Vladimir Putin Gets Cool G-20 Welcome Over Ukraine Conflict - AP: "Mr. Putin faced a chorus of criticism at a world leaders’ summit, where the fighting in Ukraine threatened to overshadow talk of global economics."
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Members of G20 gather for the traditional 'family photo' at the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia. Barack Obama's speech paved way for talks on the environment, after he announced the US was pledging $3bn to the Green Climate fund. The deal between China and the US is seen to build momentum towards emission goals set for after 2020 Continue reading...
 euronews |
'Cold War' fears over Ukraine overblown, say experts
gulfnews.com PARIS: Secret 'Russian subs' off Sweden, tit-for-tat sanctions, Nato fighters scrambling to intercept Russian warplanes: relations between the West and Moscow over Ukraine have sparked incidents reminiscent of the Cold War that terrified the world for ... Germany's Merkel says situation in Ukraine unacceptable, EU considering...Reuters UK Ukraine Crisis Looks Set to Dominate G-20Wall Street Journal all 498 news articles » |
At 3:10 a.m. on October 27, 2011, a less-than-diplomatic email landed in the inboxes of attendees at the G20 Summit, an annual gathering of heads of government and other representatives from the world’s top economic powers. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” the email began, “First Lady Nude Photos.” It was followed by a link that promised to open a stash of nude photos of France’s then-first lady, Carla Bruni. The link was also spring-loaded with malicious code that could infiltrate the device of a G20 delegate, opening a pathway to a wider network of devices. The sender needed only one hot blooded delegate to potentially infect an entire delegation.
It’s not hard to imagine the hacker or hackers’ motive. The G20 Summit draws leaders from 20 nations that comprise 86% of the world’s wealth. They bring in their wake some 4,000 delegates from various ministries, businesses and NGO’s, all of whom will converge on Brisbane, Australia Saturday for a weekend of handshakes and hobnobbing. They will also carry in their smartphones and laptops reams of sensitive communications, including agendas, talking points and trade secrets — a cornucopia of state interests that could offer rival nations an edge in future negotiations or standoffs.
It might sound a bit amateurish to send global bigwigs the same crudely-written emails that might turn up in the average joe’s spam folder, but security experts say hackers try every trick in the book to infiltrate the summit.
“Some groups that look spammy are the exact same groups that can send out extremely well-crafted emails,” says Nart Villeneuve, a senior researcher at the California-based security firm FireEye. The crude emails are often just the opening shot in a campaign that can extend to tainted memory sticks and emails that are indistinguishable from official G20 correspondence. FireEye researchers made headlines after last year’s G20 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia when they exposed a concerted attack against five European foreign ministries. In that case, an email attachment labeled “US_military_options_in_Syria” installed malicious code as soon as the recipient opened the official-looking file.
Villeneuve had a front row seat to the St. Petersburg breach. His team traced the malware back to a command-and-control server in China, where they observed a ring of hackers known as “Ke3chang” in action. For a brief, two week window, Villeneuve’s team saw the hackers issue commands to search for files and open backdoors to other computers of interest.
“The attackers don’t have to compromise a high level diplomat first,” Villeneuve said. “It can begin with anyone on that network.”
The St. Petersburg hack wasn’t the first time such a global gathering had been targeted: During the 2012 Olympics, for example, tainted schedules circulated among the attendees. And in the run up to 2011 G20 Summit, malware-ridden files infected roughly 150 computers in the French Ministry of Finance. “It’s probably the first time it’s been as spectacular as this,” said France’s Budget Minister François Baroin at the time.
But the high-profile hacks could very well get more spectacular until all attendees at sensitive events like the G20 collectively shore up their online security. Each delegation crafts its own security plan, but in an ideal world, says FireEye Threat Intelligence Manager Jen Weedon, attendees would use disposable phones and laptops that can be wiped clean of all content before and after the conference. Still, many attendees come from countries that may not have the interest or resources to take such measures, which many may view as extreme or unwarranted. “You can’t expect them to become security experts overnight,” Weedon says. But G20 delegations ignore the security risks at their own peril: already, Weedon says, Tibetan activists at this year’s conference have been targeted by a malware-infected document related to protest information.
Ultimately, the problem of hackers running amok at global gatherings runs deeper than technology alone. All hacking scams exploit human vulnerabilities — lust, credulity, curiosity — that can’t always be solved with a smarter spam filter. “It takes a human to click on something,” observes Weedon, a warning that this weekend’s assemblage of power players may or may not heed when the promise of official correspondence or other tempting links land in their inboxes. They’re only flesh and blood, after all.
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America’s top military leader arrived in Iraq, state television reported, his first visit to the country since a U.S.-led coalition began a campaign of airstrikes targeting the extremist Islamic State group.
 Fox News |
US nuclear trouble comes full circle, to North Dakota missile and bomber base ...
Fox News Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel addresses the media at the Airman's Event during his visit to Minot Air Force Base, N.D., Friday, Nov. 14, 2014. The Pentagon will spend an additional $10 billion to correct deep problems of neglect and mismanagement ... Trail of nuclear woes began at North Dakota baseKBTV Fox 4 Beaumont US nuclear woes: Pentagon chief orders a shake-upGoErie.com all 107 U.S. nuclear woes: Pentagon chief orders major shakeupLubbockOnline.com all 106 news articles » |
Indian sterilisation patient: I was slapped and told to calm downby Alok Putul in Bilaspur and Anu Anand in Delhi
Woman recounts treatment at camp where 15 women have died after taking antibiotics possibly tainted by rat poison chemical
A woman who became seriously ill at the Indian sterilisation camps that have killed 15 women has spoken of being slapped by a doctor and told to calm down after screaming in pain at the procedure.
Shiv Kumari Yadav, 27, attended one of the clinics in Chhattisgarh, eastern India, which were found to have used a chemical commonly found in rat poison to sterilise women. She said she had stomach cramps and vomited after taking antibiotic pills following the operation.
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The Age |
Obama Plays Long Game in Building Asia-Pacific Influence
Businessweek No matter how many times President Barack Obama insists the U.S. is committed to being a Pacific power, the skeptics remain unconvinced. Yesterday, he tried again, saying the U.S. has an “ironclad” commitment to its allies and that “American leadership in ... At G20, Obama says US remains focused on AsiaChristian Science Monitor Obama tells G20 US cannot 'carry world economy'gulfnews.com G20 summit: live coverage of opening day, protests and Obama speechThe Australian Sydney Morning Herald -Chicago Sun-Times -The Hindu all 589 news articles » |
RFE/RL's Ukraine Service caught up with Serhiy Halyan, one of the Ukrainian troops -- admiringly dubbed "cyborgs" for their staunch defense of the international airport on the war-torn outskirts of Donetsk -- who survived a surreal nine days at the airport and whose father is a Russian army colonel.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to leave the G20 summit early after a strained 50 minute meeting with David Cameron over Ukraine.
Local officials said drugs tainted with rat poison probably killed 13 women who died after surgery under an Indian government sterilization campaign, though forensic specialists and toxicologists disagreed.
West concerned about Russia and China economic ties
RT Russia's growing economic ties with China is causing Western countries to threaten more sanctions and even block it from the G20 summit, historian Gerald Horne told RT. The rise of China is putting the international system under enormous strain and ... and more » |
Russian president to leave G20 summit early in sign of tensions between Moscow and many other participants
David Cameron has held a 50-minute meeting with Vladimir Putin on the margins of the G20 summit, telling him that the wests relations with Russia are at a crossroads and demanding that Moscow allow independent observers along the countrys border with Ukraine.
In a sign of the tension between the Russian president and many of his fellow G20 leaders, it emerged that Putin was to leave the Brisbane summit early, skipping the final lunch on Sunday and holding a press conference before his counterparts.
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 Взгляд |
"Для нас важен российский рынок"
МИР и Политика Партия экс-президента Грузии Михаила Саакашвили "Единое национальное движение" созывает в Тбилиси 15 ноября митинг противников нормализации отношений с Россией. Местные СМИ сообщают, что разыскиваемый Грузией по целому ряду обвинений Саакашвили мобилизует ... Михеил Саакашвили намерен обратиться к участникам акции против аннексии грузинских территорийapsny.ge Партию Саакашвили обвинили в спекуляциях на антироссийской тематикеВзгляд В Грузии проходит митинг против «дружбы» России и Абхазии. Саакашвили подготовил обращениеPanorama.am Новости-Грузия -Тренд -Эхо Кавказа Все похожие статьи: 82 » |
Дороги к свободе - 15 ноября, 2014 by Виталий Портников
Гость программы - бывший глава администрации Донецкой области, избранный депутат Верховной Рады Украины Сергей Тарута. Почему известный бизнесмен согласился возглавить проблемный регион? Как выстраивать ситуацию на Донбассе? Как влияют на происходящее в стране «олигархи»? Обо всем этом - откровенный разговор в нашей киевской студии.
Download audio: http://realaudio.rferl.org/RU/2014/11/15/20141115-130000-RU-program.mp3
Download audio: http://realaudio.rferl.org/RU/2014/11/15/20141115-130000-RU-program.mp3
Pussy Riot members Nadezhda (Nadya) Tolokonnikova and Maria Alekhina have met Jon Snow for their first British television interview.
 НТВ.ru |
Путин растолковал премьеру Канады, почему РФ не уходит с Украины
НТВ.ru На саммите G20 в австралийском Брисбене президент РФ Владимир Путин в очередной раз опроверг присутствие российских войск на Украине. 568. Поделиться ссылкой на выделенное. Twitter · Facebook · Вконтакте · Google+. Прямая ссылка: http://www.ntv.ru/novosti/1263374/ Нажмите ... Премьер Канады предложил Путину «убраться c Украины»Взгляд Канадский премьер потребовал у Владимира Путина «убраться с Украины»Радиостанция ЭХО МОСКВЫ Путин завил, что Россия не может вывести свои войска с Украины, потому что их там нетБалтИнфо.ru BFM.Ru -Интерфакс -РИА VladTime.ru Все похожие статьи: 85 » |
 BBC News |
Ukraine crisis: Russia under pressure at G20 summit
BBC News Russia has been rebuked by Western leaders about its role in the Ukraine crisis, at a G20 summit in Australia. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told Russian President Vladimir Putin that he needed to "get out of Ukraine". US President Barack ... Putin plans to leave G20 early after West blasts Russia over UkraineReuters David Cameron compares Russia to Nazi Germany on eve of Putin meetingTelegraph.co.uk Russia arrives at G-20 with warshipsFox News The Globe and Mail -New York Post -NBCNews.com all 3,656 news articles » |
Vladimir Putin Gets Cool G-20 Welcome Over Ukraine Conflictby By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mr, Putin faced a chorus of criticism at a world leaders’ summit, where the fighting in Ukraine threatened to overshadow talk of global economics.
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Hagel: Nuclear Force Needs Fixingby webdesk@voanews.com (Carla Babb)
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel says the U.S. nuclear force has systematic problems that could undermine the safety, security and effectiveness of elements of the force in the future, if not quickly addressed. The secretary made a stop in Minot Air Force Base, home to a third of America’s nuclear arsenal, to tour the facilities and meet with airmen protecting and maintaining the nation’s nuclear weapons. He says America’s nuclear enterprise is flooded with problems, including inadequate manning, infrastructure, equipment, accountability and declining morale. “The internal and external reviews I ordered show that a consistent lack of investment and support for our nuclear forces over far too many years has left us with too little margin to cope with mounting stress,” said Hagel. Hagel says all these shortfalls could eventually jeopardize the program’s safety and effectiveness. Case in point, U.S. Air Force Tech Sergeant Forest Porter told me old equipment here at Minot Air Base leads to tough maintenance problems. He says Minot uses circuit breakers from the 1960s that are no longer made by the manufacturer. "Yeah, I can’t replace them, so that creates a little frustration on our end because we know how to fix it, we know what we need to do but then, that’s the systemic problem," Porter said. "We need DEPO engineers, contracts to get all that money and get them bought and then put out in the system and that takes time.” And if the dust on these walls could talk here at Minot Air Base, you would hear about five decades worth of secrets. Yes, it has taken five decades before the military paid to give each launch control center a deep cleaning. First Lieutenant Dawn Sanderson says the airmen didn't notice just how bad it was until crews started peeling away the linings of the ceilings. “I have them come back to me and talk to me and they’re like, ‘There were just clobs of dust falling on me,’ and I’m like, ‘Sorry’,” said Sanderson. The Air Force has allocated $160 million in fiscal year 2014 and $150 million in fiscal year 2015 to address some of these shortfalls. That is why the walls are getting cleaned. And Hagel says the government will need to invest billions of dollars more in nuclear enterprise over the next five years. Anthony Cordesman, a national security analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says the military must make its nuclear arsenal a priority. “You cannot simply have an inventory you cannot trust,” said Cordesman. Cordesman says the nuclear weapons in that inventory still have an important job to do. "There are still massive numbers of thermonuclear weapons targeted on the United States," he added. "If we don’t have an effective and convincing deterrent, we can’t rely on good intentions to provide us with security for the future." Hagel echoed the program’s importance while speaking with troops at Minot. “You are an indispensable element of our national security,” said Hagel. "You are the main deterrent for the security of this country.” He said America’s nuclear deterrent remains safe and effective for the time being, and he is committed to stopping the downhill slide of the program.
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An estimated 30,000 opposition supporters have rallied in the Georgian capital Tbilisi against the government's Russia policy and the Kremlin's backing of separatists in the breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions.
As Criticism Mounts, Putin Camp Floats Early Exit From G20 Summit by noreply@rferl.org (RFE/RL)
Amid blunt criticism of Moscow's actions in Ukraine from Western leaders, the Kremlin has denied a report that Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to leave a G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, earlier than planned.
Russia This Week: The Kremlin’s Growing Army of Internet Trolls by Catherine A. Fitzpatrick
This Week’s Stories in Russia Update:
- Sweden Confirms Submarine in October Was Foreign Vessel
- Kadyrov Announces Assassination of Georgian Terrorist Omar al-Shishani
- Independent Editor Detained at Airport in Khabarovsk
-OSCE Sees 100s Of Fighters Cross Russian Border Into Ukraine, And Trucks With Bodies Leaving
- FIFA Clears Russia and Qatar of Corruption Charges, But US Prosecutor Seeks Appeal
- Russia Sends Warships Toward Australia Ahead Of G20
- Moscow Oil Refinery Blamed for Gas Leak May Be Closed for 3 Months
- Sochi Olympics Builder Detained on Suspicion of Exploitation of Workers
- Russian Legislators Receive Responses from Military Officials on Soldiers Reportedly Killed in Combat in Ukraine
- Editor-in-Chief of Kommersant Steps Down Amid Rumors of Government Pressure
- Still No Clear Explanation on What Caused Gas Leak in Moscow
- Free Ad Advice for CNN — Love, The Interpreter
- CNN Says New Media Laws Drove It From Russia-
- Bezler Reported Alive, and to Get ‘Hero of DPR’ Award, But is Strelkov Slighted?
- LifeNews Claims Anti-Corruption Blogger Navalny ‘Funded by the Kremlin’; Putin Administration Denies
- CNN To Cease Broadcasting in Russia in December
- Moscow Oil Refinement Plant Denies Malfunction Occurred, Despite Air Pollution Monitor Statements
- Toxic Gas Leak from ‘Malfunction’ at Oil Refinery: Emergencies Ministry
- Russia Launches Yet Another Propaganda Outlet, Sputnik News
- Kadyrov Announces Assassination of Georgian Terrorist Omar al-Shishani
- Independent Editor Detained at Airport in Khabarovsk
-OSCE Sees 100s Of Fighters Cross Russian Border Into Ukraine, And Trucks With Bodies Leaving
- FIFA Clears Russia and Qatar of Corruption Charges, But US Prosecutor Seeks Appeal
- Russia Sends Warships Toward Australia Ahead Of G20
- Moscow Oil Refinery Blamed for Gas Leak May Be Closed for 3 Months
- Sochi Olympics Builder Detained on Suspicion of Exploitation of Workers
- Russian Legislators Receive Responses from Military Officials on Soldiers Reportedly Killed in Combat in Ukraine
- Editor-in-Chief of Kommersant Steps Down Amid Rumors of Government Pressure
- Still No Clear Explanation on What Caused Gas Leak in Moscow
- Free Ad Advice for CNN — Love, The Interpreter
- CNN Says New Media Laws Drove It From Russia-
- Bezler Reported Alive, and to Get ‘Hero of DPR’ Award, But is Strelkov Slighted?
- LifeNews Claims Anti-Corruption Blogger Navalny ‘Funded by the Kremlin’; Putin Administration Denies
- CNN To Cease Broadcasting in Russia in December
- Moscow Oil Refinement Plant Denies Malfunction Occurred, Despite Air Pollution Monitor Statements
- Toxic Gas Leak from ‘Malfunction’ at Oil Refinery: Emergencies Ministry
- Russia Launches Yet Another Propaganda Outlet, Sputnik News
Please help The Interpreter to continue providing this valuable information service by making a donation towards our costs.
Scientists Turn Cells Into Recording Deviceby webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
The life of a living cell is not as dull as we may think, and now scientists say they have a tool for recording and playing back the cell’s 'memories' of recent experiences. As reported by the online magazine Science, researchers at Boston University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say they have managed to turn strands of molecules, known as DNA, inside a living cell, into a biological recording device. A signal - such as the presence of a chemical - alters the DNA, and even after the cell dies, scientists can find the mutation and determine the strength and duration of the signal. Previously, scientists were able to make a cell’s DNA record a single event, by having exposure to a stimulus switch on or off production of a certain protein. But that revealed no additional information about the event, and the data was lost once the cell died. The new method uses strands of DNA to allow scientists to embed and later retrieve information about a string of events, such as how the cell has grown and changed and what stimuli has it been exposed to. Scientists hope they will eventually be able to use living cells as specific sensors capable of collecting and storing data about changes within their immediate environment.
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Flying Cell Towers Monitor US Phonesby webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
According to a report published in Friday’s Wall Street Journal, the U.S. government is using sophisticated equipment mounted on small aircraft to monitor and collect data about cellphone conversations and locations, looking for criminal activity. The paper says the U.S. Marshals, the Department of Justice service responsible for the pursuit of fugitives, has used small airplanes such as the popular Cessna 182 equipped with devices similar to those on cell phone towers. The devices, called ‘dirtboxes,’ trick cell phones to connect calls through them, rather than through a nearby cell tower. While the plane is flying within the phone’s reach, all calls pass through the ‘dirtbox,’ allowing operators to sift through data and determine which are important to monitor. Sources say ‘dirtboxes’ collect data from cell phones even if they are not in use, but “let go” of the information if operators determine the phone does not belong to a suspect. They also say the program already helped apprehend drug dealers and other fugitives. The Wall Street Journal says the planes operate in at least five major cities but could cover most of the U.S. Critics say the program is similar to the much maligned National Security Agency’s surveillance programs which were exposed by government whistleblower Edward Snowden.
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Дела и замыслы видного экономиста-реформатора обсуждают политик Владимир Семаго, дипломат Григол Катамадз...
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From: Радио Свобода
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Украине выгодно оставаться в СНГ, — Климкин
Регион Киев Медиа Министр иностранных дел Павел Климкин не считает выгодным для Украины выход из Содружества Независимых Государств. Об этом он написал в своем микроблоге Twitter. "СНГ как постсоветская тусовка давно закончилась. А соглашения в рамках СНГ есть полезные. Политики тут ... и другие » |
 НТВ.ru |
Поставки «Мистралей» России: французы перестали выходить на связь
НТВ.ru Сегодня, согласно срокам, Россия должна была получить от французской страны первый вертолетоносец класса «Мистраль», строительство которого завершилось более полгода назад. Однако ясности, будет ли он передан, до сих пор нет. За два дня до назначенного времени ... и другие » |
State television claims to have received the 'sensational pictures' showing the Boeing was shot down by cannon fire over Ukraine
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 Reuters |
Russia arrives at G-20 with warships
Fox News BRISBANE, Australia – Vladimir Putin is underlining his presence at a major summit of world leaders in Australia by stationing warships in waters off the country's northeastern coast, prompting the Australian prime minister to angrily accuse Russia of ... At G20 summit, US and Europe blast Russia over UkraineReuters Russia stations warships off coast of Australia for G-20New York Post Australia Accuses Russia of Trying to Reclaim 'Lost Glories'NBCNews.com Sydney Morning Herald-The Inquisitr all 3,012 news articles » |
 Белорусские новости |
Лукашенко: «Украину размазали, а нам надо удержаться»
ИА REGNUM «Цветные революции» и интервенции порождают проблемы в экономике. Об этом 14 ноября в Гродно на «совещании с активом Гродненской области» заявил Александр Лукашенко, сообщает пресс-служба президента Белоруссии. Лукашенко подробно остановился на проблеме ... Лукашенко: Белоруссии цветные революции не грозятКомсомольская правда Лукашенко призвал активнее экспортировать белорусские товары на рынки ТС Полит.ру Лукашенко назвал средство против цветных революцийИнтерфакс Газета.Ru-ИТАР-ТАСС-Взгляд Все похожие статьи: 132 » |
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Global Masses Become Infatuated With Gadgetsby webdesk@voanews.com (George Putic)
High-tech gadget shows draw throngs of excited consumers each year in the United States, Japan, Europe and the Arabian peninsula. Though many people are already surrounded with all kinds of smart electronic devices, some always need one more -- better and smarter than the previous one. VOA’s George Putic looks at the modern world’s infatuation with gadgets.
World leaders are gathering in Brisbane, Australia, for the G20 meeting of the world's largest economies amid tense rhetoric between Russia and the West. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot has pledged to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin over his support for separatist rebels in Ukraine, while the Kremlin has announced long-range bomber patrols near U.S. waters. Henry Ridgwell reports.
Spacecraft on Comet Drills for Data as Its Power Fadesby By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
It was a race against time Friday for the Philae lander, as anxious scientists hoped that the spacecraft’s batteries would stay alive long enough to transmit mining data.
As the G20 meets in Australia, the collateral damage from the Ukraine crisis affects both trade and nuclear weapons security
The poison injected into international life by Russias intervention in Ukraine spreads apace. WhenRussia joined the G8 and the G20 in the late 90s, the idea was to integrate Moscow into the collaborative systems linking advanced states, an integration expected to be as political as it was economic. Now these encounters are more likely to be the scene of confrontation than of cooperation. This weekends G20 summit in Australia could well be dominated by Ukraine, with the less engaged powers standing by bemusedly as the Europeans, the Americans and the Russians trade accusations and counter-accusations.
They were already exchanging the opening shots before the meeting began. David Cameron warned of increased sanctions in Brisbane on Friday, while President Vladimir Putin, speaking in Moscow before leaving for the summit, said the United States, by imposing sanctions on Russia, was crudely violating the principles of the trade institutions it played a leading part in creating. Russia, he added, could weather sanctions, which would hurt those who imposed them as much as they did Russia.
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British prime minister suggests at G20 he does not trust Russian president Vladimir Putin, and calls on him to respect the ceasefire agreed in Minsk in September 
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 Reuters |
At G20 summit, US and Europe blast Russia over Ukraine
Reuters BRISBANE Australia (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Saturday that Russia'saggression against Ukraine was "appalling" and a threat to the world, while European nations threatened further sanctions against Moscow if it did not end the ... Russia arrives at G-20 with warshipsFox News David Cameron compares Russia to Nazi Germany on eve of Putin meetingTelegraph.co.uk Russia stations warships off coast of Australia for G-20New York Post NBCNews.com -Sydney Morning Herald all 3,075 news articles » |
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 НТВ.ru |
Актуальная тема: Военная хроника Донбасса ООН: интенсивность войны на Донбассе достигла пика
BFM.Ru Сообщения о неизбирательных артиллерийских и ракетных обстрелах районов с плотной застройкой поступают каждый день, констатируют авторы отчета. «Ни правительство, ни одна из вооруженных групп не взяли на себя ответственность за последовавшую гибель десятков ... В ООН заявили более 4,1 тыс. погибших в ходе конфликта на УкраинеГазета.Ru За время конфликта на востоке Украины погибли более 4 тыс. человек, - ООНРБК Украина ООН: более 4 тыс. человек погибли с начала конфликта на востоке УкраиныНовостной проект INFOX.ru НТВ.ru -Собеседник -Русская планета Все похожие статьи: 48 » |
 РИА Новости |
Песков: Путин и премьер-министр Италии обсудили ситуацию на Украине
Коммерсантъ Пресс-секретарь президента России Дмитрий Песков заявил, что Владимир Путин и премьер-министром Италии Маттео Ренци в ходе встречи в австралийском Брисбене в рамках саммита G20 выразили озабоченность в связи с ростом напряженности на юго-востоке Украины, ... Путин и Ренци выразили озабоченность ситуацией на юго-востоке УкраиныРИА Новости Путина и Ренци беспокоит ситуацию на УкраинеВести.Ru Путин обсудил ситуацию на Украине с итальянским премьеромВзгляд НТВ.ru -Российская Газета Все похожие статьи: 58 » |
Obama: US Leads World in Opposing Russian Aggression In Ukraine by webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
U.S. President Barack Obama says the U.S. is leading the world in opposing Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Speaking Saturday in Australia at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Mr. Obama said Russia is "a threat to the world" as witnessed in the "appalling shoot-down of MH17;" a reference to the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in July as it flew through rebel-held territory in Ukraine en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. "As the world's only super power, the United States has unique responsibilities that we gladly embrace," said Obama. "We're leading the international community in the fight to destroy the terrorist group ISIL (Islamic State), we're leading in dealing with Ebola in West Africa and in opposing Russia's aggression against Ukraine...a tragedy that took so many innocent lives, among them your fellow citizens." Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says the situation in eastern Ukraine must be resolved through dialogue with the Russian-backed separatists. However, Poroshenko said Friday the Ukrainian military is "willing and able to fight back" if the cease-fire collapses completely. Putin wants compromise Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he wants to reach a compromise with Ukraine, but the Kremlin denies having any soldiers or weapons in rebel-controlled areas. Ukraine's prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, says building an army strong enough to stop Russian aggression is the country's number one task. NATO and European observers report seeing Russian tanks, troops and weapons crossing the border into eastern Ukraine this past week. A cease-fire declared in September has been violated consistently almost since the day it was signed. Moscow says it is Ukraine that is massing forces along the front lines, ignoring an agreement to pull them back. Obama and Putin are both in Brisbane, attending the summit of the Group of 20 economic powers. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has called for the immediate implementation of the cease-fire and securing and monitoring of the Ukraine-Russia border. As world leaders gathered in Australia for the summit, Russian President Putin, in an interview Friday with Russia's official Tass news agency, complained about U.S.-led sanctions against Russia for its military activity in Ukraine. He said Washington is "crudely violating" the spirit of international cooperation. EU considers sanctions European Union President Herman von Rompuy says European foreign ministers will meet Monday after the summit to assess the situation in Ukraine and talk about "possible further steps," which could mean more sanctions against Moscow. EU leaders also plan to discuss Ukraine with U.S. President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the summit. Australia has sent its fleet into international waters to monitor the activity of four Russian warships that arrived off the country's northeast coast. Russian authorities say their naval maneuvers and air force flights over the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean are only routine training missions to test the range of Russian military equipment. But Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott accuses Putin of trying to "revive the lost glories of tsarism."
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Window on Eurasia: Nationality Issue Destroying Russia Just as It Destroyed USSR, Tatar Editor Saysby paul goble (noreply@blogger.com)
Paul Goble
Staunton, November 15 – The nationality issue together with “the crisis in the political economy of socialism” destroyed the Soviet Union a generation ago. “Today in Russia, we observe almost the same picture,” with the growth of Russian nationalism trigger “the responsive growth of the nationalism” of the non-Russians, according to the editor of a Tatarstan weekly.
Non-Russians are responding in this way because, under current circumstances, it is the only way that they can hope to block “cultural assimilation,” Rashit Akhmetov of “Zvezda Povolzhya” says. Moreover, “the smaller the people, the more it has to do so because the loss of national culture leads to the disappearance of the ethnos.”
Were it what he calls “’elevated’ Russian nationalism,” a nationalism committed to democracy and freedom, that might not be the case, but what is now being promoted is not that but rather “great power Russian nationalism which is hostile” not only to democracy but to the best traditions of Russian culture (“Zvezda Povolzhya,” 42 (722), 13-19.XI.14, p. 1).
As three decades ago, he continues, one can only be shocked by the Kremlin’s approach to nationality issues: its proclivity to see the correct response to any and all challenges being the use of force and the celebration of a single nation rather than recognizing that a democratic requires negotiation and compromise with all its peoples.
And that single nation is not nearly as predominant as the Kremlin believes, something that adds to the dangers of acting in this way, Akhmetov says. There are at least 10 million immigrants in the Russian Federation, and there are “approximately 20 million” non-Russians and “approximately 40 million ‘half Russians,’” people of mixed ethnic background.
That means, the Kazan editor says, that “there are not so many pure Russians in Russia, perhaps they represent even less than half of the population.”
This is “well confirmed” by elections, he continues. A maximum of 20 percent of the population votes “for the ideas of Russian nationalism.” At the very least, 70 million residents of the Russian Federation are cautious about or even negatively inclined to the slogan “’Russia for the ethnic Russians,’” as a result at least in part of their own ethnic background.
Among elites in the country, opposition to this slogan is even higher, perhaps as much as 90 percent, given that the most members of the elites are in fact not ethnically Russian and fully understand the importance of a democratic and European choice for the country.
Thus the slogan “Russia for the ethnic Russians” can’t work for very long. The only slogan that can work is “friendship of the peoples,” something that is impossible if the regime in Moscow keeps proclaiming that only one people, the ethnic Russians, are “a state-forming people” and all the others are somehow only hangers on.
A failure to recognize this reality can lead to serious, potentially fateful mistakes. Moscow’s current push to deprive Tatarstan of the office of presidency is an example of this, Akhmetov says. Indeed, it “could be a historic Rubicon,” the crossing of which will involve “the subconscious alienation” of the Tatars from Moscow, an alienation that even flexibility on other issues won’t overcome.
What should happen is a referendum on the matter, and the outcome of that referendum must be respected. If that does not happen, then the danger to the Russian Federation, the Kazan editor suggests, could be really dangerous indeed.
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 BBC News |
G20: David Cameron warns Russia of more Ukraine sanctions
BBC News Speaking at the G20 summit in Brisbane, Mr Cameron said there would "have to be a very different relationship" between Europe and Russia if "we continue to see Russian troops" inside Ukraine. The UK prime minister is meeting Russian President Vladimir ... Cameron warns Putin as Russian president lashes sanctionsThe Guardian Russia says MH17 was shot down by plane missilesTelegraph.co.uk Russia claims this satellite image shows moment flight MH17 was shot down by ...Mirror.co.uk Bloomberg -The Age -Sky News all 572 news articles » |
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon will have to spend billions of dollars over the next five years to make emergency fixes to its nuclear weapons infrastructure, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will announce on Friday, after two separate Pentagon studies concluded that there are “systemic problems across the nuclear enterprise,” according to senior defense officials.
The reports are a searing indictment of how the Air Force’s and Navy’s aging nuclear weapons facilities, silos and submarine fleet have been allowed to decay since the end of the Cold War. A broad review was begun after academic cheating scandals and the dismissal of top officers for misbehavior, but it uncovered far more serious problems.
For example, while inspectors obsessed over whether every checklist and review of individual medical records was completed, they ignored huge problems, including aging blast doors over 60-year-old silos that would not seal shut and, in one case, the discovery that the crews that maintain the nation’s 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles had only a single wrench that could attach the nuclear warheads.
“They started FedExing the one tool” to three bases spread across the country, one official familiar with the contents of the reports said Thursday. No one had checked in years “to see if new tools were being made,” the official said. This was one of many maintenance problems that had “been around so long that no one reported them anymore.”
Senior officials said they were trying to determine how much the emergency repairs would cost. “It will be billions” over the next five years, one official said, “but not $20 or $30 billion.”
That is in addition to tens of billions of dollars that the Obama administration has already designated to upgrade nuclear laboratories and extend the lives of aging warheads. The huge investment has been hard to explain for an administration that came to office talking about a path to eliminating nuclear weapons around the globe, though President Obama has also pledged to make the country’s nuclear arsenal as safe and reliable as possible.
Mr. Hagel’s call for greater investment will come just 10 days before the deadline to conclude nuclear negotiations with Iran. It puts the administration in the position of demanding that the Iranians dismantle their nuclear infrastructure just as the defense secretary is arguing for an overhaul and improvement of American submarines, bombers and missile silos, and the more than 1,600 nuclear weapons they contain.
Mr. Hagel commissioned two reviews, one by senior Pentagon staff members and one led by two retired officers. Separately, they visited all operational nuclear bases and interviewed roughly 1,500 people, from commanders to enlisted personnel and contractors. While their reports varied on details, their overall assessments were similar: In the long, tedious work of nuclear readiness, a culture of micromanagement and attention to the smallest detail flourished, creating busywork while huge problems with equipment and readiness, most arising from the age of the systems, were ignored.
The “independent” study by the retired officers, Gen. Larry D. Welch of the Air Force and Adm. John C. Harvey Jr. of the Navy, found particular shortfalls at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, where both intercontinental ballistic missiles and long-range bombers are based. Morale was low, turnover high, and that single wrench was impossible to find — symptomatic of custom-built systems that date to the 1950s and ’60s. Mr. Hagel will fly to Minot on Friday to visit the crews and promise changes.
That report also found major problems at submarine bases, where staffing was so short and parts so scarce that nuclear-armed submarines were kept away from patrols for far longer than planned, undercutting the country’s best-hidden nuclear deterrent force.
The billions Mr. Hagel will promise are for short-term fixes; some will be shifted from other projects. But even before the reports were completed, the Obama administration had told the Pentagon to plan for 12 new missile submarines, up to 100 new bombers and 400 land-based missiles, either new or refurbished. Recently, the Monterey Institute of International Studies estimated the total cost of the country’s nuclear enterprise over the next three decades at up to $1.1 trillion.
But the retired officers’ report noted that promises of new infrastructure had been made for so long that crews did not believe the new equipment would arrive during their careers.
Officials said the report gave special attention to remedies for the recent cheating scandals that have rocked the Navy’s nuclear propulsion programs and the Air Force crews that maintain intercontinental ballistic missiles and stand ready to launch them on a moment’s notice.
In March, the Air Force fired nine officers and accepted the resignation of the commander at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana for failing to provide adequate oversight of the 100 or so launch officers implicated in the scandal there.
Officials said the report by General Welch and Admiral Harvey had found that a culture of extreme testing undermined the integrity needed for the demanding nuclear posts. It concluded that the larger problem lay not with the missile combat or Navy propulsion crews that cheated, but with “mispurposed testing.” The goal became scoring a near-perfect grade average on the exams that could be reported up the chain of command, rather than making sure that systems worked and that sailors and missile crews, often young and inexperienced, were ready to operate under combat conditions.
Among the report’s suggestions, officials said, were more recognition and special pay for highly responsible nuclear jobs. The advice for bolstering morale got as specific as restoring “select crew” patches and creating a pin or patch for successfully completing 200 missile alerts.
Officials said the external reviewers had leveled some of their harshest criticism at personnel reliability programs, which seek to determine the mental fitness of those charged with firing the nation’s nuclear arms. They said the programs, as currently managed, often conveyed distrust of atomic personnel and actually reduced fitness.
The recommended fixes, senior officials said, included testing, reviewing medical records and putting more responsibility for assessing mental fitness on commanders than on inspectors.
Correction: November 13, 2014
An earlier version of this article misstated when Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will travel to Minot Air Force Base. It is Friday, not Saturday.
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Russian president prepares to leave Brisbane summit after "robust" discussions over Ukraine
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has held meetings with British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Australia.
Window on Eurasia: Local Studies -- A Geographic Interest the Kremlin Doesn’t Want to Promoteby paul goble (noreply@blogger.com)
Paul Goble
Staunton, November 15 – Despite Vladimir Putin’s recent statements that Russians should more actively focus on geography, there is one kind of attention to that subject which neither he nor his Soviet predecessors has been interested in seeing develop: the study of local regions or as it is known in Russian “kraevedeniye.”
In “Izvestiya” yesterday, Vadim Shtepa, one of Russia’s most prominent regionalists, says that he welcomes Putin’s call for more attention to geography but argues that the best way to achieve that is by promoting a renewed focus on “kraevedeniye” because that is the geographic subject closest to where people live (izvestia.ru/news/579442).
Unfortunately, at present, the regionalist commentator writes, “geographic consciousness in the largest country of the world can only with difficulty be called widespread.” Instead, people focus on other things and treat an interest in “the geographic specifics of various lands at best as something exotic.”
In fact, among Russians, geography is often “subordinated to geopolitics and to a centrally established all-Russian mission,” something that deprives people of a knowledge of their own territories and has the effect of limiting the possibilities for conversations among people from different regions.
The reasons for this, Shtepa says, are not surprisingly to be found in politics.
Prior to the Bolshevik revolution, “kraevedeniye” was “a natural part of the cultural and social life of various guberniyas and cities down to the very smallest,” Shtepa notes. The zemstvos pushed this, and the number of activities and publications in that time was truly enormous.
For the first decade after 1917, this interest coexisted with the Bolshevik focus on the world revolution. And by the second half of the 1920s, there were more than 1700 local studies organizations and institutions “which organized expeditions and published precise maps and periodical journals.
But in 1929-1930, the situation changed dramatically. With the launch of industrialization and collectivization, Moscow increasingly viewed such interest as being in conflict with its unitary and “deeply utilitarian” policies and began to crack down. By the middle 1930s, “kraevedeniye” organizations were closed and many local museums shuttered.
For the next three decades, the very word “kraevedeniye” was almost completely forgotten, but beginning in the 1960s, people around the RSFSR began to take a new interest in its subject, as shown by the formation of the All-Russian Society for the Preservation of Nature and of Historical and Cultural Monuments.
That interest continued and even led to the appearance of local studies as an elective in many schools. But trying to make it obligatory won’t promote “kraevedeniye” but rather will alienate people precisely because it will reflect the typical top-down mandatory approach that kills off so many things.
“An active and lively interest in geographic knowledge can be awakened only by the development of local study projects,” Shtepa argues, and there are organizations and even websites which can help. Among those are “Zalesye” (zalesje.net/) and Merjamaa (merjamaa.ru/). There are also many wonderful films about local life, but so far, these have received more recognition abroad than in Russia.
Focusing on local histories do not set regions against one another, he argues. “On the contrary,” this respect for the past and present in each can be the basis for linking them together.
Unfortunately, in Russia, there is “a powerful worldview obstacle,” the tendency to think in terms of “a two-dimensional scheme of ‘the capital and the province.’”
As evidence of this, Shtepa cites his experience at a Moscow roundtable several years ago where participants were asked to draw a geographic map of Russia. “Alas, the result was predictable.” Most people drew the borders of the country and then put “a star where Moscow is.”
Such “schematism,” he says, “can be overcome only on the basis of a federative worldview, with the active popularization of various regional brands which in contemporary economics are becoming ever more an instrument of territorial development.”
“Kraevedeniye” must play “a key role” in this, Shtepa says, because the knowledge of one’s local area and the development of love for it lead logically to knowledge and love for the country as a whole. If Moscow insists on loading people up with more “geopolitical abstractions,” then this chance will be lost. And any maps will be useful only for drivers.
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Sonar image apparently shows track left by sub in October which triggered major hunt for suspected Russian intruder
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Global Masses Become Infatuated With Gadgetsby webdesk@voanews.com (George Putic)
High-tech gadget shows draw throngs of excited consumers each year in the United States, Japan, Europe and the Arabian peninsula. Though many people are already surrounded with all kinds of smart electronic devices, some always need one more -- better and smarter than the previous one. VOA’s George Putic looks at the modern world’s infatuation with gadgets. At electronic shows, visitors flock around the newest tablet computers, cameras, 3D television screens, even small robots, dreaming of taking one home. Consumers spend hours waiting in lines and spend hundreds of dollars to be among the first to get the latest smart phone. The modern world seems to be infatuated with shiny expensive objects that keep us connected, help us navigate, record our thoughts and memorable events, and even talk to us. So infatuated, we no longer merely "own" our gadgets -- we have relationships with them, according to clinical psychologist and life transition therapist Francine Lederer. “It’s a lot easier to have, right, a one-sided relationship with your computer, your phone, than it is with a live person. So that at the end of the day, you don’t need to worry about somebody being angry with you, you don’t need to worry about getting blamed for anything,” she said. Magical devices Although having a thousand Facebook friends may be perceived as equivalent to having a thousand real, authentic friendships, Lederer said in reality it is not so. “It comes down to a lot of the internal stuff. How we feel about ourselves, our own sense of self-esteem, our self-worth, a lot of those things,” she said. But gadgets are magical. They fascinate us the same way we are intrigued by a magician’s trick, said psychology professor at the University of the South Pacific, Robert Epstein. “If you don’t know how they’re doing it, that’s very fascinating and intriguing. But if they do it 10 times or 20 times or 100 times, it gets boring and you want something else. That’s why magicians do not repeat the same trick over and over again,” he said. Plugged in, isolated Epstein, former editor-in-chief of Psychology Today magazine, said he is concerned that gadgets will take on a life of their own. “All we’re seeing so far is a little bit of the so-called wearable technology that you might wear on your wrist or in your glasses, but we’re moving very rapidly, whether the public knows it or not, toward real biological interfaces so that the gadgets will be built into us to some extent,” he said. Lederer said the danger is that our dependence on electronic gadgets is increasingly being perceived as normal. “I think our society in a way, and the media, often times normalizes the extent to which we use these gadgets and phones, but the reality is, it’s really not healthy for us,” she said. Scientists predict that gadgets with biological interfaces may be available within the next 20 years and, coupled with strong artificial intelligence, will be much smarter than today.
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Russia's Role In Ukraine Taking Center Stage At G20 Summitby noreply@rferl.org (RFE/RL)
Russia’s role in Ukraine’s crisis was taking center stage at the start of the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia as leaders gathered on November 15 for the two-day event.
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Washington's National Cathedral Hosts First Friday Muslim Prayers by webdesk@voanews.com (Jerome Socolovsky)
A group of Muslims were invited to worship on Friday in the Washington National Cathedral. The hope was that an Islamic service in one of America’s best-known churches would send a message of interfaith harmony to counter extremists’ use of religion to justify hatred and strife. VOA Religion correspondent Jerome Socolovsky reports.
 Reuters |
France hits back after Russia warns of Mistral compensation
Reuters An aerial view shows the Mistral-class helicopter carrier Vladivostok constructed for Russia at the STX Les Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard site in the port of Montoir-de-Bretagne near Saint Nazaire, western France, September 22, 2014. Russia Just Gave France A Final Deadline To Hand Over The Mistral WarshipBusiness Insider Russia warns France over warship deliveryPress TV France Says Mistral Ship Won't Be Delivered To Russia; There Will Be No ...International Business Times all 84 news articles » |
 РИА Новости |
Исламистка «Белая вдова», якобы убитая на Украине, жива и находится в Сомали
Коммерсантъ Подданная Соединенного Королевства Саманта Льютвэйт, известная как «Белая вдова», жива и находится в Сомали. Об этом сообщила 15 ноября ТАСС со ссылкой на Daily Mail. По данным издания, Льютвэйт «жива, здорова» и находится в южной части Сомали с ее мужем ... Британские СМИ: экстремистка Белая вдова жива и планирует теракты в СомалиВести.Ru Британские СМИ обнаружили террористку Льютвэйт в СомалиПолит.ру СМИ: исламистка "Белая вдова", якобы убитая на Украине, жива и находится в СомалиИТАР-ТАСС РИА Новости -РИА -Взгляд Все похожие статьи: 13 » |
Further sanctions against Russia to be considered during meeting of five European leaders and US president on sidelines of G20 summit in Australia
The five EU leaders present at the G20 will meet with US president Barack Obama on Sunday to discuss the escalating conflict in Ukraine a session that may prove critical to deciding whether a further round of sanctions are imposed on Russia due to the escalating conflict in Ukraine.
EU foreign ministers will meet on Monday to assess the situation on the ground, and determine whether Russia is abiding by the terms of the Minsk ceasefire agreement reached in September.
Continue reading...UN Report Accuses Islamic State of 'Massive Scale' War Crimesby webdesk@voanews.com (Zlatica Hoke)
U.N. investigators have found Islamic State commanders responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity on a "massive scale" during their drive to capture territory in northeast Syria. A new report released Friday in Geneva says the commanders acted willfully to terrorize populations with public beheadings and stonings. VOA's Zlatica Hoke reports.
General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, has arrived in Iraq on an unannounced visit.
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Russian president is expected to express his displeasure at being lectured on Ukraine by leaving the G20 summit early
Top US General Visits Iraqby webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
The U.S. chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff has made an unannounced visit to Iraq. General Martin Dempsey - the country's top military official - arrived in Baghdad Saturday to talk with U.S. commanders and Iraqi officials about the next phase of the expanding war against the Islamic State group. U.S.-led forces have carried out near daily airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq. Dempsey's visit comes one day after Iraqi government forces drove out Islamic State militants from the oil refinery town of Beiji, north of Baghdad. The Islamic jihadists had captured Beiji during the blitz across northern and western Iraq earlier this year. U.S. President Barack Obama recently authorized the U.S. military to deploy up to 1,500 more troops to Iraq as part of the mission to combat Islamic State militants. White House officials say the troops will not serve in a combat role, but will help train and advise Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting the group. President Obama also will ask Congress for $5.6 billion to help fund the campaign. Senior administration officials say the request includes $1.6 billion to establish an Iraqi train and equip fund to support the training effort. U.S. officials say some of the additional personnel being sent to Iraq will operate at centers outside of Baghdad and Irbil to advise and assist the Iraqis. Others will be scattered across the country to train Iraqi forces.
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Window on Eurasia: Russian Draftees Refuse Military’s Plans to Send Them to Fight in Ukraineby paul goble (noreply@blogger.com)
Paul Goble
Staunton, November 15 – Some 250 Russian draftees at a military base in Rostov oblast have rejected the appeals of their commanders to sign up as contract soldiers, a step that would allow Moscow to send them to fight in southeastern Ukraine, according to Valentina Melnikova of the Union of Soldiers Mothers of Russia.
Melnikova said that after the soldiers refused to make that change, one of their commanders, a certain Lt.Col. Medinsky “began to threaten them,” saying that he would reassign them anyway and then send them to fight against Ukrainian forces in Luhansk (http://nr2.com.ua/News/world_and_russia/Rossiyskie-prizyvniki-otkazalis-voevat-v-Ukraine-84701.html).
The parents of five of the soldier involved contacted the Union of Soldiers Mothers of Russia, Melnikova added, and her organization in turn sent a letter of complaint to the head of the cadres administration of the Russian Ministry of Defense which is responsible for draftees and other soldiers.
The activist said that she had received a response from that institution in which Moscow officials declared that “no lieutenant colonels have the right to sign up any contract soldiers” from among draftees. As a result, none of the draftees who refused to accept reassignment as contact soldiers will be sent to Ukraine.
In recent years and in order to meet draft quotas, the Russian defense ministry has had to promise that no draftee will be sent to “hot spots” unless he agrees to be sent. That appears to be the case here, given that draftees certainly know about that rule and are prepared to invoke it to prevent becoming participants or casualties in a war.
Melnikova has sometimes been criticized for supposedly overstating the number of Russian dead and wounded in Ukraine, but even if such criticism is well-founded, this report is important for two reasons. On the one hand, it shows that there is not as much enthusiasm in the Russian army for actions in Ukraine as Russian propagandists have suggested.
And on the other – and this almost certainly is even more significant – it shows that Russian commanders are having to violate their own rules in order to create the kind of strike force that Moscow is assembling, apparently in preparation for a new round of aggression in Ukraine.
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G20 Summit Opens in Brisbaneby webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot has opened the ninth Group of 20 Summit in Brisbane by urging world leaders to deliver on an initiative to boost the global gross domestic product by $2 trillion. Abbott says delegates from the world's 20 largest economies should focus on economic issues, despite the security situation in Ukraine, regional territorial disputes and the debate on global warming. "As you look around the world there many difficulties and problems," said Abbott. "There are problems in the Middle East, there are problems in Eastern Europe, there are terrible problems in West Africa, growth has been fragile, but the message that should come from us over these next two days is a message of hope and optimism.'' He said growth plans would add millions of jobs and boost the global GDP by more than two percent over the next five years through freer trade and more investment in infrastructure. Each country is expected to present a plan at the summit on how they will achieve their contribution toward its $2 trillion goal. The summit will conclude Sunday with the release of a summary of what the countries have achieved and want to achieve in the future.
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Window on Eurasia: One Tajik Migrant Worker in Five in Russia Ready to Support Jihad, Survey Findsby paul goble (noreply@blogger.com)
Paul Goble
Staunton, November 15 – Nearly one Tajik migrant worker in five now in Russia – 18 percent -- is ready to support a jihad financially or in other ways, a reflection of the fact that 48 percent of them say that they have become more interested in Islam since leaving their homeland, according to a poll conducted by the Sharq Research Center.
Between May and August of this year, sociologists from that Tajik polling firm interviewed 725 Tajik citizens now living in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg. Of these, 61 percent were seasonal workers, with the rest being a more settled diaspora, some of whose members had been in Russia for a long time (rus.ozodi.org/content/tajik-migrants-radicalisation/26692355.html).
The investigators found that 100 percent of the Tajik gastarbeiters said they were Muslims, although only about half – 48 percent – say their prayers five times a day and only 31 percent visit a mosque each week. But the sociologists who conducted the service say that understates the role of Islam in their lives.
Mosques in Russia, they suggest, “have become the main institution for the adaptation of Tajiks in Russia, a place for immigrants to share information and provide mutual support. But these mosques are also the occasion for Tajiks to become more religious than they were in their homeland and more affected by broader changes in the world of Islam.
The Sharq survey found that 48 percent of those it surveyed have shifted away from the traditional understanding of the faith they had at home and become closer to “global Islam,” including its more radical elements. This last shift is especially important not only for the Tajiks but also for the Russians among whom they live.
Sharq sociologists say that “18 percent of the migrants from Tajikistan are certain that struggling for the faith is justified” and say that even if they do not take direct part in jihadist activities because of their family responsibilities, they “are prepared to finance a jihad” by others.
Given that some estimates put the number of Tajiks in Russia as high as two million, that means that there are more than a third of a million who are sympathetic to and ready to support financially or in other ways jihadist activities, a finding that will do nothing to calm the worries of the Russian government or the Russian people about the presence of such people there.
These findings cast doubt on a statement this week by Sergey Lisovsky, a United Russia senator from Kurgan oblast who serves on the Federation Council’s commission on cooperation between Russia and Tajikistan. He declared that “Tajikistan up to now considers itself part of our country, not in terms of territory but at the level of common interests and culture” (rus.ozodi.org/content/article/26691572.html).
The Sharq findings suggest that many Tajiks and perhaps even more Russians would reject that notion out of hand.
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