The World Today: February 2011: February 2011

On December 12, 2010, Kosovo held its first general election since declaring independence from Serbia in 2008. The elections were a test of Kosovo’s democratic institutions - unfortunately, they are unlikely to be remembered as a resounding success.

Milo Djukanovic may have stepped down as the Prime Minister of Montenegro, but the conclusion of a protracted struggle over succession will ensure that he remains a key figure in Montenegrin politics.

In 2014, Russia will host the Winter Olympic Games in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi. Potentially an opportunity to project a strong image of the country and develop international partnerships, the Games also run the risk of drawing attention to a number of issues Russia might prefer stayed hidden.

BP and the Russian state controlled company Rosneft have announced a strategic global alliance that involves the first major equity-linked partnership between a national and international oil company. While the potential rewards are high, so are the risks. Is this really an ‘alliance fit for the 21st Century’?

The vulnerability of humanitarian workers has been highlighted in 2010 by the killing of nine aid workers off the Gaza coast by Israeli Commandos, of ten medical aid workers — six of them Americans — working in Afghanistan, and of Britain’s Dr. Karen Woo and co-workers.

2010 has seen an increase in the level of internationa attention dedicated to Israel’s nuclear status and the country’s opaque nuclear policy.