WASHINGTON, July 9 (UPI) -- Mongolia's recent parliamentary elections subsequently saw its capital wracked by violence. Rising prices and questions surrounding the development of the country's mineralogical resources were an issue in the campaign. Despite inflation, authorities now plan to raise energy prices for consumers.

Wrap-up of Thoroughbred stakes action.

WASHINGTON, July 3 (UPI) -- Mongolia's June 29 parliamentary election erupted into violent demonstrations two days later in the capital Ulaan Baatar, with five dead, 300 inured and 700 arrested. The opposition claimed that the election was rigged. The economy was a major campaign issue, particularly the issue of developing the country's vast mineral and energy reserves.

WASHINGTON, July 2 (UPI) -- Russia's state-owned natural gas monopoly Gazprom, whose market capitalization currently stands at $362 billion, is aggressively seeking to expand its global presence. According to Gazprom Chairman Alexei Miller, he intends to make the firm the world’s largest company within seven to 10 years, when its capitalization is projected to reach $1 trillion.

WASHINGTON, June 26 (UPI) -- As a world in deep sticker shock over oil at $140 a barrel searches for some relief, many eyes are turning to the petroleum-rich states of the former Soviet Union.

WASHINGTON, June 25 (UPI) -- In the current superheated global energy market, with oil's price rising more than five-fold since 2000, the race is on worldwide to bring more crude to market, with many previously moribund pipeline projects being dusted off.

MOSCOW, June 25 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in his recent address to officers at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia that Russia was focused on strengthening its nuclear capabilities rather than building up its regular armed forces, which makes maintaining the U.S. nuclear arsenal increasingly important.

WASHINGTON, June 20 (UPI) -- On June 12, 1,000 workers employed by the Caspian Shipyard Co. Ltd. in Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, went on strike over poor wages and discrimination against Azeri laborers. The workers ceased their action the next day after giving CSC management a week to address their grievances before returning to industrial action. The action has ominous historical precedents.

WASHINGTON, June 18 (UPI) -- One of the more intractable legacies of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war has been Israel's inability to bring Syria to the table to sign a peace treaty, as Syrian demands for an agreement include at a minimum the return of the occupied Golan Heights. As U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice continues her efforts to broker a Middle East peace settlement, she might consider engaging further the "honest broker" services of one of the few Middle East nations that enjoy decent relations with both Jerusalem and Damascus -- Turkey.