Archive for August, 2009
Posted on August 3, 2009 - by Venik
South Ossetia: One Year Later, Not a Happy Anniversary
Map of region Source: BBC As the first anniversary of the brief war in South Ossetia approaches, it appears what peace does exist continues to be set against a backdrop of tension and accusation. According to the New York Times, over the weekend South Ossetia authorities “reported two rounds of mortar fire coming from Georgian-controlled [...]
Posted on August 3, 2009 - by Venik
Saakashvili’s sideshow | Jonathan Steele
The war with Russia was a disaster for Georgia, but its president has still not had to pay a serious price So anxious was Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili for support from the fledgling Obama administration that even though he had not been invited to make a speech he raced to the annual Munich security conference [...]
Posted on August 3, 2009 - by Venik
Nato head Anders Fogh Rasmussen calls for partnership with Russia
Focus on good relations with Moscow will worry Nato members in central Europe protesting over Obama’s Kremlin overtures The new Nato secretary general today called for a “strategic partnership” with Russia a year after the Kremlin’s war in Georgia triggered the worst tension between Moscow and the west for nearly 20 years. In his first [...]
Posted on August 3, 2009 - by Venik
Three men to inspire Europe | Nina Khrushcheva
Király, Kolakowski and Khrushschev can be seen as symbols of a new Europe of forgiveness between former opponents My great-grandfather, Nikita Khrushchev, has been on my mind recently. I suppose it was the 50th anniversary of the so-called “kitchen debate” which he held with Richard Nixon that first triggered my memories. But the recent funeral [...]
Posted on August 3, 2009 - by Venik
Finland Pushes Putin’s Buttons
As any family feud, this story has many ins and outs. Paavo Salonen from Finland married Rimma from Russia, they had a son – Anton – and they got divorced. Rimma’s older son from first marriage Nikita, who is now 19, lived with his stepfather Paavo in Finland. Rimma was living with her younger son [...]
Posted on August 2, 2009 - by Venik
Action man Vladimir Putin turns submariner at Lake Baikal
He has flown a fighter jet, defeated black-belts on the judo mat and recently shot a tiger, albeit with a tranquilizer dart. Vladimir Putin’s action man image is complemented by an athletic body, famously revealed on a fishing trip when he stripped off his shirt to show a fine pair of pecs. Now the Russian [...]
Posted on August 1, 2009 - by Venik
Londongrad by Mark Hollingsworth and Stewart Lansley | Book review
This exposé of oligarchs is just a journalistic cut-and-paste job, says Anna Blundy There is a gripping book to be written, with the right access, about the rise of Russian oil tycoons Boris Berezovsky, Roman Abramovich and Mikhail Khodorkovsky and metals magnate Oleg Deripaska. The stories of their troubled younger days, their early careers hustling [...]
Posted on August 1, 2009 - by Venik
Life on the two sides of the Russia-China border
Two nations face each other across the Amur river – the rising superpower that is China and Russia, which has long dreaded military invasion on this frontier. Photographer Justin Jin captures the intertwined lives of residents each side of the border Original article Share on bebo Blog this! Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend [...]
Posted on August 1, 2009 - by Venik
Biology: World’s most northerly creature identified
Hardy creature is first living thing to be identified in waters directly beneath the pole Call it the ultimate northerner. A tiny sea anemone has been named the world’s most northerly species after being discovered clinging to life directly below the frozen crust of the north pole. The hardy creature was scooped from the Arctic [...]
Posted on August 1, 2009 - by Venik
Russia fears embrace of giant eastern neighbour, China
It was an unashamed display of military force, involving tanks, fighter jets and more than 3,000 soldiers. Last week China and Russia held their biggest joint military exercises ever – their battalions streaking across the plateaus and shimmering plains of Shenyang province. The exercises come as Moscow and Beijing prepare to celebrate an important moment [...]
