The Russian drama began at the end of 1991, when the Soviet Union mercifully ended. Russia and 14 other new countries emerged from the ruins of the Soviet Union. Every one of those 15 new states faced a profound historical, economic, financial, social and political challenge.

If we did go into a recession, something that's always possible for the U.S. or Europe, we could lower interest rates and expand the money supply without worrying about the price of gold.

Russia has gone through eight years of continuing economic pain.

In Asia, a lot of successful economies that had been living on their own saving, decided to open up their financial markets to international capital in the early 1990s. So here were countries doing quite well, but they decided they'd borrow a bit more and do even better.

I've gone for long stretches without working. I remember many times peeking into my checkbook to see if any money was left.

Money is in some respects life's fire: it is a very excellent servant, but a terrible master.

The money that bin Laden inherited was about 20 million dollars over the course of many years, not the much larger sums some have suggested. In 1994, his family cut him off.

We shall continue our fight for democracy and freedom because we do not accept that Hong Kong will be transformed into a police state.