The cataclysmic collapse 20 years ago of the Soviet Union unleashed conflict, instability and poverty that are still felt today.
Russia has broken the shackles of state-planned economics but remains tied to oil prices and the whims of a bloated bureaucracy.
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/ 24 December 2011
Mandla Mandela is set to wed on Saturday morning despite being interdicted by his estranged first wife Tando Mabunu.
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/ 24 December 2011
A faulty pipe from an offshore oil field run by Royal Dutch Shell PLC near Nigeria’s coast spewed crude oil into the ocean for as much as 25 hours.
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/ 24 December 2011
Somali officials say they are pleading with US authorities to persuade banks to reconsider a decision to block money transfers from Minnesota.
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/ 24 December 2011
Almost halfway through the Premier League season and there is already seven points separating Manchester rivals City and United from the chasing pack.
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/ 24 December 2011
Arab League monitors are to meet Syria’s top diplomat on Saturday, a day after suicide bombers killed 44 people in attacks Damascus blamed on Al-Qaeda
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/ 24 December 2011
Sharks flyhalf Frederic Michalak has reached a verbal agreement on a three-year contract to play for Toulon.
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/ 24 December 2011
South Africans are spending less on food and health care compared to the last two years, said debit and credit card distributor Sureswipe on Friday.
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/ 24 December 2011
Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev completed his takeover of Monaco on Friday and promised to invest at least $130 million in the struggling club.