Author Archive
Posted on July 4, 2009 - by Venik
From European to Euro-Atlantic Security
Presidents Barack Obama and Dimitry Medvedev at their first meeting on April 1, 2009 in London, UK There is no shortage of solicited and unsolicited advisors and pieces of advice for the upcoming Obama-Medvedev summit this week in Moscow. Some of the advice is pretty reasonable; for the most part it is best ignored. One’s [...]
Posted on July 3, 2009 - by Venik
Obama to seek climate deal with Russia
After success with China, US targets Russia in strategy to reach separate agreements with world’s biggest polluters Barack Obama will move to seal a deal with Russia for joint action on climate change during his summit in Moscow next week, the Guardian has learned. Obama arrives in Moscow on Monday at the start of a [...]
Posted on July 3, 2009 - by Venik
The high price of holding Helmand | Robert Fox
A British commander’s death is not a crisis for the Afghanistan offensive, but a harsh reminder of the challenge facing the army The death in action of the commanding officer of the Welsh Guards is a great sadness to his family, friends and his community in the regiment and the army. But it can hardly [...]
Posted on July 3, 2009 - by Venik
Obama interview with Putin critics risks Russian backlash
US president signals tough stance by speaking with prominent opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta ahead of state visit Barack Obama is to give an interview to the Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta ahead of his trip to the country, in the clearest sign yet that his administration will take an unexpectedly tough approach in its dealings [...]
Posted on July 3, 2009 - by Venik
How to handle Russia | Stanislav Belkovsky
When he meets Medvedev in Moscow, Obama should know this is not a mighty superpower, but a weak and corrupt federation US president Barack Obama arrives in Moscow on Monday 6 July. Here, in Russia, he is awaited with some foreboding – he is, after all, the most powerful man on earth. The Kremlin hopes [...]
Posted on July 2, 2009 - by Venik
Barack Obama: Putin has one foot in the past
• Hopes fade for ‘reset’ in US-Russian relations• Remarks follow praise for successor Medvedev Barack Obama has chided Vladimir Putin, the Russian prime minister, for “cold war approaches” to relations with the US, saying Putin had “one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new”, just days before the [...]
Posted on July 2, 2009 - by Venik
Barack Obama says Vladimir Putin is keeping ‘one foot in the old ways’
President chides Russia’s PM but says Dmitry Medvedev understands that cold war behaviour is outdated On the eve of a trip to Moscow, Barack Obama chided Vladimir Putin, Russia’s prime minister, today for keeping “one foot in the old ways of doing business”. By contrast, he said Putin’s handpicked successor as president understands that cold [...]
Posted on July 1, 2009 - by Venik
Vandals arrested after attack on statue of Lenin in Kiev
Ukrainian nationalists say raid reflects growing mood against Soviet monuments Five people have been arrested for smashing the face and ripping the arm off a large statue of Vladimir Lenin, on display in Kiev, in the latest ignominious attack on the Bolshevik leader. Police said the five had links with a Ukrainian nationalist organisation that [...]
Posted on July 1, 2009 - by Venik
Should we follow Russia’s example and ban gambling in Britain? | Poll
A virtual gambling ban has come into force in Russia. The law was proposed by then President Putin to tackle gambling addiction. Should we follow suit and close casinos in Britain? Original article Share on bebo Blog this! Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Share via MySpace share via [...]
Posted on July 1, 2009 - by Venik
Luke Harding on Russian move to ban gambling in most of country
Luke Harding on Russian move to ban gambling in most of country 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 June 30, 2009 - by Venik
Roy Greenslade: Another Russian journalist dies mysteriously
Yet another Russian journalist has died in mysterious circumstances. Yaroslav Yaroshenko, the editor-in-chief of the monthly Korruptsiya i Prestupnost (Corruption and Crime), has succumbed to head injuries suffered in an attack two months ago on the staircase of his apartment block in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don. Early in the morning on April 30, the [...]
Posted on June 29, 2009 - by Venik
Game over for Russia’s punters as gambling ban closes casinos
Nearly two decades after the first casino opened its doors, Russia is to ban gambling from Wednesday across most of its territory in a move that casino owners say will drive the industry underground. All casinos and slot-machine halls will be outlawed. With the exception of four far-flung special zones, no gambling will be allowed [...]
Posted on June 28, 2009 - by Venik
US-Russia report on scrapping nuclear weapons to be unveiled
A three-step process for the phased elimination of nuclear weapons will be unveiled by a powerful group of former policy makers in Washington tomorrow. The report by the Global Zero Commission, formed in response to Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev’s pledge earlier this year to rid the world of nuclear weapons, is released ahead of [...]
Posted on June 28, 2009 - by Venik
Iran: Desperately Seeking Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin, on top of a tank in Moscow, declaring an end to the Soviet regime in 1991 When the featured article was being written, the author and the Iranian people still had hopes to find leadership to their quest for freedom. Unfortunately, Mir Hossein Mousavi had not appeared in front of the protestors since [...]
