Russian Gift to NASA: Pictures

Reuters Article 5/23

This article is about how a Russian Space shuttle took pictures of the space station that has been worked onfor a long time. Taking these pictures were very dificult and it didn't seem like it would be done. NASA is hoping these pictures will become iconic and be placed in textbooks.

I think it is nice that Russia decided to help NASA out because it was a lot of time doing it, and it could have been dangerous. It really shows to me that we have come a little way since the Clod War, and I am glad of it.

Libya: Russia tells Gaddafi envoys to spare civilians

Col

BBC Article 5/17

This article is about how Russian officials are asking people who are fighting to spare civilians. Apparently some rebels in Libya are being bombed, and Russia wants a peace treaty. Also this guy named Col is going to be arrested.

I really don't understand what's happening here. It looks as if Russia is getting involved in Libyan affairs, and Libya is'nt my country to write on. Check out my classmate's blogs.

Russian oligarch Prokhorov aims to go into politics

BBC Article 5/17




Mikhail Prokhorov



This article is about how Mikhail Prokhorov, one of the richest Russians in Russia, is planning to go into politics. He has joined the Right Cause party. It is feared that things will go the same way as it did in 2003, when the last business tycoon got into politics in Russia and was arrested. Right Cause has failed to attract many important political figures. Mr. Prokhorov wants to lead Right Cause to the second prominent political party behind Russia United, which is lead by Putin.

I think it is nice that other partys are being made, because Russia United does seem to have the upper hand. Right Cause will certainly have a lot of money for campaining, so they could have a chance.

Russian opposition calls for festival of resistance to end United Russia’s reign



Unied Russia logo

Washington Post Article 5/16


This article is about how a group against the United Russia party is planning a "festival of resistance." Preforming will be a group called Boston Tea Party. The opposing groups say their goal is to end United Russia’s monopoly on power, in part by pressing for open and fair elections.

I think it is sad that some people in Russia believe the United Russia party has a monopoly. I am not suggesting I think there is or is not a monopoly, I'm not one to say. I hope the civil unrest seen at the beginning of the year does not flare up again in Russia.

I am sorry

I am sorry but it has been brought to my attention that 4 times in my posts I have referred to President Medvedev as President Medevdev. I am truly sorry, from now on I shall type with more care.

Russia Calls Amnesty report politically biased.

Reuters Africa Article 5/13

This article is about how Russia disagrees with the Amnesty International's annual report on the country's human rights situation. Russia thinks that it was biased, and has released many statements about it. The report said that President Medvedev's effort on reducing police violence had not done much.


I think it is interesting how if the government doesn't like it they will do many things to discredit it. I think that more people should look into this and see if it actually is biased, because I am not sure it is so because the Government says so.

Artifacts Found on Russian Site

Washington Post National Article 5/12

This article is about how some scientists found some thing son a Russian site that suggested Neanderthals had lived there. Because no human remains have been found, some doubt that the Neandrathols did actually live there.

Yay! Discovery! I think that it is cool.

Russian search-engine Yandex passed information to FSB

BBC article 4/3

This article is about hoe Russia's lead search engin Yandex (not Google!) passed information on people who donated money to something to Russia's state security service FSB. To many people this is a troublesome issue because it hits a painful spot: transparency and state intervention.

I think that it is bad that the FSB got the information from Yandex because it shows what an iron grip the govrnment has over there. (Says the American who knows that the phone lines are tapped.) It does seem like the Russian government gets called out a lot though. Maby the cival unrest in the Middle East will influence a change. Most likely not, but maby.

Euro court backs spy-swap Russian Igor Sutyagin



Igor Sutyagin


BBC Article 4/3

This areicle is about how the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the Russian's imprisonment of accused spy Igor Sutyagin. The court says that the trial was bad and that he had been held on reprimand for too long. Igor has been prisioner for 11 years, and had moved from jail to jail untill he was swapped last July. Durring all of his time in jail he continued to proclaim his innocence.

I think it is interesting how people's opinions can be so dramatically swayed from country to country. Russia sees this man as a spy, while other countries sees him as a man unjustly imprisioned. Most of our opinion has to do with weather this affects us or not. That's why we just have to hope the courts are right.

Russia charges US spy ring 'traitor' Poteyev

BBC article 5/3


This article is about how a former spy is being tried in his absence for revealing 10 sleeper agents in the U.S. resulting in the biggest swap since the Cold War. Alexander Poteyev, the man in question, is being charged with high treason and desertion. He is said to be currentally in the U.S.

I think it is interesting that there are still sleeper agents and spies between Russia and the U.S. The agents they are talking about were swapped last June. And they were swappped for some people, so both sides are still apparentally not trusting each other. I wonder if we can ever trust anyone again after the Cold War.

Russia Wants Better Army

Foundry article 5/2
This article is about how Russia hopes to have a top-five millitary, and how they aim to do so. They plan to replace 70% of their millitary material with modern equipment by 2020. They plan to up their artillery and basically improve, improve, improve.


I think that we will not get peace in the world if everyone carrys a big stick.

Head of Russia space agency Roscosmos replaced



The loss of three satellites was a big blow for Mr Perminov



 

Russia has replaced the head of its space agency, Anatoly Perminov, who was reprimanded over a failed satellite launch in December.

Russia lost three satellites when a rocket crashed into the Pacific Ocean.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin removed Mr Perminov, 65, because he had "reached the age limit for civil servants", a government statement said.
First Deputy Defence Minister Vladimir Popovkin will now head the federal space agency, Roscosmos.
In December President Dmitry Medvedev fired Roscosmos deputy chief Viktor Remishevsky and Vyacheslav Filin, deputy head of the space rocket corporation Energia, over the loss of the three Glonass-M navigation satellites. He also reprimanded Mr Perminov.
An inquiry showed the Proton-M rocket failed to reach orbit because of a fuel miscalculation.
Earlier this month Russia celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first human spaceflight by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.

I think astronauts are cool. Let's develop more space programs.

Stavropol Siege Results in deaths of Russia Islamists

BBC Article 4/29

Security forces in Russia report killing a top Islamist militant and nine of his followers in a siege in the southern region of Stavropol.

Asker Dzhappuyev, said to have led a militant group in the nearby Kabardino-Balkaria region, was wanted over the killing of hunters and police officers.
Security forces attacked the house where the suspects were staying after they reportedly refused to surrender.
Kabardino-Balkaria has seen a string of attacks blamed on Islamist militants.


I think people should stop killing people. Killing is bad. blah blah blah There isn't much to react to here. and I withhold picture. Ha

Men Convicted For Murder

  BBC article 4/28    

       Nikita Tikhonov and Yevgenia Khasis were convicted for involvement of the murder of human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov and reporter Anastasia Baburova in 2009. The victims worked for Novaya Gazeta, a paper that specializes in human rights. The two assailants were nationalists, so that was apparently the motive. Russian National Unity, a group the papers said was involved that was far-right, denied any involvement. they said the two convicted were never members.

       I am glad that the murderers were caught because well justice and everything. But I wonder if there were other reasons they killed them because it doesn't seem that murder should come from different political views. But well that's been happening since the beginning of government.


Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

Russian President Remembers Chernobyl

BBC article 4/26

The crisis at Japan's Fukushima plant has triggered renewed protests over the safety of nuclear power

       

    This article is about how President Medevdev goes to a rememberance of the nuclear power plant failure that endangered thousands 25 years ago and calls for changes to how the nuclear situations of today will develop into the nuclear stationa of tomorrow. He met with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych at Chernobyl. The appearence was unplanned. Medevdev mentioned while at Chernobyl that today Countries need to tell their citizens the truth. He evidentaly said this because Soviet officials held off reporting on the catastrophe of Chernobyl. Also the nuckear protests have fired up around the world.

           It hink that it is good that Medevdev (I hate writing that, it is so hard to type) is considering nuclear problems and trying to find solutions. I thought it was weird that he didn't specify what the proposals he sent were, but I think they'll come out eventually, especially since there are many reports of worldwide protests.

Vladimir Putin reveals plan to boost Russia birth rate

 

 Vladimir Putin warned against the risk of being weak and overly dependent on the outside world



 

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has unveiled plans to reverse Russia's declining population.

The government will spend 1.5tn roubles ($53bn; £33bn) on raising the birth rate and extending life expectancy. He announced the plan in a key speech to the Duma on the economy ahead of presidential elections in March 2012. The prime minister has hinted he may seek to return to the presidency, but it is unclear whether the incumbent Dmitry Medvedev would make way for him. Mr Putin, widely seen as the power behind the throne in Russia, stood down as president at the last election because of a constitutional limit on his term in office, and backed Mr Medvedev - a close political ally - as his successor.
'Unjustified liberalism'  The speech was seen as an opportunity for Mr Putin to outline his economic policies ahead of the presidential elections, as well as parliamentary elections due in December. Vladimir Putin hasn't said whether or not he intends to run for president next year, but if he does this speech - shown live on Russian TV - will have gone down well with the public.  It was packed with positive news about economic achievements, salary and pension increases and promises of new Russian weaponry and spacecraft.

His call for Russia to be a strong country that could resist "crude interference" in its internal affairs will have struck a chord with many viewers. As will his criticism of "unjustified liberalism".  The two-hour address offered something for everyone: more modern equipment for farmers, new apartments for soldiers, higher wages for librarians, better hospitals, schools and museums.  Mr Putin didn't sound like a politician who was winding down his political career. The prime minister positioned himself as a political hardliner, in contrast with Mr Medvedev who has presented a more liberal face and greater openness to the West during his presidency. The Russian premier, whose government has been criticised in the West for stifling democracy, once again said that political stability was more important than liberalising too fast. "The country needs a decade of strong, calm development, without different kinds of swings, poorly thought out experiments based on at times unjustified liberalism or, on the other hand, on social demagoguery," he said, reminding voters of the disasters of the 1990s. Mr Putin emphasised the need for the Russian economy to diversify away from energy and mineral exports, and reduce its economic dependence on the outside world. "The oil boom we are witnessing only underlines the need to move quickly to a new model of economic development," he said.

"Economic weakness and sensitivity to external shocks result in threats to national sovereignty. "Let's be frank - in the modern world, if you are weak, there is always someone who will come in and unequivocally recommend which way to go, what policy to conduct, what path to choose." In a surprise initiative, he called for "demography projects" in a country whose population has fallen 6% since the mid-90s. "First, we expect the average life expectancy to reach 71 years," he said. "Second, we expect to increase the birth rate by 25-30% in comparison to the 2006 birth rate." 'Strategic sectors'  Russia - which confirmed its status as the world's biggest oil producer - has been riding high on energy prices. The prime minister said the economy had grown by 4.4% in the first quarter of the year, making it the best performer in the G8 group of major economies. And despite his calls for a more diversified economy, Mr Putin said the recent Fukushima disaster, and the resulting backlash against nuclear energy in Europe, would only increase demand for Russian oil and gas exports. With oil revenues surging, he said the government would cut its budget deficit to 1%-1.5% this year and eliminate it altogether in the future. To support economic development, Mr Putin advocated the lifting of barriers to foreign investment in "strategic sectors" in Russia. He said the government aimed to attract $50bn-60bn in foreign capital in the coming years, compared with a rate of $40.5bn in 2010. Addressing the pharmaceutical industry, he hinted that companies doing business in Russia may be required to invest more money in the country. "We spend billions on orders of medical equipment from foreign companies," he said. "I think it's natural to state that the foreign partners would also gradually move to Russia." An issue of concern to many voters is inflation. Wildfires last summer sparked shortages and sharp rises in grains and other foodstuffs. The government was closely watching the areas affected by the fires, he said, adding that inflation would not exceed 7.5% this year.


Thoughts:

              I think it is interesting to hear all the talk about increasing the populatioin. there was talk of needing more workers in the last article I read. It really seems like a concern of the government. Also I thought that the way Putin sneaked in his principals before election was clever, but I wonder if others see it that way. Putin certainly has plans for Russia, lets hope they are not bad.

Wait, Now You WANT Immigrants?

BBC article 4/15


         Apparently Russia's work force needs a hand, as politicians try to make getting a working permit for immigrants easier. There is bad news about the predicted population of Russia. It could drop down to 116 million by 2050 from 140 million in 2010 if there is no government reforms. So now Russia is TRYING to get immigrants. (see Immigrants in Russia) They say that only one million working premits have been issued so far this year to immigrants, 41% less than their annual quota. Although the People's mindset is against immigrant workers, and there probably will be no big changes in the system, with elections coming up, the change is imminent.

          I think this is funny that Russia will deport illegal immigrants when it is obvious that they need their help in the workforce. I guess there will always be  a predjudice against illegal immigrants, but you think the government could make something work. The whole thing is weird.

Immigrant moms leave their children in Moscow

BBC article 4/15


 Mahliyo was urged by other sex workers to give up her baby



 

          Many babies born to Central Asian immigrants are left in Moscow. 150 newborn babies have been left in the last five months alone. Memonsho Memonshoev and Madina Yuldasheva run a program called Dargil Nanik, which means "Find me mama" in English. They help mothers to make the choice to keep their babies. Most mothers start out by leaving their families, then come to Russia and get pregnant along the way. They have no place to live except the place where they are, which usually is a crowded area shared with many people. Illegitimate children are not usually welcome to the culture the women have left, so they can't return. The only choice it seems is to leave their babies. So they do.

         I think it is terrible that the women leave their babies. I mean I see their position, but I don't see how you could leave them. I think the Find me mama program is a good idea, and it has helped a lot of people. The whole situation is terrible, not helped by the fact they can't speak Russian. The moms then don't understand the laws pertaining to orphanages. There is a law that says after six months in an orphanage, a mother has no parental claim over their children. I hope the problem gets solved soon, because I would hate to see abandoned children.

Immigrants in Russia

BBC article 4/14

             This article is about how the police and agents from the FSB security agency and Federal Migration Service found an underground,"city" of illegal immigrants. Apparently Russia is mad at illegal immigrants just like the U.S.. The immigrants, 110 men women and children, were also working in a factory making sewing parts. It is said that anyone hiring immigrants, mostly Asian, would be fined. According to Moscow's Central Department of Internal Affairs, migrants are responsible for around 70% of crimes committed in the city.
But Moscow Federal Migration Service representative Mikhail Tyurkin said "according to official statistics foreigners in Russia are only only to blame for around 3.5% of crimes committed". That's a pretty big difference in percents.

            I think that it is interesting that so many people are illegaly immigrating. It is so cool to see how far "the grass is greener" has gone. the people were living underground on wooden beds, that's amazing. I think I would have been scared. It makes you wonder what condtiones they left to think that wooden beds were better. I do think that immigrating illegally is bad, but maby the system of legally immigrating should be made easier. I have no idea IF it is even hard to immigrate, but judging from how many people are sneeking into towns at night, I don't think it is too easy.

Cyber-Attack on Russian Websites

BBC article 4/8

          This article is about how some Russian websites were attacked in a way that was, as President Medevdev put is, "outragous and illegal." The websites that were hit were websites that spread news and political ideas. They were LiveJournal and Novaya Gazeta. The websites were down because they were being bombarded with infected messages fron thousands of infected computers from China, the US, and Western Europe. A person from Novayz Gazeta told a radio show that the attacks happened because of a new "online parliament" that the website tried to launch. the idea of it would be a, "Platform  to serve as an alternative to the incumbent authorities, where the problems which the authorities either ignore, or just choose to ignore, could be discussed," as Nadezhda Prusenkova said. The plan for the futuer is to continue investigationg the source of the attack, and to make it so it won't happen again.

          I think that the attack on the websites are terrible. Both of the websites attackes were politically active. The web is a major area for free speach for the Russian People, so it's kinda like shutting down a newspaper printer, except it affected everyone. the internet is a key spot for freedom of speach. Take for example this blog. This blog is getting my opinion able to be accessed by anyone, even if prabibly no one besides my teacher reads it. I hope the website people prevent this from happening again because it is bad to stop people's opinions.

Pandy is dumb

2 π D

Also Andrew is not working AT ALL!!!!!!!!  RGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! STOP BOTHERING ME!!!!!!!

Georgia VS Russia

BBC Article 4/1

Summary:

          This article is about Georgia's (the country) case aginst Russia being rejected. Georgia claimed that Russia had been participating in ethnic clensing, going aginst a CERD agreement. The case was rejected because Russia pointed out that the court had no juristriction. This was said because there had been no negotiation to try to resolve the dispute. Despite the courts ruling Georgia plans on continuing to persue this matter once the specific parts of the agreement have been met.

         I think Russia is trying to get out of something. You don't point out a court has no jurisdiction unless you are afraid of what they may say. It would be very bad if the Russia groups had participated in ethnic clensing. Everyone has a right to their ethnicity and culture. The best thing to hope for is that the negotiations that are sure to follow go well. And that no ethnic clensing actually took place.