Daily Update - Your World in Financial Crisis

The bigger they are, the harder they fall: Foreign Policy magazine makes it clear that Russia's heavy-handed foreign and domestic policies are proving disastrous for the nation throughout the financial crisis

Obama journeys north of the border to Canada to provide U.S. assurances on trade

Indonesia seeks currency swap deal with U.S., Japan, China, and South Korea to bolster its devaluing rupiah

Cocaine prices fall - Another indication of the global financial crisis? Not really: Drug smugglers are opening new smuggling routes to Europe through weak West African and Balkan states

Speaking of the narcotics trade, Ecuador expels second U.S. diplomat in spat over counter-narcotics training program

Also, Mexico's drug cartels now organize protests against the presence of government troops in Mexican border towns - protesters are offered food and money to block off border crossings

Slovenia and Croatia enter diplomatic contention - and a bit of "facebook war" - over border disagreement, putting Croatia's EU membership at risk

Real war will continue in Afghanistan, as U.S. Commander says 60,000 troops will be needed in Afghanistan during "tough" year of 2009