Q&A: Should US send lethal military assistance to Ukraine? On 2 February, the Atlantic Council, together with the Brookings Institution, issued a new report urging the US to provide $3bn in lethal and non-lethal military aid to Ukraine. But it is a controversial idea that could result in a significant intensification of the violence in the region and runs the risk of direct confrontation with President Vladimir Putin’s Russia. | U.S. Lawmakers Seek Clarity On White House Russia Policy Review: An aide to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told RFE/RL on February 2 that the committee has submitted a request to U.S. President Barack Obama's administration for a briefing on the review but that so far nothing has been scheduled. | Ukraine Live Day 351: US Plays Down Talk Of Supplying Arms To Ukraine
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U.S. Lawmakers Seek Clarity On White House Russia Policy Review
WASHINGTON -- U.S. lawmakers are pushing for details on an ongoing White House review of its policy toward Russia amid escalating violence between Ukrainian forces and pro-Moscow rebels that Western leaders accuse the Kremlin of backing.
An aide to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told RFE/RL on February 2 that the committee has submitted a request to U.S. President Barack Obama's administration for a briefing on the review but that so far nothing has been scheduled.
The U.S. House of Representatives' foreign affairs committee is also seeking information about the policy review, an aide to the committee told RFE/RL.
"If the administration is rethinking our Russia policy, Congress should be kept informed on that process," the aide said. "To that end, we're working on a bipartisan and bicameral basis to engage the Department of State and interagency on where this review is going."
A senior U.S. administration official told RFE/RL that the "comprehensive review of our Russia policy" was launched "in light of Russia's destabilizing and counterproductive actions over the last year, particularly in Ukraine."
"This review is examining Russia's policies, actions, and intentions in the global arena, and what implications they should have for U.S. policy," the official said, adding that the review "remains underway."
The New York Times reported in November that the review is being spearheaded by the White House and has "produced several drafts" of a strategy aimed at combating Russian President Vladimir Putin's policies while keeping the door open for cooperation on issues such as Iran, counterterrorism efforts, and "nuclear nonproliferation."
Meanwhile, Bloomberg View reported in late December that Obama's National Security Council had completed the review. It cited three senior administration officials as saying that the review included dozens of meetings and input from the State Department, Defense Department, and several other agencies.
The Obama administration's bid to recalibrate its policy toward Russia comes amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation in eastern Ukraine, where more than 5,100 people have been killed in the armed conflict that erupted in April.
Pro-Russian separatists have stepped up attacks against Ukrainian forces in recent weeks, while rights activists have accused both sides of indiscriminate shelling of densely populated areas.
Kyiv and Western nations accuse Russia of supplying weapons, personnel, and cash to the rebels, a charge Russia has repeatedly denied.
The New York Times reported on February 1 that senior U.S. administration and military officials are considering supplying defensive arms and are "open to new discussions about providing lethal aid" to Ukrainian forces to prevent Kyiv from ceding further territory to the separatists.
Asked about the reports of potential U.S. lethal aid to Kyiv, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a February 2 press briefing that officials in Washington "are constantly assessing our policies on Ukraine to ensure they are responsive, appropriated, and calibrated to achieve our objectives."
"Our focus does remain on pursuing a solution through diplomatic means, and we are always evaluating other options that will help create space for a negotiated solution to the crisis," Psaki said.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. lawmakers are pushing for details on an ongoing White House review of its policy toward Russia amid escalating violence between Ukrainian forces and pro-Moscow rebels that Western leaders accuse the Kremlin of backing.
An aide to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told RFE/RL on February 2 that the committee has submitted a request to U.S. President Barack Obama's administration for a briefing on the review but that so far nothing has been scheduled.
The U.S. House of Representatives' foreign affairs committee is also seeking information about the policy review, an aide to the committee told RFE/RL.
"If the administration is rethinking our Russia policy, Congress should be kept informed on that process," the aide said. "To that end, we're working on a bipartisan and bicameral basis to engage the Department of State and interagency on where this review is going."
A senior U.S. administration official told RFE/RL that the "comprehensive review of our Russia policy" was launched "in light of Russia's destabilizing and counterproductive actions over the last year, particularly in Ukraine."
"This review is examining Russia's policies, actions, and intentions in the global arena, and what implications they should have for U.S. policy," the official said, adding that the review "remains underway."
The New York Times reported in November that the review is being spearheaded by the White House and has "produced several drafts" of a strategy aimed at combating Russian President Vladimir Putin's policies while keeping the door open for cooperation on issues such as Iran, counterterrorism efforts, and "nuclear nonproliferation."
Meanwhile, Bloomberg View reported in late December that Obama's National Security Council had completed the review. It cited three senior administration officials as saying that the review included dozens of meetings and input from the State Department, Defense Department, and several other agencies.
The Obama administration's bid to recalibrate its policy toward Russia comes amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation in eastern Ukraine, where more than 5,100 people have been killed in the armed conflict that erupted in April.
Pro-Russian separatists have stepped up attacks against Ukrainian forces in recent weeks, while rights activists have accused both sides of indiscriminate shelling of densely populated areas.
Kyiv and Western nations accuse Russia of supplying weapons, personnel, and cash to the rebels, a charge Russia has repeatedly denied.
The New York Times reported on February 1 that senior U.S. administration and military officials are considering supplying defensive arms and are "open to new discussions about providing lethal aid" to Ukrainian forces to prevent Kyiv from ceding further territory to the separatists.
Asked about the reports of potential U.S. lethal aid to Kyiv, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a February 2 press briefing that officials in Washington "are constantly assessing our policies on Ukraine to ensure they are responsive, appropriated, and calibrated to achieve our objectives."
"Our focus does remain on pursuing a solution through diplomatic means, and we are always evaluating other options that will help create space for a negotiated solution to the crisis," Psaki said.
With reporting by The New York Times and Bloomberg View
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Renouncing Egyptian Citizenship Could Free AJ Journalist
Al Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy could soon be released from prison in Egypt after renouncing his Egyptian citizenship. The move clears the way for Egypt to deport Fahmy, who has spent more than 400 days in custody after being arrested in December 2013 along with two of his colleagues under charges they aided the banned Muslim Brotherhood. Fahmy was a dual citizen of Egypt and Canada. Late Monday, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said Fahmy's release was "imminent." The developments come after Egyptian authorities deported Al Jazeera's Peter Greste to his home country of Australia. The third man, Egyptian Baher Mohammed, remains in prison serving a 10-year sentence -- three years more than those given to Fahmy and Greste. Their arrests and convictions brought condemnation from rights groups and other governments. Al Jazeera insists its employees were doing their jobs reporting the news, and said after Greste's release that all three must be exonerated. Egypt's Court of Cassation ruled last month that the three would get a retrial, but did not set a date.
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Al Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy could soon be released from prison in Egypt after renouncing his Egyptian citizenship. The move clears the way for Egypt to deport Fahmy, who has spent more than 400 days in custody after being arrested in December 2013 along with two of his colleagues under charges they aided the banned Muslim Brotherhood. Fahmy was a dual citizen of Egypt and Canada. Late Monday, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said Fahmy's release was "imminent." The developments come after Egyptian authorities deported Al Jazeera's Peter Greste to his home country of Australia. The third man, Egyptian Baher Mohammed, remains in prison serving a 10-year sentence -- three years more than those given to Fahmy and Greste. Their arrests and convictions brought condemnation from rights groups and other governments. Al Jazeera insists its employees were doing their jobs reporting the news, and said after Greste's release that all three must be exonerated. Egypt's Court of Cassation ruled last month that the three would get a retrial, but did not set a date.
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Fresh Fighting in Eastern Ukraine Kills 5by webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
Fresh fighting between Ukraine's military and Russia-backed separatists killed at least five people in the region of Donetsk, officials said Tuesday. Officials at the rebel-run Donetsk city hall also said at least 13 people were wounded in the fierce outbreak of shelling over the previous 24 hours. Fighting has raged in the self-declared separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, especially around the Ukrainian-controlled town of Debaltseve, since peace talks in Belarus between Ukraine's government and the separatists collapsed Saturday. There are fears the violence could soon escalate. On Monday, a pro-Russian separatist leader announced a "general mobilization" with the aim of bolstering separatist armed forces to as many as 100,000 fighters. Meanwhile, the United States says it has not made a decision on whether to provide Ukraine with lethal military assistance in its fight against the separatists. Spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters at the State Department's daily briefing that no options have been taken "on or off the table" and there is an "ongoing discussion," but that no decisions have been made. The New York Times reported Sunday that while President Barack Obama has not made a decision about supplying lethal aid to Ukraine's security forces, his administration is taking a "fresh look" at the question of military aid. The newspaper quoted unidentified U.S. officials as saying Secretary of State John Kerry, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey and Susan Rice, Obama's national security adviser, were all open to new discussions about providing lethal assistance to Ukrainian forces. It also reported that an independent report being released Monday by eight former senior American officials, urging the United States to send $3 billion in defensive arms and equipment to Ukraine, is "fueling the broader debate" in Washington. The Ukraine conflict has killed more than 5,100 people since it erupted last April following Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. Ukrainian authorities said Monday five soldiers had been killed in eastern Ukraine over the past day, while municipal authorities in Donetsk said 15 civilians had been killed there in the past few days. The cease-fire agreement reached last September, which had been repeatedly violated, collapsed completely last week when rebels announced the start of a new offensive designed to expand their territory. U.S. Secretary of State Kerry will travel to Kyiv on Thursday to meet with President Petro Poroshenko and other top Ukrainian officials.
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Fresh fighting between Ukraine's military and Russia-backed separatists killed at least five people in the region of Donetsk, officials said Tuesday. Officials at the rebel-run Donetsk city hall also said at least 13 people were wounded in the fierce outbreak of shelling over the previous 24 hours. Fighting has raged in the self-declared separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, especially around the Ukrainian-controlled town of Debaltseve, since peace talks in Belarus between Ukraine's government and the separatists collapsed Saturday. There are fears the violence could soon escalate. On Monday, a pro-Russian separatist leader announced a "general mobilization" with the aim of bolstering separatist armed forces to as many as 100,000 fighters. Meanwhile, the United States says it has not made a decision on whether to provide Ukraine with lethal military assistance in its fight against the separatists. Spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters at the State Department's daily briefing that no options have been taken "on or off the table" and there is an "ongoing discussion," but that no decisions have been made. The New York Times reported Sunday that while President Barack Obama has not made a decision about supplying lethal aid to Ukraine's security forces, his administration is taking a "fresh look" at the question of military aid. The newspaper quoted unidentified U.S. officials as saying Secretary of State John Kerry, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey and Susan Rice, Obama's national security adviser, were all open to new discussions about providing lethal assistance to Ukrainian forces. It also reported that an independent report being released Monday by eight former senior American officials, urging the United States to send $3 billion in defensive arms and equipment to Ukraine, is "fueling the broader debate" in Washington. The Ukraine conflict has killed more than 5,100 people since it erupted last April following Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. Ukrainian authorities said Monday five soldiers had been killed in eastern Ukraine over the past day, while municipal authorities in Donetsk said 15 civilians had been killed there in the past few days. The cease-fire agreement reached last September, which had been repeatedly violated, collapsed completely last week when rebels announced the start of a new offensive designed to expand their territory. U.S. Secretary of State Kerry will travel to Kyiv on Thursday to meet with President Petro Poroshenko and other top Ukrainian officials.
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Couple protest against Vitaly Milonov, the architect of Russia's anti-gay laws, with lesbian kiss selfie
Лукашенко встретится с Путиным во время отдыха в Сочи (обновлено) - CA-News: центральноазиатская
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Лукашенко встретится с Путиным во время отдыха в Сочи (обновлено)
CA-News: центральноазиатская
CA-NEWS (CA) - 82e2612668085f57cada309a95355c0a Президент Беларуси Александр Лукашенко проводит краткосрочный отпуск в Сочи, об этом БЕЛТА сообщила пресс-секретарь главы государства Наталья Эйсмонт. Во время пребывания в этом регионе президент намерен ...
и другие »
Лукашенко встретится с Путиным во время отдыха в Сочи (обновлено)
CA-News: центральноазиатская CA-NEWS (CA) - 82e2612668085f57cada309a95355c0a Президент Беларуси Александр Лукашенко проводит краткосрочный отпуск в Сочи, об этом БЕЛТА сообщила пресс-секретарь главы государства Наталья Эйсмонт. Во время пребывания в этом регионе президент намерен ... и другие » |
The Daily Vertical: High Stakes In Ukraine
The Daily Vertical is a video primer for Russia-watchers that will appear Monday through Friday. Viewers can submit suggested topics to address on Twitter @PowerVertical or on The Power Vertical Facebook page.
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The Daily Vertical is a video primer for Russia-watchers that will appear Monday through Friday. Viewers can submit suggested topics to address on Twitter @PowerVertical or on The Power Vertical Facebook page.
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As the US moves closer to India, Pakistan looks to Russiaby Tim Craig for the Washington Post
Islamabad’s military and political leaders are seeking to warm ties with Moscow that have been frosty since the cold war
As the US forges closer ties to India, neighbouring Pakistan is looking for some new friends. Officials hope they have found one in Russia – a budding partnership that could eventually shift historic alliances in south Asia.
In recent months, Pakistani military and political leaders have reached out to Moscow, seeking to warm ties that have been frosty since the cold war. In November, Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu visited Islamabad and signed a military cooperation agreement with Pakistani generals. Pakistan now hopes to finalise plans to buy three dozen Russian Mi-35 helicopters and more closely coordinate efforts to counter terrorism and narcotics. Pakistan also wants Russian assistance to stabilise chronic energy shortages.
Continue reading...
Islamabad’s military and political leaders are seeking to warm ties with Moscow that have been frosty since the cold war
As the US forges closer ties to India, neighbouring Pakistan is looking for some new friends. Officials hope they have found one in Russia – a budding partnership that could eventually shift historic alliances in south Asia.
In recent months, Pakistani military and political leaders have reached out to Moscow, seeking to warm ties that have been frosty since the cold war. In November, Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu visited Islamabad and signed a military cooperation agreement with Pakistani generals. Pakistan now hopes to finalise plans to buy three dozen Russian Mi-35 helicopters and more closely coordinate efforts to counter terrorism and narcotics. Pakistan also wants Russian assistance to stabilise chronic energy shortages.
Continue reading...As the US moves closer to India, Pakistan looks to Russia - The Guardian
The Guardian
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As the US moves closer to India, Pakistan looks to Russia
The Guardian
The moves come as Pakistani leaders grow increasingly nervous that their traditional alliances could erode, if not crumble, in the coming years. For much of its history, Pakistan has been an ally of the US, while Russia had stronger ties to India, even ...
The Guardian |
As the US moves closer to India, Pakistan looks to Russia
The Guardian The moves come as Pakistani leaders grow increasingly nervous that their traditional alliances could erode, if not crumble, in the coming years. For much of its history, Pakistan has been an ally of the US, while Russia had stronger ties to India, even ... |
Putin Beats Brad Pitt in World's Most Admired Man Rankingby The Moscow Times
Russian President Vladimir Putin is the world's 11th "most admired" man and - surprise! - the most admired one in his home country, Britain-based research firm YouGov revealed in a recent poll.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is the world's 11th "most admired" man and - surprise! - the most admired one in his home country, Britain-based research firm YouGov revealed in a recent poll.
Moscow’s Efforts to ‘De-Turkify’ Crimea Outrageous and Absurd, Crimean Tatar Editor Saysby paul goble (noreply@blogger.com)
Paul Goble
Staunton, February 3 – Calls by Russian politicians to rename Crimea “Tavrida” or “Tavriya” are part of an effort by Moscow to “de-Turkify” the peninsula and thereby separate the Crimean Tatars from the land “on which they arose and evolved,” according to Bekir Mamurov, editor in chief of “Kyyrym.”
Mamutov, who is also a member of the Mejlis and dean of the faculty for Crimean Tatar and Turkish philology at the Crimean Engineering-Pedagogical Institute in Simferopil, said that such efforts were “morally ugly” and ultimately an absurdity (avdet.org/node/10715 andturkist.org/2015/02/crimea-tavria.html).
The name “Qirim” (“Crimea”) was well established no later than the end of the 12th or beginning of the 13thcenturies, Mamutov points out, and its original toponymic meaning extended to political terms such as Qirim Ulusi (Crimean Ulus), Qirim Yurtu (Crimean yurt), and Qirim hanligi (Crimean khanate).
To try to obscure that history by renaming the peninsula is nothing more than an indication that Moscow wants to “de-Turkify” or “if you like, “de-Crimeanize Crimea,” Mamutov says. But at the same time, he continues, it shows just how ignorant the Russian authors of this idea are.
More than that, those behind this idea think that by renaming Crimea the Tauride as Catherine II did in the 18thcentury they will be restoring a Greek name. But Mamutov says, they are in for “a surprise.” As they will soon learn, Tauride comes from “tav er” which is ancient Turkish for “a proud man,” just as “shum er” in that language means “free man.”
Anyone who wishes to become convinced of that need only consult the dictionary of ancient Turkic published in Leningrad in 1969. If someone does, almost certainly, Mamutov suggests, he or she “will lose any desire to rename Crimea” because they will see that in dealing with that land, “one cannot avoid Turkic words.”
One has the impression, the Crimean Tatar philologist says, that some in Moscow “are thinking day and night about how to separate us, the children of this land, the Crimeans from Crimea” by trying to push the notion that “on the territory of Crimea there are no indigenous peoples.”
“They suppose,” he suggests, “that by changing the name of the land, they will be able to spiritually, morally and historically alienate our people from the land on which they appeared and evolved and that they will be able to take our Motherland away from us.” But that is a fool’s errand, Mamutov says, because the Crimean Tatars will never agree to rename Crimea.
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Paul Goble
Staunton, February 3 – Calls by Russian politicians to rename Crimea “Tavrida” or “Tavriya” are part of an effort by Moscow to “de-Turkify” the peninsula and thereby separate the Crimean Tatars from the land “on which they arose and evolved,” according to Bekir Mamurov, editor in chief of “Kyyrym.”
Mamutov, who is also a member of the Mejlis and dean of the faculty for Crimean Tatar and Turkish philology at the Crimean Engineering-Pedagogical Institute in Simferopil, said that such efforts were “morally ugly” and ultimately an absurdity (avdet.org/node/10715 andturkist.org/2015/02/crimea-tavria.html).
The name “Qirim” (“Crimea”) was well established no later than the end of the 12th or beginning of the 13thcenturies, Mamutov points out, and its original toponymic meaning extended to political terms such as Qirim Ulusi (Crimean Ulus), Qirim Yurtu (Crimean yurt), and Qirim hanligi (Crimean khanate).
To try to obscure that history by renaming the peninsula is nothing more than an indication that Moscow wants to “de-Turkify” or “if you like, “de-Crimeanize Crimea,” Mamutov says. But at the same time, he continues, it shows just how ignorant the Russian authors of this idea are.
More than that, those behind this idea think that by renaming Crimea the Tauride as Catherine II did in the 18thcentury they will be restoring a Greek name. But Mamutov says, they are in for “a surprise.” As they will soon learn, Tauride comes from “tav er” which is ancient Turkish for “a proud man,” just as “shum er” in that language means “free man.”
Anyone who wishes to become convinced of that need only consult the dictionary of ancient Turkic published in Leningrad in 1969. If someone does, almost certainly, Mamutov suggests, he or she “will lose any desire to rename Crimea” because they will see that in dealing with that land, “one cannot avoid Turkic words.”
One has the impression, the Crimean Tatar philologist says, that some in Moscow “are thinking day and night about how to separate us, the children of this land, the Crimeans from Crimea” by trying to push the notion that “on the territory of Crimea there are no indigenous peoples.”
“They suppose,” he suggests, “that by changing the name of the land, they will be able to spiritually, morally and historically alienate our people from the land on which they appeared and evolved and that they will be able to take our Motherland away from us.” But that is a fool’s errand, Mamutov says, because the Crimean Tatars will never agree to rename Crimea.
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· · ·
Q&A: Should US send lethal military assistance to Ukraine?by RFE/RL, part of the New East network
Officials in Washington have floated the idea of sending lethal aid to Kiev for the fight against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. RFE/RL explains what the move could mean for the conflict
As the crisis in eastern Ukraine shows no sign of abating despite the ceasefire agreement reached in September 2014, pressure is growing for western countries to provide lethal military assistance to Ukraine and ramp up their provision of non-lethal aid.
On 2 February, the Atlantic Council, together with the Brookings Institution, issued a new reporturging the US to provide $3bn in lethal and non-lethal military aid to Ukraine. But it is a controversial idea that could result in a significant intensification of the violence in the region and runs the risk of direct confrontation with President Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Continue reading...
Officials in Washington have floated the idea of sending lethal aid to Kiev for the fight against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. RFE/RL explains what the move could mean for the conflict
As the crisis in eastern Ukraine shows no sign of abating despite the ceasefire agreement reached in September 2014, pressure is growing for western countries to provide lethal military assistance to Ukraine and ramp up their provision of non-lethal aid.
On 2 February, the Atlantic Council, together with the Brookings Institution, issued a new reporturging the US to provide $3bn in lethal and non-lethal military aid to Ukraine. But it is a controversial idea that could result in a significant intensification of the violence in the region and runs the risk of direct confrontation with President Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Continue reading...Суд в Гааге: ни Сербия, ни Хорватия не совершали геноцид - BBC Russian
BBC Russian
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Суд в Гааге: ни Сербия, ни Хорватия не совершали геноцид
BBC Russian
Международный суд ООН в Гааге постановил, что ни Сербия, ни Хорватия не совершали геноцид в отношении друг друга во время Балканских войн в 1991-1995 годах. Хорватское правительство утверждало, что в 1991 году Сербия совершила геноцид в городе Вуковар и в других ...
Суд ООН: Взаимные обвинения Сербии и Хорватии в геноциде беспочвенныРоссийская Газета
Международный суд в Гааге отверг иск Хорватии к Сербии по делу о геноцидеРБК
Международный суд ООН отверг обвинения Хорватии в сербском геноцидеКоммерсантъ
УНИАН -Интерфакс - Украина -ТАСС
Все похожие статьи: 57 »
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BBC Russian |
Суд в Гааге: ни Сербия, ни Хорватия не совершали геноцид
BBC Russian Международный суд ООН в Гааге постановил, что ни Сербия, ни Хорватия не совершали геноцид в отношении друг друга во время Балканских войн в 1991-1995 годах. Хорватское правительство утверждало, что в 1991 году Сербия совершила геноцид в городе Вуковар и в других ... Суд ООН: Взаимные обвинения Сербии и Хорватии в геноциде беспочвенныРоссийская Газета Международный суд в Гааге отверг иск Хорватии к Сербии по делу о геноцидеРБК Международный суд ООН отверг обвинения Хорватии в сербском геноцидеКоммерсантъ УНИАН -Интерфакс - Украина -ТАСС Все похожие статьи: 57 » |
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Авдеевка: на линии фронта by Радио Свобода
Город Авдеевка, расположенный в 6 км к северу от Донецка, оказался в зоне интенсивных обстрелов со стороны...
From: Радио Свобода
Views: 26
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Time: 01:47 More in News & Politics
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Город Авдеевка, расположенный в 6 км к северу от Донецка, оказался в зоне интенсивных обстрелов со стороны...
|
From: Радио Свобода
Views: 26
0 ratings
|
| Time: 01:47 | More in News & Politics |
Russia Update: February 3, 2015 by Liveblog Team
Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian government’s foreign and domestic policies.
The previous issue is here, and see also our Russia This Week stories ‘Anti-Maidan’ Launched by Nationalists, Cossacks, Veterans, Bikers and The Guild War – How Should Journalists Treat Russian State Propagandists? and special features ‘Managed Spring’: How Moscow Parted Easily with the ‘Novorossiya’ Leaders, Putin ‘The Imperialist’ A Runner-Up For Time’s ‘Person of the Year’ and It’s Not Just Oil and Sanctions Killing Russia’s Economy, It’s Putin.
Please help The Interpreter to continue providing this valuable information service by making a donation towards our costs.
UPDATES BELOW
Adam Osmayev, a Chechen fighting on the Ukrainian side in the war in southeastern Ukraine, is heading up the Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion following the death in battle yesterday of Brig. Gen.
Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian government’s foreign and domestic policies.
The previous issue is here, and see also our Russia This Week stories ‘Anti-Maidan’ Launched by Nationalists, Cossacks, Veterans, Bikers and The Guild War – How Should Journalists Treat Russian State Propagandists? and special features ‘Managed Spring’: How Moscow Parted Easily with the ‘Novorossiya’ Leaders, Putin ‘The Imperialist’ A Runner-Up For Time’s ‘Person of the Year’ and It’s Not Just Oil and Sanctions Killing Russia’s Economy, It’s Putin.
Please help The Interpreter to continue providing this valuable information service by making a donation towards our costs.
UPDATES BELOW
Adam Osmayev, a Chechen fighting on the Ukrainian side in the war in southeastern Ukraine, is heading up the Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion following the death in battle yesterday of Brig. Gen.
Ukraine Live Day 351: US Plays Down Talk Of Supplying Arms To Ukraine by Liveblog Team
Yesterday’s live coverage of the Ukraine conflict can be found here. An archive of our liveblogs can be found here. For an overview and analysis of this developing story see our latest podcast.
Please help The Interpreter to continue providing this valuable information service by making a donation towards our costs.
For links to individual updates click on the timestamps.
For the latest summary of evidence surrounding the shooting down of flight MH17 see our separate article: Evidence Review: Who Shot Down MH17?
Read the whole story
· ·
Yesterday’s live coverage of the Ukraine conflict can be found here. An archive of our liveblogs can be found here. For an overview and analysis of this developing story see our latest podcast.
Please help The Interpreter to continue providing this valuable information service by making a donation towards our costs.
For links to individual updates click on the timestamps.
For the latest summary of evidence surrounding the shooting down of flight MH17 see our separate article: Evidence Review: Who Shot Down MH17?
Read the whole story
· ·
Lavrov Claims Obama's Remarks Prove U.S. Backed Ukraine 'Coup' by noreply@rferl.org (RFE/RL)
Russia has seized on remarks by U.S. President Barack Obama about an internationally brokered deal to resolve last year's Ukrainian crisis, claiming they prove that Washington was involved in a "coup" against Ukraine's Moscow-backed president.
Russia has seized on remarks by U.S. President Barack Obama about an internationally brokered deal to resolve last year's Ukrainian crisis, claiming they prove that Washington was involved in a "coup" against Ukraine's Moscow-backed president.
Wife of Paris attacker now France’s ‘most wanted’ womanby Michael Birnbaum, Souad Mekhennet
PARIS — France’s most-wanted woman once loved the warm waves of the Dominican Republic, posing in a black bikini with her future husband, a petty thief. As her faith deepened, she exchanged the bathing suits for headscarfs and new destinations: mosques in Malaysia, a pilgrimage to Mecca, and now, authorities say, the jihadist cauldron of Syria. Read full article >>
PARIS — France’s most-wanted woman once loved the warm waves of the Dominican Republic, posing in a black bikini with her future husband, a petty thief. As her faith deepened, she exchanged the bathing suits for headscarfs and new destinations: mosques in Malaysia, a pilgrimage to Mecca, and now, authorities say, the jihadist cauldron of Syria. Read full article >>
Amnesty Criticizes Ukraine, Pro-Russian Separatists For Civilian Deaths
Amnesty International says it has collected "gruesome evidence of civilian deaths and casualties" inflicted in recent days by both pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine.
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Amnesty International says it has collected "gruesome evidence of civilian deaths and casualties" inflicted in recent days by both pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine.
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World's nations pay tribute to Saudi Arabia's late King Abdullah for ... - Fox News
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World's nations pay tribute to Saudi Arabia's late King Abdullah for ...
Fox News
UNITED NATIONS – The world's nations paid tribute Monday to Saudi Arabia's late King Abdullah, praising his development of the oil-rich nation, his generosity to the needy and his promotion of peace in the Middle East. At the start of the ceremony ...
and more »
World's nations pay tribute to Saudi Arabia's late King Abdullah for ...
Fox News UNITED NATIONS – The world's nations paid tribute Monday to Saudi Arabia's late King Abdullah, praising his development of the oil-rich nation, his generosity to the needy and his promotion of peace in the Middle East. At the start of the ceremony ... and more » |
Exclusive: Russia, Ukraine in indirect talks over key Black Sea air corridor - sources
MONTREAL (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine are holding indirect talks to reopen a key international air corridor over the Black Sea to commercial flights in a plan that could give Ukraine much-needed overflight fees and ease congestion on other crowded air routes, according to five sources familiar with the matter.
MONTREAL (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine are holding indirect talks to reopen a key international air corridor over the Black Sea to commercial flights in a plan that could give Ukraine much-needed overflight fees and ease congestion on other crowded air routes, according to five sources familiar with the matter.
Germany's Merkel Presses Hungary to Safeguard Democracyby webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday he should give space to opponents of his rule, a nod to critics who say Orban has eroded democratic freedoms. Merkel was on a one-day visit to Hungary, which is a major manufacturing base for German industries, but also irks some in Europe with its close ties to Moscow and policies that often stray from the European mainstream. “We talked about the development of our civil societies, and I pointed out...
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday he should give space to opponents of his rule, a nod to critics who say Orban has eroded democratic freedoms. Merkel was on a one-day visit to Hungary, which is a major manufacturing base for German industries, but also irks some in Europe with its close ties to Moscow and policies that often stray from the European mainstream. “We talked about the development of our civil societies, and I pointed out...
Barack Obama praises Robbie Rogers during White House visit - LA Galaxy
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Barack Obama praises Robbie Rogers during White House visit
LA Galaxy
WASHINGTON – Robbie Rogers became a pioneer for being the first openly gay professional athlete in a major American sport, and that distinction has not escaped President Barack Obama. While honoring the MLS Cup winning LA Galaxy and the Stanley ...
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Barack Obama praises Robbie Rogers during White House visit
LA Galaxy WASHINGTON – Robbie Rogers became a pioneer for being the first openly gay professional athlete in a major American sport, and that distinction has not escaped President Barack Obama. While honoring the MLS Cup winning LA Galaxy and the Stanley ... and more » |
President Obama gave Robbie Rogers a special shout out - USA TODAY
USA TODAY
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President Obama gave Robbie Rogers a special shout out
USA TODAY
WASHINGTON–The LA Galaxy and President Obama are almost old friends at this point. For the third time in four years, the President welcomed the 2014 MLS Cup winners to the White House for a special ceremony honoring their accomplishment.
Obama lauds 'embarrassment of riches' in Los Angeles sports Charlotte Observer
US president Barack Obama hails LA Galaxy, Robbie Rogers during White ...MLSsoccer.com
Obama honors Kings and Galaxy championships at White House89.3 KPCC
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USA TODAY |
President Obama gave Robbie Rogers a special shout out
USA TODAY WASHINGTON–The LA Galaxy and President Obama are almost old friends at this point. For the third time in four years, the President welcomed the 2014 MLS Cup winners to the White House for a special ceremony honoring their accomplishment. Obama lauds 'embarrassment of riches' in Los Angeles sports Charlotte Observer US president Barack Obama hails LA Galaxy, Robbie Rogers during White ...MLSsoccer.com Obama honors Kings and Galaxy championships at White House89.3 KPCC SI.com all 69 news articles » |
‘American Sniper’ misfires in Iraq by Liz Sly
BAGHDAD — It is not only in America that Clint Eastwood’s Iraq war blockbuster “American Sniper” is proving controversial.After just a handful of sometimes rowdy screenings, the movie has been pulled from Baghdad’s only cinema amid complaints from the Iraqi government — as well as viewers — that it “insults” Iraqis.Read full article >>
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BAGHDAD — It is not only in America that Clint Eastwood’s Iraq war blockbuster “American Sniper” is proving controversial.After just a handful of sometimes rowdy screenings, the movie has been pulled from Baghdad’s only cinema amid complaints from the Iraqi government — as well as viewers — that it “insults” Iraqis.Read full article >>
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Bombing victims testify at U.S. trial on PLO role in Israel attacks
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Seconds after the blast hit downtown Jerusalem, Jamie Sokolow lay on the ground, her right eye damaged by shrapnel and her face feeling as though someone had set it aflame.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Seconds after the blast hit downtown Jerusalem, Jamie Sokolow lay on the ground, her right eye damaged by shrapnel and her face feeling as though someone had set it aflame.
Apple’s cash mountain grows to $178bn by Simon Bowers
President Obama and Europe both want a slice of Apple’s offshore reserves
Apple last week reported that its cash mountain had grown to $178bn (£118bn) – among the biggest of any public corporation in the world. The lion’s share is surplus profits from outside America, in large part thanks to the huge popularity of its phones, laptops and other products around the globe, but also in no small measure because of its aggressive Irish tax structure.
As at the end of September last year, cash held offshore and beyond the grasp of the US taxman stood at $137bn and is likely to have grown since. At present, this sum cannot be reinvested in Apple’s US businesses nor returned to shareholders without incurring a colossal tax bill. In effect, it is in limbo.
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President Obama and Europe both want a slice of Apple’s offshore reserves
Apple last week reported that its cash mountain had grown to $178bn (£118bn) – among the biggest of any public corporation in the world. The lion’s share is surplus profits from outside America, in large part thanks to the huge popularity of its phones, laptops and other products around the globe, but also in no small measure because of its aggressive Irish tax structure.
As at the end of September last year, cash held offshore and beyond the grasp of the US taxman stood at $137bn and is likely to have grown since. At present, this sum cannot be reinvested in Apple’s US businesses nor returned to shareholders without incurring a colossal tax bill. In effect, it is in limbo.
Continue reading...Arctic Oil on Life Support by racheljanik
Oil companies have eyed the Arctic for years. With an estimated 90 billion barrels of oil lying north of the Arctic Circle, the circumpolar north is arguably the last corner of the globe that is still almost entirely unexplored.
As drilling technology advances, conventional oil reserves become harder to find, and climate change contributes to melting sea ice, the Arctic has moved up on the list of priorities in oil company board rooms.
That had companies moving north – Royal Dutch Shell off the coast of Alaska, Statoil in the Norwegian Arctic, and ExxonMobil in conjunction with Russia’s Rosneft in the Russian far north.
But achieving the goals of tapping the extensive oil reserves in the Arctic has been much harder than previously thought. Shell’s mishaps have been well-documented. The Anglo-Dutch company failed to achieve permits on time, had its drill ships run aground, and saw its oil spill containment dome“crushed like a beer can” during testing. That delayed drilling for several consecutive years.
However, the first month of 2015 has darkened Arctic dreams even further. Oil companies are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to deal with a collapse in oil prices, now below $50 per barrel. With virtually every upstream company around the world slashing spending, it is the highest-cost and riskiest projects that are getting scrapped first.
Statoil, the semi-state-owned oil company from Norway, has been an offshore leader and Arctic pioneer. After having watched Shell fumble its Arctic campaign, Statoil put its drilling plans off the coast of Alaska on ice. But now with rock-bottom oil prices, Statoil has even shelved Arctic drilling plans in its own backyard. Bloomberg reported on January 29 that Statoil does not plan on drilling in the Barents Sea this year. It also let several Arctic exploration licenses off the coast of Greenland expire.
In December, Chevron suspended its drilling plans in Canada’s Arctic indefinitely.
In Russia, Arctic dreams are also going to disappoint, although for different reasons. Last year, Rosneft – operating in conjunction with ExxonMobil – announced a major discovery in the Kara Sea. Rosneft’s Igor Sechin said that the field could hold as much as 730 million barrels of oil. “This is our united victory, it was achieved thanks to our friends and partners from ExxonMobil, Nord Atlantic Drilling, Schlumberger, Halliburton, Weatherford, Baker, Trendsetter, FMC,” Sechin said in astatement. “We would like to name this field Pobeda,” the Russian word for victory.
But western sanctions may delay the victory. ExxonMobil is prohibited from working with Rosneft, and had to wind down its operations shortly after the discovery was announced. Worse for Rosneft, ExxonMobil was the one that had the drilling rig under contract, apparently the only platform that would work for the well.
Reuters reported on January 30, 2015 that Rosneft would have to delay drilling until 2016 at the earliest. “There will be no drilling in 2015. There is no platform and it is too late to get one. The project was initially created for Exxon’s platform,” a Rosneft source told Reuters. ExxonMobil has already pulled its platform out, and has it under contract until July 2016. Drilling may not begin for another year or two, and production from the world’s most northerly oil field will not begin until sometime in the 2020’s, barring other setbacks.
That leaves Shell, the company with the spottiest Arctic record. Shell announced $4.16 billion in fourth quarter profits, a decline from the previous quarter, but a decent showing relative to its peers. Nevertheless, the company also announced $15 billion in spending cuts over the next several years. “The macro environment has moved against us,” Shell CEO Ben van Beurden said after releasing the quarterly figures.
Curiously, however, amid all the spending reductions, Shell hopes to once again return the Arctic, after a two-year hiatus. Perhaps that is because of the sunk costs – Shell will spend around $1 billion on its Arctic program whether or not it is drilled because of all the ships and other logistics already under contract. Shell still needs to obtain several permits and clear legal hurdles, but if all goes according to plan, the company could begin drilling this summer.
It is up to Shell then to keep the oil industry’s Arctic dreams alive.
This article originally appeared on OilPrice.com.
More from Oilprice.com:
- If Shell Backs Out, Arctic Oil Off the Table for Years
- Is The Arctic Dream Dead?
- Shell Needs Five More Years In The Arctic
Read the whole story
· · ·
Oil companies have eyed the Arctic for years. With an estimated 90 billion barrels of oil lying north of the Arctic Circle, the circumpolar north is arguably the last corner of the globe that is still almost entirely unexplored.
As drilling technology advances, conventional oil reserves become harder to find, and climate change contributes to melting sea ice, the Arctic has moved up on the list of priorities in oil company board rooms.
That had companies moving north – Royal Dutch Shell off the coast of Alaska, Statoil in the Norwegian Arctic, and ExxonMobil in conjunction with Russia’s Rosneft in the Russian far north.
But achieving the goals of tapping the extensive oil reserves in the Arctic has been much harder than previously thought. Shell’s mishaps have been well-documented. The Anglo-Dutch company failed to achieve permits on time, had its drill ships run aground, and saw its oil spill containment dome“crushed like a beer can” during testing. That delayed drilling for several consecutive years.
However, the first month of 2015 has darkened Arctic dreams even further. Oil companies are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to deal with a collapse in oil prices, now below $50 per barrel. With virtually every upstream company around the world slashing spending, it is the highest-cost and riskiest projects that are getting scrapped first.
Statoil, the semi-state-owned oil company from Norway, has been an offshore leader and Arctic pioneer. After having watched Shell fumble its Arctic campaign, Statoil put its drilling plans off the coast of Alaska on ice. But now with rock-bottom oil prices, Statoil has even shelved Arctic drilling plans in its own backyard. Bloomberg reported on January 29 that Statoil does not plan on drilling in the Barents Sea this year. It also let several Arctic exploration licenses off the coast of Greenland expire.
In December, Chevron suspended its drilling plans in Canada’s Arctic indefinitely.
In Russia, Arctic dreams are also going to disappoint, although for different reasons. Last year, Rosneft – operating in conjunction with ExxonMobil – announced a major discovery in the Kara Sea. Rosneft’s Igor Sechin said that the field could hold as much as 730 million barrels of oil. “This is our united victory, it was achieved thanks to our friends and partners from ExxonMobil, Nord Atlantic Drilling, Schlumberger, Halliburton, Weatherford, Baker, Trendsetter, FMC,” Sechin said in astatement. “We would like to name this field Pobeda,” the Russian word for victory.
But western sanctions may delay the victory. ExxonMobil is prohibited from working with Rosneft, and had to wind down its operations shortly after the discovery was announced. Worse for Rosneft, ExxonMobil was the one that had the drilling rig under contract, apparently the only platform that would work for the well.
Reuters reported on January 30, 2015 that Rosneft would have to delay drilling until 2016 at the earliest. “There will be no drilling in 2015. There is no platform and it is too late to get one. The project was initially created for Exxon’s platform,” a Rosneft source told Reuters. ExxonMobil has already pulled its platform out, and has it under contract until July 2016. Drilling may not begin for another year or two, and production from the world’s most northerly oil field will not begin until sometime in the 2020’s, barring other setbacks.
That leaves Shell, the company with the spottiest Arctic record. Shell announced $4.16 billion in fourth quarter profits, a decline from the previous quarter, but a decent showing relative to its peers. Nevertheless, the company also announced $15 billion in spending cuts over the next several years. “The macro environment has moved against us,” Shell CEO Ben van Beurden said after releasing the quarterly figures.
Curiously, however, amid all the spending reductions, Shell hopes to once again return the Arctic, after a two-year hiatus. Perhaps that is because of the sunk costs – Shell will spend around $1 billion on its Arctic program whether or not it is drilled because of all the ships and other logistics already under contract. Shell still needs to obtain several permits and clear legal hurdles, but if all goes according to plan, the company could begin drilling this summer.
It is up to Shell then to keep the oil industry’s Arctic dreams alive.
This article originally appeared on OilPrice.com.
More from Oilprice.com:
- If Shell Backs Out, Arctic Oil Off the Table for Years
- Is The Arctic Dream Dead?
- Shell Needs Five More Years In The Arctic
Read the whole story
· · ·
Sen. Harry Reid speaks on Senate floor week after surgery - The Killeen Daily Herald
The Killeen Daily Herald
![]()
Sen. Harry Reid speaks on Senate floor week after surgery
The Killeen Daily Herald
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid is back on the Senate floor speaking about legislation, a week after surgery to remove a blood clot in his right eye and repair bones in his face. The 75-year-old Reid walked without assistance to ...
and more »
The Killeen Daily Herald |
Sen. Harry Reid speaks on Senate floor week after surgery
The Killeen Daily Herald WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid is back on the Senate floor speaking about legislation, a week after surgery to remove a blood clot in his right eye and repair bones in his face. The 75-year-old Reid walked without assistance to ... and more » |
Belarus President To Visit Georgia
Belarus President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is planning to visit Georgia this April
Belarus President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is planning to visit Georgia this April
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