Russian lobbying in the United States: stages of evolution

The article examines Russian lobbying in the US. The endogenous and exogenous factors of Russian lobbying are analyzed as well as its qualitative and quantitative characteristics. The article depicts stages of Russian lobbying development: (i) from government to private entities; (ii) nongovernmental lobbying; and (iii) a return to government. Additionally, occasional attempts by Russian entities to secure funding from the US budget are mentioned. Two case studies are studied to show the nature of current Russian lobbying in the US: lobbying campaigns by Techsnabexport, state‐owned corporation, and GML, a private business concern. The article concludes that Russian lobbying in the US is weak. At the beginning, it was mostly about investment consulting, and with the rise in oil prices and the decrease in political freedom, the need for and availability of lobbying diminished. Some private corporations were nationalized under President Putin and, as a result, lost control over their international expansion strategies, with the remaining private corporations being afraid of independent lobbying campaigns abroad. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Environmentally Unfavorable Areas in Russian Law and Post-Soviet Space

Abstract

The article suggests a new view on the issues of protection of environmental human rights in environmentally unfavorable areas. A diversity of approaches in Russia and republics of the former USSR granted a special legal status to areas which caused environmental harm due to natural disasters and manmade disasters, In addition, ineffective environmental policies allowed hazardous industries to pollute the environment for many years. New environmental legal solutions must be developed and implemented in developing countries with the active assistance of the international community to ensure environmental human rights on a global rather than national scale. The new proposed legal requirements should focus on the most environmentally impaired areas based on utilizing specific classifications and criteria.     

Methodological questions in resolving the problem of determining the time of death]

Presents the modern concept of evaluating the time of death, the philosophy of solving this problem, and approaches to its solution. Analyzes the procedure and choice of correct approach to problem solution from methodological viewpoint and as a problem at the interface of medicine and technology.     

Mitochondrial DNA sequencing of human hair shafts stored for long time

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing is commonly used for forensic genetic identification of relation and personality identification based on analysis of tooth and skeletal rudiments. We demonstrated the possibility of DNA extraction and subsequent enzymatic amplification of fragments of a hypervariable segment I of mtDNA control region from hair shafts after long storage (up to 75 years). Shed hairs are the most common biological material evidence in forensic investigations. Low content of DNA and its possible degradation in hair shafts without bulbs may cause artifacts in polymerase chain reaction. However comparative analysis of amplified nucleotide sequences of amplified fragments from hair stored for 75 years was identical to the sequence from hairs cut immediately before experiment. This indicates high quality of the resultant matrices, stability of results, and hence, the possibility of using DNA extracted from hair shafts without bulbs stored for a long time for expert genetic analysis. Theoretical and methodological prospects of using mtDNA polymorphism analysis for forensic expert evaluations are discussed.     

Concept of “Semi-Protected Natural Areas” in Environmental Law of Russia and in the Post-Soviet Space: Discussion Questions

The article proves that environmental law of Russia and the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) includes a rather wide legal category, which the authors suggest calling “semi-protected natural areas”. It contains land plots, which occupy an intermediate position between common lands and specially protected natural areas (wetlands, water-protective zones, soils included in the Red Data Book of Soils, wilderness areas), as well as between common lands and ecological disaster zones (sanitary protection zones). Further doctrinal research and normative consolidation of this category will allow improving the legal regime of these areas, including existing restrictions and bans in the field of economic and other activity, filling existing legal gaps, forming a more adequate system for counteracting modern environmental threats, including expanding the arsenal of legal means in the field of protection of the environment.