LIGNET: Why Putin’s Media Manipulation Won’t Work

He’s not facing a  serious challenger in next month’s presidential election, but Vladimir Putin isn’t taking any chances, calling for all hands on deck to discredit protesters, stage pro-Putin demonstrations and launch a pro-Putin media blitz the likes of which Russia has never seen. Will Putin’s manipulation of the media be enough to stem the tide of popular protest washing over Russia?

Can Putin retake the Kremblin?  Read the full analysis of his chances on Lignet.com.

Three Reasons Al-Qaeda’s Merger With

Al-Shabaab is Bad For the West

In an exclusive interview with LIGNET’s London office, terrorism expert Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens explains why al-Qaeda and al-Shabaab, the leading terrorist franchise in east Africa, have joined forces and how the merger could lead to a new wave of homegrown terrorist threats in the United States and Europe.

Read the full analysis at Lignet.com.

Russians watch Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's annual phone-in session on a television screen in an electronics store in Moscow on December 15 following the largest popular protests since the fall of the Soviet Union. (AFP/Getty Images)