Archive for July, 2010
Posted on July 31, 2010 - by Venik
Should Kant’s home once again be German? | Stefan Berger
Despite a rumoured offer to return Kaliningrad to German rule, the enclave remains loyal to Mother Russia In May this year, the German weekly Der Spiegel published the sensational details of a little-known offer by the Soviet leadership to return Kaliningrad, the former Königsberg, to Germany in 1990. Though barely reported in the UK, the [...]
Posted on July 29, 2010 - by Venik
Russia to introduce ‘draconian’ Minority Report-style law
Legislation will give security services powers to arrest people for crimes they have yet to commit Russian citizens can be issued official warnings about crimes that they have not yet committed under powers granted to the security services today. President Dmitry Medvedev signed off on a new law giving the FSB, the successor agency to [...]
Posted on July 29, 2010 - by Venik
YouTube banned by Russian court
Court in Khabarovsk region orders internet provider Rosnet to block YouTube over ultra-nationalist video Russia’s blogosphere reacted with anger today after a regional court banned YouTube because it carried a single video containing “extremist” content. The court in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Khabarovsk region in the Russian far east ordered Rosnet, a local internet provider, to block [...]
Posted on July 28, 2010 - by Venik
Court throws out ‘extremism’ case against Russian editor
A Russian editor, Pyotr Lipatov, has secured a rare legal victory after being charged with “fomenting extremism”. A court threw out the case yesterday, ruling that prosecution evidence was unpersuasive. Lipatov, editor of the opposition newspaper Consensus and Truth, which is published in a Moscow suburb, was accused of publishing articles that created “negative stereotypes [...]
Posted on July 27, 2010 - by Venik
The Biggest Secret
While the US Army is revving up its investigation of Bradley Manning, those of us with a gift for diagonal reading are sure to be very busy for the next couple of weeks. However, I think it is safe to say that the Afghan war’s two biggest “secrets” have been sufficiently exposed. And they are [...]
Posted on July 25, 2010 - by Venik
Vladimir Putin consoles exposed Russian spies with ‘singalong’
Russian prime minister praises agents recently expelled from US and hints at a grim future for ‘traitors’ who betrayed them Vladimir Putin has revealed he got together for a spies’ singalong with the group of Russian sleeper agents expelled from the US this month. “I met them,” said the Russian prime minister. “We talked about [...]
Posted on July 22, 2010 - by Venik
Belarus and Georgia get together for a few potshots at Russia
• Strong political criticism aired on state TV channels • Unlikely alliances form to loosen Kremlin grip Alexander Lukashenko, the hardline president of Belarus, and Mikhail Saakashvili, the leader of Georgia, have forged an unlikely political alliance in a “media war” with the Kremlin. Lukashenko, a former collective farm manager and often called Europe’s last [...]
Posted on July 22, 2010 - by Venik
Boris Berezovsky’s second wife wins record £100m divorce settlement
• Oligarch and wife Galina only lived together for two years • Ruling cements London as divorce court of choice for rich He has survived several assassination attempts, false charges of fraud by the Russian authorities and won high-profile libel cases in London courtrooms. But the exiled Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky has been unable to [...]
Posted on July 22, 2010 - by Venik
The end of the battle for Kosovo | Simon Tisdall
When the dust settles, common sense and self-interest may dictate Serbia’s acceptance of Kosovo’s independence Separatists, secessionists and splittists from Taiwan, Xinjiang and Somaliland to Sri Lanka, Georgia and the West Country will welcome today’s precedent-setting legal opinion from the UN’s international court of justice effectively upholding Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia. With [...]
Posted on July 22, 2010 - by Venik
Thai government blacklists Russian conductor | Sean Michaels
Celebrated musician Mikhail Pletnev, who is accused of child molestation, has had his visa cancelled and faces deportation Thailand has cancelled the visa of Russian conductor Mikhail Pletnev, who was accused of child molestation earlier this month. The founder of the Russian National Orchestra, who was a resident of Thailand, now faces deportation even if [...]
Posted on July 21, 2010 - by Venik
Video: Explosion at Russian power plant
Attack by insurgents at Russian plant owned by RusHydro, the world’s second largest hydroelectric power producer, leaves two dead and two injured Original article Share on bebo Blog this! Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Share via MySpace share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to [...]
Posted on July 20, 2010 - by Venik
The Water Boys
The best way to keep a secret is not to concede its existence. Indeed, it would be difficult for your neighbor to poison your dog, if he doesn’t know you have one. Should, nevertheless, the facts escape, your next best defense is wordiness. You shall contribute to the spectacle at every opportunity in the hope [...]
Posted on July 20, 2010 - by Venik
Parasailing donkey stunt prompts animal cruelty inquiry
Tour operator towed creature by boat and forced it to glide 30 metres above the surf on southern Russian beach Police in southern Russia have launched an animal cruelty investigation after a tour operator forced a donkey to parasail over the sea. Video footage showed the beast being catapulted into the air after a group [...]
Posted on July 20, 2010 - by Venik
Russian agent Anna Chapman denies seeking $250,000 to sell her story
Woman deported from US in spy swap goes on Facebook to denounce tabloid story, according to Russian press Anna Chapman, the 28-year-old Russian woman deported from the United States in a spy swap with the Kremlin, has reportedly surfaced on Facebook to deny claims she wants to sell her story for $250,000 (£164,000). Reports in [...]
