Medvedev, both of which have steered Russia away from progress toward democratization. The report also discusses the state of the economy since the Soviet collapse in 1999, how the recent global economic downturn has affected Russia, the state of Russia's military, and the current relationship between Russia and the United States.

This report discusses the current political and economic conditions in Russia, focusing on the impact of Vladimir Putin's leadership and the leadership of his successor/protégé, Dmitriy Medvedev, both of which have steered Russia away from progress toward democratization. The report also discusses the state of the economy since the Soviet collapse in 1999, how the recent global economic downturn has affected Russia, the state of Russia's military, and the current relationship between Russia and the United States.

This report provides a brief history and recent developments regarding the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty (CTBT). The U.N. General Assembly adopted the CTBT in 1996. The report discusses the national positions on testing and the CTBT, The North Korean nuclear test, stockpile stewardship, and CTBT pros and cons.

This report discusses the U.S.-Russia economic ties, U.S. sanctions and Russia's retaliatory measures, economic trends in Russia, and U.S. economic interest.