Russian journalist in critical condition after attack

A Russian journalist was nearly beaten to death outside his home. Oleg Kashin, the journalist, was a political correspondent for Kommersant, an independent Russian business newspaper. The two thugs waited outside his home with flowers, and when Oleg arrived they beat him before fleeing. Russian police are conducting an investigation. However, outside Russia there is speculation the government is involved. 52 Russian journalists have been killed since 1992, making journalism one of the most dangerous professions. In 2007, another Kommersant employee, a defense journalist fell 4 stories to his death in what was ruled, a "suicide."

--Ray Treonis