By John Helmer in Moscow China is a power behind global commodity flows as well as prices. But Beijing has been slow to understand that it is the horse that pulls the cart; the whip hand belongs to the coachman. Chinese negotiators have already made one colossal mistake in pricing their supply of liquefied natural […]

by John Helmer - Friday, June 13th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow The wind-chill factor this winter in Tajikistan has produced record low temperatures and uncounted miseries for a population struggling with inadequate electricity supply and failing heat. Tajik newborns have been reported as having died from hypothermia while in hospital wards. But on March 5, a single whistle-blow from the International […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, March 25th, 2008
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By John Helmer in Moscow MOSCOW – Eric Ambler told the tale of a clapped-out reporter whose near-bankrupt newsletter suddenly starts to make a fortune on its classified advertisements. The journalist couldn’t understand why, but didn’t want to look his gift horse too closely in the mouth. It turned out that someone was publishing coded […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
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