Author Archive
Posted on May 17, 2013 - by Venik
Alexander Litvinenko widow accuses William Hague of sabotaging inquest
Marina Litvinenko speaks out after coroner agrees to exclude material suggesting Russian agencies were involved in killing The widow of Alexander Litvinenko has launched a blistering attack on William Hague and David Cameron, accusing them of sabotaging the inquest into her husband’s murder and hiding the Russian state’s role in his death. Marina Litvinenko said [...]
Posted on May 17, 2013 - by Venik
Litvinenko inquest coroner agrees to keep crucial evidence secret
Foreign secretary accused of sabotaging inquest into 2006 death of former Russian spy as coroner says proceeding might now end up ‘incomplete and misleading’ William Hague has been accused of sabotaging the inquest into the death of the Russian Alexander Litvinenko, after a coroner upheld his application to keep crucial evidence secret. The coroner, Sir [...]
Posted on May 17, 2013 - by Venik
Russia reveals identity of CIA Moscow chief following Ryan Fogle’s expulsion
Federal Security Service spokesman breaches protocol as he accuses US agency of crossing ‘red line’ in its recruitment efforts The Federal Security Service in Russia has revealed the identity of the CIA’s station chief in Moscow in a breach of protocol. The revelation, made by an FSB spokesman who accused the US agency of crossing [...]
Posted on May 17, 2013 - by Venik
Syria missile sale played down by Russia
Moscow-supplied Yakhonts guided missiles could be used to fight any seaborne intervention attempt by US and the west Russia has defended its arms sales to Syria as being for purely defensive purposes after reports that Moscow had delivered advanced anti-ship missiles to the Damascus regime. While not directly confirming the reported arrival of Russian Yakhonts [...]
Posted on May 17, 2013 - by Venik
Litvinenko inquest close to collapse after coroner rules crucial evidence secret
Coroner upholds Foreign Office application to withhold material as critics claim move subordinates justice to UK trade with Russia The inquest into the death of Alexander Litvinenko is close to collapse after a coroner partially upheld an application by William Hague to keep crucial evidence secret. The coroner, Sir Robert Owen, reluctantly agreed to exclude [...]
Posted on May 17, 2013 - by Venik
Video of Russian orphans being beaten sparks outrage
Russia’s investigative committee opens criminal inquiry after footage of teen caretakers beating under-10s goes viral Two young caretakers are being investigated over allegations of torture after a horrific video showing the systematic beating of seven children at a Russian orphanage went viral. The video shows seven boys in their underclothes lined up against a wall [...]
Posted on May 17, 2013 - by Venik
Syria: Obama pins hopes on peace talks
Barack Obama is maintaining his cautious approach to Syria by pinning hopes on an international conference on the crisis which Russia insists must involve Iran Matthew Weaver Guardian readers 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 [...]
Posted on May 16, 2013 - by Venik
The Stoker – review
Full of idiosyncratic, almost suicidal directorial choices, yet weirdly this film cuts to the heart of its country Not to be confused with the recent Park Chan-wook/Nicole Kidman curio, but a return to UK cinemas for Russian provocateur Aleksey Balabanov, whose Of Freaks and Men gained a cult reputation in 2000. His latest is no less [...]
Posted on May 16, 2013 - by Venik
The EU and US must promote human rights worldwide – that includes China | Edward McMillan-Scott and Chen Guangcheng
It often appears there is one rule for small, insignificant countries and another for rising superpowers seen as ‘strategic partners’ “Open your newspaper any day of the week and you will find a report from somewhere in the world of someone being imprisoned, tortured or executed because his opinions or religion are unacceptable to his [...]
Posted on May 15, 2013 - by Venik
For Syria, the civil war is still to come
With no clear successor to President Assad, the country faces a bloody power vacuum. A new kind of diplomacy is needed The US and Russia announced plans for a conference on Syria last week. The world can be forgiven for wondering: what use is that? Indeed, what use has any outside activity been on Syria? [...]
Posted on May 15, 2013 - by Venik
Lightning strikes Saint Petersburg TV tower – video
Lightning strikes Saint Petersburg television tower on Monday 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 the comments on this post
Posted on May 15, 2013 - by Venik
The Ryan Fogle arrest proves old-school spying is still going strong
The alleged CIA agent was caught in Moscow while wearing a wig and carrying wads of cash – just like a scene from a film It seemed at first to be a scene from an American remake of Carry On Spying. Ryan Fogle, said to be a young CIA agent attached to the US embassy [...]
Posted on May 15, 2013 - by Venik
US ‘spy’ Ryan Fogle expelled after CIA refused to stop recruiting, say Russians
Federal Security Service says US embassy official was expelled because CIA persisted in trying to recruit Russians for espionage Russia’s decision to expose and expel a suspected spy working undercover at the US embassy in Moscow came after the CIA failed to stop its recruitment efforts following the previously unrevealed expulsion of a US spy [...]
Posted on May 15, 2013 - by Venik
US ambassador summoned to Russian foreign ministry to face spy claims
American ambassador summoned to Russia’s foreign ministry to face claims that US diplomat Ryan Fogle worked as spy The US ambassador to Moscow has been summoned to Russia’s foreign ministry to face claims that an American diplomat who was arrested on Tuesday had been working as a spy. Russia has said it will expel the [...]
