Saturday 19 April 2014

Boko Haram claims responsibility for explosion that killed 75 in Nigeria

Islamist Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Nigeria's Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility for a bombing at Nyanya bus terminal in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, which killed at least 75 people. In a 28-minute video message acquired by AFP news agency, Shekau not only admitted Boko Haram's responsibility for Nigeria's most deadly attack to date, but added that the group has fighters in the capital. Boko Haram has also been blamed for the kidnapping of 129 students from a girls' school. Fourty-four girls have so far managed to escape, according to the government. The remaining 85 students are still missing.

No reason why things with West can’t be normal again – Putin


Russian President Vladimir Putin (RIA Novosti / Alexey Druzhinin)
Russian President Vladimir Putin (RIA Novosti / Alexey Druzhinin)
Russia sees no reason why its relationship with the West can’t normalize, President Putin said amid growing tension between the opposing camps over the ongoing political crisis in Ukraine.
“You know, it doesn’t depend on us, or rather on us alone. It depends on our partners. I believe there is nothing hindering normalization and normal cooperation,” the Russian president told Rossiya channel’s news show “Sergey Brilev’s News on Saturday”.
Vladimir Putin added that he is on good terms with former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who was selected to replace NATO's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in October.
“He is a very serious and responsible man. We’ll see how the relationship will develop in his new capacity,” Putin said, according to a pre-broadcast transcript of the interview cited by news agencies.
The comments came after interviewer, Brilev, asked Putin whether he and Stoltenberg had had any incidents in the past similar to Rasmussen’s taping of a private conversation with Putin. The Russian president shared his memories of the episode on Thursday during his annual Q&A session on TV.
While NATO initially said nothing of the kind ever happened, it was revealed later that the taping actually took place in 2002, as recounted by documentary filmmaker Christoffer Guldbrandsen, who directed a film on Rasmussen.
In the Saturday interview Putin discussed the presence of Russian troops in Crimea, which he confirmed earlier on Thursday. The troops provided security as the peninsula was voting in a referendum to split from Ukraine and join Russia.
He also dismissed allegations that the vote took place at gunpoint, as critics of the referendum claim.
“Speaking honestly and objectively, it is clear that nobody can force all the people out of their homes at gunpoint and force them to go to polling stations and vote. But the turnout was 87 percent,” Putin pointed out.
The Russian president also rejected comparisons between the attempts of the Ukrainian authorities in Kiev to suppress protests in eastern Ukraine with Russia’s own campaigns in the turbulent south of the country in the 2000s.
“The difference is immense. We were facing an aggression of international terrorist forces in the Northern Caucasus. Those were in fact organized well-trained gangs, which received foreign support and arms. That’s a big difference,” Putin stressed.
Putin reiterated his calls to European buyers of Russian natural gas to help Ukraine with its gas debt to Russia. He stressed that the May deadline, after which Gazprom would stop supplying gas to Ukraine, unless it is pre-paid, has nothing to do with the scheduled presidential election in Ukraine.
“It has nothing to do with the election. We don’t link economics with the political process in Ukraine. On April 7 we were just supposed to receive the money owed for gas supplied in April. And we waited in vain for that $525 million. Zero. Despite it being the lowest price with all discounts applied,” he said.

Obama administration delays decision on Keystone XL pipeline again


Students protesting against the proposed Keystone XL pipeline march to the residence of US Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington,DC on March 2, 2014 before going on to the White House. (AFP Photo / Nicholas Kamm)
Students protesting against the proposed Keystone XL pipeline march to the residence of US Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington,DC on March 2, 2014 before going on to the White House. (AFP Photo / Nicholas Kamm)
The Obama administration said Friday that it is giving federal agencies more time to assess a proposed trans-national pipeline, likely keeping a decision about the controversial Keystone XL project from being made anytime soon.
Both the Associated Press and Reuters reported that the decision to further delay any announcement about the project is expected to keep the Keystone pipeline’s future uncertain until after November, when several United States government positions will go up for grabs at mid-term elections.
The news came on Friday courtesy of the US Department of State, which has jurisdiction over the decision because the 1,200-mile pipeline, if completed, will cross America’s international boundary with Canada.
If the project is approved, the pipeline is expected to transport crude tar sands from Canada down towards the Gulf of Mexico. Environmentalists and other activists have largely opposed construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, however, while President Barack Obama has been criticized by opponents for not already approving a project that’s expected to create thousands of new jobs.
In the midst of a years-long debate, the State Dept. said that more time is required so that the agencies involved can sufficiently analyze the trove of submitted comments and evidence and make the best decision possible. So far, the project has been waiting on a permit from US officials for five years.
“On April 18, 2014, the Department of State notified the eight federal agencies specified in Executive Order 13337 we will provide more time for the submission of their views on the proposed Keystone Pipeline Project,” the department said in a statement. “Agencies need additional time based on the uncertainty created by the on-going litigation in the Nebraska Supreme Court which could ultimately affect the pipeline route in that state. In addition, during this time we will review and appropriately consider the unprecedented number of new public comments, approximately 2.5 million, received during the public comment period that closed on March 7, 2014.”
The court ruling cited by the State Dept. was made this past February in the District Court of Lancaster County, where Judge Stephanie Stacy said that the governor’s decision to let the $5.4 billion pipeline pass through Nebraska was "unconstitutional and void."
"The Permit process will conclude once factors that have a significant impact on determining the national interest of the proposed project have been evaluated and appropriately reflected in the decision documents," the State Department said on Friday.
The latest news comes only weeks after a group of 11 democratic senators wrote the White House urging Pres. Obama to make a final decision by May 31. Now just six weeks away, that deadline is believed to be all but impossible to meet.
“It is crystal clear that the Obama administration is simply not serious about American energy and American jobs,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) said in a statement on Friday. “I guess he wasn’t serious about having a pen and a phone, either. At a time of high unemployment in the Obama economy, it’s a shame that the administration has delayed the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline for years. Here’s the single greatest shovel-ready project in America – one that could create thousands of jobs right away – but the president simply isn’t interested.”
“Apparently radical activists carry more weight than Americans desperate to get back on the job,” added McConnell. "More jobs left behind in the Obama economy.”

Friday 18 April 2014

Putin says oil wars with Russia will make West bleed

Reuters / Henry Romero
Reuters / Henry Romero
Opportunities for the West to hurt the Russian economy are limited, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. Europe cannot stop buying Russian gas without inflicting pain on itself, and if the US tries to lower oil prices, the dollar will suffer.
If the West tries to damage Russia’s influence in the world energy market, efforts will likely backfire, the Russian President said during his twelfth annual televised question and answer session.
To really influence the world oil market a country would need to increase production and cut prices, which currently only Saudi Arabia could afford, Putin said.
The president added he didn’t expect Saudi Arabia, which has “very kind relations” with Russia, will choose to cut prices, that could also damage its own economy.
If world oil production increases, the price could go down to about $85 per barrel. “For us the price fall from $90 to $85 per barrel isn’t critical,” Putin said, adding that for Saudi Arabia it would be more sensitive.
Also the President said that being an OPEC member, Saudi Arabia would need to coordinate its action with the organization, which “is very complicated.”
Meanwhile, Russia supplies about a third of Europe's energy needs, said Putin. Finland, for example, is close to Russia economically, as it receives 70 percent of its gas from Russia.
“Can Europe stop buying Russian gas? I think it's impossible…Will they make themselves bleed? That's hard to imagine,” the Russian president said.

Since oil is sold internationally on global markets cutting the price would mean lower dollar circulation, diminishing its value in the global currency market.
"If prices decrease in the global market, the emerging shale industry will die,” Putin said.
The US shale industry has boosted domestic production, but President said that the so-called "shale revolution" was expensive and not quick to come.
Russia’s economy largely relies on energy. In 2013 more than 50 percent of the national budget was funded by gas and oil revenues. The main revenue comes from oil, as last year, oil revenues reached $191 billion, and gas $28 billion.
“Oil and gas revenues are a big contribution to the Russian budget, a big part for us when we decide on our government programs, and of course, meeting our social obligations,” the president said

Thursday 17 April 2014

Putin: 'We are not afraid of anyone


Putin: 'We are not afraid of anyone'. 52614.jpeg
Russian President Vladimir Putin began his traditional live communication with the Russians on Thursday noon. According to official data, Russian citizens submitted over 2.5 million questions through the Internet and on the phone. Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the main subjects of this year's call-in show would be about the Crimea and Ukraine. This televised communication with the nation is Putin's 12th.

A peculiar feature of this year's show is the expression of gratitude and support to the head of state, instead of questions.  "I have not seen any sign of protest or dissent, - said Peskov. - People just say it: "Thank you for the Crimea!" Many also ask what they can do to help, some others express a wish to participate in fundraising for the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait. This enthusiasm is evident in the total volume of calls - this is a very positive factor," the official said.

As for the situation in Ukraine, Putin said that after the decision of President Viktor Yanukovych to postpone the signing of the agreement with the EU, an unconstitutional coup occurred. Putin considers it extremely important to start the dialogue between the current Ukrainian authorities and the regions of this country.

The President expressed a hope that Kiev "will be able to understand, which snake pit the current government is taking the country to." "Today's leaders in Kiev come to the east, but with whom do they meet there? They meet with their appointees. What's the point of going to Donetsk then, if it is enough to ask them come to Kiev and to hold a meeting there? One should talk to people's representatives, with those, whom people trust," said Putin.

As for today's four-party talks in Geneva, Putin said that he considers the start of such negotiations a very important event. "It's important to think together about how to resolve the situation," he added, noting that Russia believes that this dialogue should be conducted primarily with the people of Ukraine. Putin reminded that Russia had proposed to invite representatives of eastern regions of Ukraine, who advocate federalism, to the meeting in Geneva.

There are no Russian military units in eastern Ukraine, Putin said. "All this is nonsense," he said.

According to Putin , there are neither "special services, nor instructors there." "All of them are local citizens. And the best proof of this is the fact that the people literally took off their masks." Putin said that he told that to Western partners. "They (the people of eastern Ukraine) have nowhere to go, they are not going anywhere. This land belongs to them,  they are the masters of this land, and one needs to talk to them."

The order from the current leaders of Ukraine to use tanks and aircraft in the east was a crime, Putin said. "Instead of realizing that there is something wrong happening in the Ukrainian state, instead of making attempts to conduct a dialogue, they began to threaten people with military force and reached the point, when they sent tanks and aircraft against civilians. This is another very serious crime of today's Kiev rulers," Putin said.

About reunification with the Crimea

Russia has never planned a military action in the Crimea. The country was ready to build a relationship in current geopolitical realities. Yet, Russia had to take action against the background of real threats to the Russian-speaking population, Putin said.

The President said that all members of the Security Council ща the Russian Federation supported his position on the inclusion of the Crimea to Russia. "Everyone in the Security Council, with whom I discussed this problem, supported my position. No one objected," said Putin. "All that was described as a plan of action was strictly executed, very professionally, quickly and decisively."

"Russia was not planning annexations or military actions in the Crimea. Russia was ready to build relations based on geo-political realities. The threats against the Russian-speaking population were concrete and tangible. This prompted the people of the Crimea to think about the future of the Crimea and turn to Russia for help and that is what we were guided with," said the head of state.

"When the situation of threats and harassment appeared, when the people of the Crimea started saying that they were seeking self-determination, then we started thinking what we should do. And it was then, not 5, 10 or 20 years ago, when the decision was taken to support the Crimeans," concluded the president.

Putin admitted that he was expecting the results of the referendum to be announced. When he learned about the wish of the overwhelming majority of the population of the peninsula to join Russia, the President made ​​the decision.

"Nothing had been prepared. Everything was done in a rush, as they say, on the basis of the current situation and actual requirements of the moment, but it was all executed highly professionally," Putin said. "Our task was not to use armed forces there. Our task was to ensure the safety of citizens and favorable conditions for expression of their will," said the president.

He is convinced that without the position of the Crimean residents, the reunification with the peninsula would have been impossible.

Responding to a question about young people with soldierly smartness in the Crimea, where they were politely referred to as "green men," the Russian president admitted that they were Russian military men.

He praised the professionalism of the Russian military men, which ensured security during the referendum in the Crimea.

" In conversations with my foreign counterparts, I was not trying to hide the fact that our task was to ensure conditions for free expression of will of local residents, so we had to take necessary measures not to let events develop they way they are developing now in the south-eastern part of Ukraine. There were measures taken to exclude the presence of combat nationalist units, individuals with extreme views, heavily armed with automatic weapons," Putin said.

"Behind the back of self-defense forces of the Crimea, there were our military men, and they were acting correctly, firmly and professionally," Putin said.

About Black Sea Navy

The president said that a significant part of the Black Sea Fleet would be redeployed from Novorossiysk to the city of Sevastopol. "We had certain agreements with Ukraine about the upgrade of the fleet, but, unfortunately, these arrangements were executed either very poorly or not executed at all, and we had big problems with the upgrade, - he said. - Today, there will be no such problems. And a significant part of modern ships and supply vessels will be redeployed from Novorossiysk to Sevastopol."

About Russians and Ukrainians

The Russian president is confident that it will be possible to find common grounds with Ukraine within the framework of interstate relations. "Even within the framework of international relations, I am sure we will find mutual understanding with Ukraine. And we're going anywhere without each other," he said.

Putin said that if Russians and Ukrainians love and respect each other, they "must find a way to understand each other." "As part of one family, it is maybe even easier to do that than in the framework of the state," he added.

The President also expressed his hope that Ukraine would realize that "Russia could not do otherwise in the Crimea." "If we treat each other with respect, we have to recognize each other's right to choose. The people, who live in Ukraine, have to respect the choice of those, who live in the Crimea," said the head of state.

Putin said that Russia had always been near Ukraine and will always remain near.

The President reminded of the assistance that Russia was providing to Ukraine for many years. "This assistance is expressed, if you convert it into money, in hundreds of billions of dollars," said Putin.

He added that the two countries have a lot of common interests. "If we want to be successful, we certainly need to cooperate and be together. This understanding will necessarily come to us, despite all emotional difficulties of today," said the president.

Russia will be rapidly introducing the ruble in the Crimea, to open ruble accounts and create a network of Russian banks. This will take a month, the president of the Russian Federation said.

"We will try to negotiate with the Ukrainian partners, but for the time being it's not working well," Putin said.

This situation, according to the head of state, " leaves no other choice but to move more rapidly to turn to the ruble."

The Russian President assured that Crimea and Sevastopol have a good potential for the development of not only tourism, but also industry, but this requires investment.

"The Crimea is tourism and recreation, but not only that. There is a good industrial and agricultural potential here, and we will be developing it," said the head of state.

He acknowledged that in comparison with 1990, agricultural production in the region fell by 60 percent. "Agriculture also needs more investment," concluded Putin.

About Yanukovych

In Kiev, an anti-state coup was committed in Kiev, in a classical sense of the word, Putin said, answering the question, how President Viktor Yanukovych could flee the country.

"I do not agree with those who say that he fled," said Putin. According to him, Yanukovych was forced to leave Kiev. "He did not just escape from Kiev - he went to regions, and as soon as he moved from Kiev to the region, and took Interior Ministry troops out from the capital, they took the building of the presidential administration and the government and committed the coup in the classical sense of the word," the president said.

Yanukovych, Putin said, proceeded from the fact that the agreement with the opposition had been reached, when he signed the agreement of February 21, in which Foreign Ministers of Poland, France and Germany acted as guarantors.

"The agreement said that he was not going to use the army and military force. He was supposed to withdraw the troops of the Internal Affairs Ministry, including Berkut special unit, from the capital, and the opposition was supposed to free the seized government buildings, dismantle barricades and disarm its people," said Putin.

Yanukovych agreed to early parliamentary elections, he agreed to return to the constitution from 2004 and hold presidential elections in December of this year.

"If they had asked him, he, I think, would have agreed to hold the presidential vote in a month or so. But no - as soon as he took the Ministry of Internal Affairs division from the capital, the coup took place."

"Why was this done, why was it necessary to act so unprofessionally, so stupid, to throw the country into a state in which it is today - I do not understand, and no one has the answer to that," said Putin.

According to him, Berkut fighters carried out their duty honestly and professionally. "They deserve unconditional respect. But ultimately, what happened to you, and what they do now to your colleagues in Kiev - all this will backfire for the Ukrainian state. One should never humiliate the fighters, who defend the interests of the state. One should never defame them, make them kneel, or deprive them of medical care when they are in hospital," said Putin.

The President noted that he was aware of the fact that hospitalized Berkut employees were no longer provided with food. "We have appealed to the Kiev authorities several times saying that we are willing to accommodate all those fighters in Russian hospitals, but we do not get any response," said Putin.

About Russia and China

Answering the question of whether Russia was going to enter into any alliance with China, the Russian president said that the relationship of trust and cooperation between the two countries, including approaches to international issues, have been at an unprecedented level.

"As for our relations with the People's Republic of China, they are developing very successfully and remain on an unprecedented high level, both the level of trust and the level of cooperation. This touches upon the political sphere, our common approach to the assessment of the international situation and security in the world," the Russian leader said.

According to him, Russia and China will continue to show significant influence on the entire system of international relations. However, despite the unprecedented level of trust and cooperation, Russia does not raised the question of the establishment of a military-political alliance with PCR, because the bloc system has become obsolete, Putin said.

"Russian-Chinese relations will remain a significant factor in world politics, and they will significantly influence the modern architecture of international relations. The two countries have never had such a trusting relationship in the military sphere," he said.

"We are natural neighbors, and in this sense and to a certain extent, we are natural allies. We did not raise the question of the formation of some kind of a military- political union," Putin said, answering the question about the possibility of creating such an alliance with China.

"Actually, I think that the bloc system of the world has long outlived itself," said the president of the Russian Federation.

"NATO was once created in opposition to the Soviet Union and the Soviet-led policy in Eastern Europe. In response, the Warsaw Pact was drawn up. Then the Soviet Union ceased to exist, but NATO remained. They keep telling us that NATO changes and becomes a more political organization. However, no one cancels Article 5 of the Washington treaty on NATO collective defense. This article is just about mutual military support."

About the possibility to deploy Russian troops in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin believes that one must proceed from the fact that the ethnic composition of the Crimea differs from the south-east of Ukraine. He expressed a hope that he would not have to use the right to use Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

"After all, let's face it, the national and ethnic composition of the Crimea differs from that in the south-east of Ukraine, and those territories were transferred to Ukraine in the mid 1920s , and then up to 1954, when, for some reason, the Crimea was given to Ukraine. The ethnic composition is approximately 50x50. And I have already said that the final decision on the return of the Crimea to the Russian Federation was adopted only on the results of the referendum," explained the president.

"I remind you that the Federation Council of Russia granted the president the right to use armed forces in Ukraine. I very much hope that I do not have to exercise this right, that political and diplomatic means will be able to solve all these problems of today's Ukraine," said Putin.

About Moldova and Transnistria

According to Putin, Moldova and Ukraine should immediately lift the blockade of Transnistria. Nationalist militias have already approached the territory of the region, he said.

"This is one of the most difficult problems we inherited after the collapse of the USSR. The population there counts over half a million people, and the people share pro-Russian views. The number of Russian citizens is large. People have their own idea of ​​how they can build their future, their own destiny. And this is nothing but a manifestation of democracy, if we let them do what they want," said the Russian leader.

Revisiting the question of the Crimea, Putin stressed out that Russia did not take the territory by force.

"Russia did not annex the Crimea by force. Russia created conditions - with the use, of course, special groups and armed forces - but we only created conditions for the people living in the Crimea and Sevastopol to express their will freely," he said.

Pensioner Faina Ivanovna asked the president whether Russia was going to return  Alaska, which was sold to the United States.

"Faina Ivanovna, my dear, why do you need Alaska? - Putin said in response . - We are a northern country. Seventy percent of our territory refers to areas of the North and Far North. Alaska - is it in the southern hemisphere. It's cold there too, let's not overreact."

"By the way, Alaska was sold, in think, in the 19th century. The French sold Louisiana to the United States around the same time. Thousands of square kilometers were sold for $7.2 million, although gold. Now we can calculate the equivalent, of course, but it's inexpensive," Putin said.

Putin said he knows the Russian joke when Alaska is referred to as "Ice-Crimea."

About Ukraine's gas debt

Putin gave Ukraine a month to pay for gas, or else the Ukrainians will have to pay in advance.

"If over the next month no payment will come, in accordance with the contract, we will switch to prepayment," said Putin. "This means that Ukraine will have to pay us the money for one month ahead, and we will deliver them just as much as they pay for," said the president.

"This is a very difficult method of settlement, and it can lead to disruptions in the transit of our gas to European consumers," said Putin. " That's why we display such negotiability and patience," he added. "We can do it today, but I said, we'll wait."

"We will wait another month," the president repeated." We do not insist on immediate payment, we understand the difficulties of Ukraine, but we ask you to join us in this work, to participate in the rescue of the Ukrainian economy," he said.

Russia's decision to reunite with the Crimea is partly due to the threat of Ukraine's  entry to NATO, the Russian president acknowledged.

"When military infrastructure is getting closer to our borders, we have to take retaliatory steps," he said. "The decision of the Crimea was partly connected with it," Putin said.

"If NATO troops entered the Crimea, they would put up attack systems there, and then Russia would be squeezed out of the Black Sea region," he explained. "This is really squeezing Russia out of this very important region of the world, for which so many Russian people have died over many centuries," the president added.

When Russian journalist Dmitry Kiselyov asked Putin about NATO's aggressive policy, which, as he said, gives him the feeling of being strangled, (the journalist demonstrated it by putting his hands on his throat), Putin called on the journalist to have a realistic view of things.

"You described the realities very vividly, gave us shudders. "We will strangle all ourselves, what are you so afraid of? We have no fear, I do not have any, and no one should have fear. But we must proceed from reality," Putin said.

The president said that NATO countries have repeatedly stated that they would not expand the bloc, but subsequently failed to keep promises.

"I used to ask them: " Why are you doing this? What's the point? To ensure the security of these countries? Do you think someone will attack these countries? Okay, but it would be enough to conclude a bilateral treaty of friendship and mutual assistance, including military assistance, and security of these countries will be ensured," said the president of the Russian Federation.

In response, he said, he heard: "It doesn't concern you. Peoples and countries have the right to choose a way to ensure their safety. This is true. But it is also true that when infrastructure of a military bloc moves towards our borders, it raises concerns and questions with us. We must take some steps in response. It's also true, and no one can refuse us in this," Putin said.

There will be no "Iron Curtain" with the West, said Putin. "The Iron Curtain is a Soviet invention. This is an internal event. We are not going to close our country, people and society from anyone," said Putin.

He also answered "no" to the question whether he agreed to remain president for life.

During the conference, he personally handpicked a few questions  that people had sent in advance. One of them said: "Vladimir Vladimirovich, do you agree to be president for life?"  "No," Putin said laconically.

When asked about the possibility of the visit to the United States, Putin said: "Our American colleagues have decided to suspend these contacts, but I hope that in due time all will fall into place."

Putin pointed out that the United States is, of course, one of the world leaders, but at some point it seemed to the States that they are the only leaders. "Today, it appears that they are not. Everything in the world is interdependent. And if one tries to punish someone, like mischievous kids, cutting them off at the knees, hurting them, then in the end they will shoot themselves in the foot. Someday, the understanding of this will come, of course," the Russian president said, commenting on the Western sanctions.

"We are partners with the United States. And I hope that we have good future for the development of relations," Putin said.

Putin also said that Russia does not intend to engage in self-imposed isolation, nor does it insist on the membership in international organizations. "We often face a lack of understanding of our position, and sometimes even reluctance to understand it. We will not insist on staying in some international organizations, especially if they are not able to show independence and formulate their own views on the key issues of international development," Putin said.

"We will not stage walkouts either. We will work quietly," he said answering a question from one of the guests in the room, who wondered whether it was time for Russia to pull out from several international organizations, in particular, from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, against the background of threats of exclusion and deprivation of the right to vote in connection with the events in Ukraine.

"With regard to PACE, we pay fees there, quite large fees. If they do not want to see us there, well, we do not lose anything from that. But, in general, we are not going to engage in self-isolation,"  said the head of state

Ruble strengthening as Putin says no Russian troops in eastern Ukraine


The Russian currency started to strengthen against the dollar on Thursday after President Vladimir Putin said claims that Russian forces were present in eastern Ukraine were “rubbish.” The ruble is 35.86 against the dollar, 13 kopecks less than previous closing, Interfax reported. The euro stood at 49.69 rubles, losing 3.5 kopecks. The bi-currency price ($0.55 and euro 0.45) decreased by 8.5 kopecks to 42.08 rubles.

​Saudi blogger sentenced to 15 years behind bars

A Special Criminal Court in the capital of Riyadh found 26-year-old Fadhel al-Manasef guilty of incitement and participation in demonstrations, writing articles against state security and posting them online. He was sentenced to 15 years in jail, barred from traveling abroad for 15 years after his release, and also fined 100,000 riyals ($26,700). Manasef denied the charges and his lawyer plans to appeal the verdict. Manasef has been in detention in a jail in Dammam since October 2011. He was convicted in three cases that date back to 2009.

Putin: 'Nonsense - no Russian troops, special services in east Ukraine'

Putin: 'Nonsense - no Russian troops, special services in east Ukraine'

Russian president Vladimir Putin (RIA Novosti / Alexey Nikolsky)
Russian president Vladimir Putin (RIA Novosti / Alexey Nikolsky)
“This is nonsense, there are no Russian troops in the east of Ukraine,” Vladimir Putin said, adding that the Kiev government should talk to the local residents to tackle the problem, not send in tanks to deal with it.
"All the people that are in the eastern Ukraine are local residents, and the main proof is that they've taken their masks off - literally. It's their home, and they have nowhere to leave to," Putin stressed.
President also criticized the coup-imposed Kiev government's actions.
“Instead of recognizing that something wrong is happening in the Ukrainian state and making an attempt to have dialogue, they started to threaten the people with force and went as far as moving their tanks and planes on to the civilian population. It’s another very serious crime by the Kiev leaders,” Putin said.
The Russian president said the Kiev government should negotiate with those people, not with their henchmen.
When asked who the people wearing green uniforms that were noticed in Crimea were, Putin answered that those were self-defense squads.
However, during the referendum itself, there were concerns that it could be disrupted, so there were Russian troops behind the self-defense squads to prevent the escalation of the situation and any provocations, president added.
President Putin is holding his annual Q&A session with the Russian people, amid record approval ratings.
The Q&A session comes as 71 percent Russians say they trust Putin completely or almost completely.
Residents of Moscow, the Volga Region and northwestern Russia have been the most active in sending in questions so far.
The majority of questions come from pensioners. The second place is occupied by people from 35 to 55 years old. Some of those who called just said they wanted to support the president and his position on Ukraine, Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.
Last year, the Q&A session with the President lasted for almost five hours

Today in History

1961

Supported by the U.S. government, 1,500 exiles made the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba

1895

The Sino-Japanese War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki.

First Borey-Class Strategic Sub Ready for Combat Patrols - Russian Navy


"Yury Dolgoruky"
GADZHIYEVO (Murmansk region), April 16 (RIA Novosti) – The first Borey-class ballistic missile submarine could be put on combat duty this year after taking weaponry on board, a senior Russian Navy commander said Wednesday.
"Upon receiving new weapons on board this year, the Yury Dolgoruky submarine will be ready to perform its duties," said Rear Admiral Alexander Moiseev, commander of the submarine forces of the Northern Fleet.
The Yury Dolgoruky joined the Northern Fleet in January 2013 while the second Borey-class boat, the Alexander Nevsky, was commissioned by the Navy in December last year.
The third boat, the Vladimir Monomakh, is undergoing sea and state trials, and the fourth Borey-class submarine, the Knyaz Vladimir, has been under construction at the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia since July 2012.
© RIA Novosti.
The Borey is Russia’s first post-Soviet ballistic missile submarine class and will form the mainstay of the strategic submarine fleet, replacing aging Typhoon, Delta-3 and Delta-4 class boats. Russia expects eight Borey-class submarines to enter service by 2020.
The new Borey-class boats, with a length of nearly two football fields, can carry sixteen Bulava missiles, each fitted with up to 10 independently-targetable nuclear warheads.
Ballistic missile submarines comprise one leg of Russia’s strategic nuclear triad along with land-based ICBMs and the bomber force

The knight Putin and the mad dragon of the West


 
The knight Putin and the mad dragon of the West. 52422.jpeg
Vladimir Putin looks nowadays like a quiet knight who knows not exactly how to deal with a mad dragon. It is obvious that for western generals and commentators, history is always a story told by an idiot, full of sound and fury and signifying nothing. Since 1854 (first war of Crimea, again against Russia) and 1865 (American civil war) the enigmatic, plutocratic and democratic west regularly needs cruel, local and world wars in order to comfort the power of the banksters. Like Mammon or Moloch the West needs human sacrifices: since 1913 the West is never Fed up! Anywhere a war to earn money! No alibi for Libya!
Following the Brzezinski dark agenda, NATO meant to destroy Eurasia and to turn the Black Sea into a private lake. But this story told by an idiot (western media system) is not so far full of sound and fury and it is meaning something. Ukraine is being looted by an oligarch and his clique, the Western Cerberus barks and Russia has recuperated her land and people.
The western fascist coup in Ukraine has so far been surrealistic; it brings misery and destabilization and it gives Crimea to Russia without a shotgun, in full harmony with the will of free citizen.Russia has won Crimea, and the West has won the Ukrainian huge debt! How much shall we have to pay, thirty billion, two-hundred billions? Ukraine has a huge debt like Spain or Portugal, yet the Ukrainians have nothing; that is the Machiavellian logic of the banksters who ruled our apathetic opinions and people. And the West may have to pay the fantastic bill of gas unless it wants to let freeze his protégé. In arming a barbaric and nihilistic putsch ruled by fascists, imbeciles and oligarchs, prepared too by evangelistic churches and an eternal agenda hostile to the Orthodox Church, the West has created another kind of Arab spring  (the dumb spring?) which may have rude and painful consequences for its distracted taxpayers.
The obscene flow of media lies about Ukraine and Putin has been completely insane too. It seems that these enchaining channels film and comment for themselves only and keep under hypnosis only the corrupted and unable string-pullers and bureaucrats who design such misdeeds.
Let us allude another time about our knight and our mad dragon. For many patriotic and responsible minds in Europe, Vladimir Putin is the solution. "The West" is the problem, and it has been the problem since centuries now.
Putin wants the construction of Europe, a Europe built on nation-states, and the West wants the annihilation of Europe under the laws, under the bombs, under the debts and under immigration. The West wants too the destruction of our past, of our history and it wipes out our memories, fabricating new ones, like if we were programmed dummies. The future will say us if the poetic statement of Angela Merkel about Vladimir Putin ("he lives in another world") forecasts us a better future or if the mad dragon will unclench a last disaster.

Deadly clashes at Ukraine port base as leaders meet

Ukrainian attack helicopters buzzed villagers in Kramatorsk, but the army eventually had to give up, as Daniel Sandford reports
Three people were killed in a raid on a base in eastern Ukraine overnight, the country's interior minister says, as the US, Russia, the EU and Ukraine begin crisis talks in Geneva.
The three pro-Russian separatists were killed in a clash with Ukrainian forces in Mariupol, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said on Facebook.
The Geneva meeting is the first such gathering since the crisis escalated.
The West says Russia is aiding the pro-Russian activists occupying buildings.
Tensions escalated last month when Russia annexed Crimea, causing international outrage. Unrest later spread to Donetsk region, another mainly Russian-speaking area. It is Europe's worst crisis since the Cold War.
About 300 separatists attacked a military unit in Mariupol near the Azov Sea, throwing petrol bombs. Troops opened fire, killing three, Mr Avakov said.
Reinforcements The operation is continuing - Ukraine has sent in reinforcements including helicopters. There was no independent confirmation of his statement.
According to Mr Avakov, 13 of the attackers were wounded and so far 63 have been detained. He said none of the interior ministry troops had been killed.
It is the heaviest casualty toll in any single incident so far in eastern Ukraine.
Man wounded in Mariupol clash, 16 Apr 14 A man wounded in the clash in Mariupol is given first aid
Map: Eastern Ukraine
Mariupol is in the far south of Donetsk region, where separatists have seized dozens of official buildings.
Ukrainian SBU special forces have gone to the aid of the interior ministry troops in Mariupol and armoured vehicles have gone into the city from places nearby, Ukraine's Unian news agency reports.
Retreating separatists reportedly wounded two passers-by, set a minibus ablaze and also set fire to a building next to the military garrison.
"Through joint efforts by the armed police and national guard the attacking gang was dispersed after a short battle, most of them were cornered and disarmed," Mr Avakov said.
"Because it was such an aggressive attack on a military unit - an interior ministry group - we decided to reinforce them with Omega special forces. Helicopters have been deployed."
Ukraine will be a key issue when Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks in a live phone-in programme, due to be televised from 12:00 (08:00 GMT). He will answer questions from citizens across the country - including for the first time Crimea.
Ukraine's "anti-terrorist" operation is looking more and more a non-event - or worse, an outright fiasco.
Kiev officials have admitted they have no time to lose to extinguish the growing insurrection in the country's east.
But the decision to send the army in has so far backfired terribly.
The soldiers have been helpless and obviously unhappy with being deployed against crowds of civilians.
Ukraine's new leaders are under a great amount of pressure - not just from the Kremlin and the pro-Russian activists, but from their own supporters, outraged at their government's inability to stem the separatist tide.
Right now, everything has been thrown into doubt - even the future of this government and of Ukraine itself.
The biggest question is what will follow.
Russia's annexation of Crimea has fuelled concern that other parts of eastern Ukraine could also break away from Kiev's control and join Russia.
US accuses Russia US President Barack Obama has warned Russia against support for further action by armed pro-Russian groups.
"What I have said consistently is that each time Russia takes these kinds of steps that are designed to destabilise Ukraine and violate their sovereignty, that there are going to be consequences," he said.
Reports say that the White House is considering a package of non-lethal aid for the Ukrainian military. This may include clothing and medical supplies.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's military operation against separatists has hit obstacles.
Called an "anti-terrorist" operation by the Kiev government, it started on Tuesday and is designed to dislodge pro-Russia gunmen from local authority buildings in a swathe of cities and towns in eastern Ukraine.
Pro-Russian activists want referendums on greater autonomy for the south-east or the right to join the Russian Federation.
But in several districts, Ukrainian troops met vehement opposition on Wednesday from pro-Russia supporters, who object to the new government in Kiev.
In the city of Kramatorsk, six military vehicles were commandeered on Wednesday by gunmen, who disarmed the Ukrainian soldiers and sent some of them home on buses.
Daniel Sandford in Sloviansk gets up close to a Ukrainian armoured vehicle which was "rebranded" with a Russian flag
One Ukrainian officer said he had not "come to fight" and would never obey orders to shoot his "own people".
In another incident, several hundred residents of Pchyolkino, south of Sloviansk, surrounded a column of 14 Ukrainian military vehicles.
After the crowd was reinforced by pro-Russian gunmen, negotiations ensued and the troops were allowed to drive their vehicles away, but only after agreeing to surrender the magazines from their assault rifles.
The foreign ministers of the US, EU, Ukraine and Russia will begin talks shortly in Geneva.
The US and the EU want an end to the occupations in eastern Ukraine and for the estimated 40,000-strong Russian forces massed near the Ukrainian border to pull back.
Ukrainian army soldiers on combat vehicles blocked by people outside Kramatorsk on Wednesday, 16 April 2014 Troops conducting Kiev's military operation in the east met opposition in several districts
Pro-Russian gunmen in eastern Ukraine, 16 April 2014 Pro-Russian gunmen seized Ukrainian military vehicles and took them to Sloviansk
US Secretary of State John Kerry arriving in Geneva, 16 April 2014 John Kerry arrives in Geneva where it will be difficult to bridge the gap with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov
A US official, speaking as Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Geneva, stressed that Russia must "take this opportunity to de-escalate" or face a tightening of sanctions.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andriy Deshchytsya, called on Russia "not to support terrorist activities in eastern Ukraine."
As if to further illustrate the gulf between the West and Russia over the crisis, Russia's foreign ministry accused Washington of "the persistent unwillingness or inability to see reality as it is in fact, and in a striving to impose on the rest of the world a distorted perception of what is happening in southeast Ukraine."
Nato's announcement is about reassuring worried allies in the Baltic republics and central Europe, as well as signalling to Moscow that when it comes to the alliance's core business - the defence of its members' territory - Nato is as vigilant as ever.
Air patrols over the Baltic republics are to be stepped up; Nato warships will deploy to the eastern Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea.
And on land, staff officers will be dispatched to oversee an enhanced programme of exercises and preparedness in the countries most concerned.
Nato will also review and reinforce its defence plans. In the longer term additional deployments may well be made. Nato sources indicate that this is only the first step of several that could be taken if the relationship with Russia sours further.
Russia, which strongly opposed the ousting of Ukraine's pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych in February, has proposed a new constitution which devolves more power to the regions.
Expectations for the talks are low, says the BBC's Gavin Hewitt in Geneva.
Nato Russia's stance over eastern Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea continue to cause concern in Nato member countries with large Russian-speaking minorities, such as Latvia and Estonia.
So Nato announced on Wednesday that it was beefing up its eastern members' defences.
In Brussels, Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen promised "more planes in the air, more ships on the water, more readiness on the land".

Magnitude 5.3 earthquake hits southern Iran

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake has jolted a sparsely populated district in the south of Iran, state TV said. The quake struck in Shonbeh on Thursday morning, at 04:01am local time (Wednesday 23:31 GMT), AP reported. No injuries were reported after the moderate quake.

I'm confused, can anyone help me? seriously am also confused

An anti-government protester waves a flag in front of the seized office of the SBU state security service in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine April 14, 2014. (Reuters / Shamil Zhumatov)
An anti-government protester waves a flag in front of the seized office of the SBU state security service in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine April 14, 2014. (Reuters / Shamil Zhumatov)
I'm confused. A few weeks ago we were told in the West that people occupying government buildings in Ukraine was a very good thing. These people, we were told by our political leaders and elite media commentators, were 'pro-democracy protestors'.
The US government warned the Ukrainian authorities against using force against these 'pro-democracy protestors' even if, according to the pictures we saw, some of them were neo-Nazis who were throwing Molotov cocktails and other things at the police and smashing up statues and setting fire to buildings.
Now, just a few weeks later, we're told that people occupying government buildings in Ukraine are not 'pro-democracy protestors' but 'terrorists' or 'militants'.
Why was the occupation of government buildings in Ukraine a very good thing in January, but it is a very bad thing in April? Why was the use of force by the authorities against protestors completely unacceptable in January, but acceptable now? I repeat: I'm confused. Can anyone help me?

Pro-Russian activists gather outside the secret service building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk on April 14, 2014. (AFP Photo / Dimitar Dilkoff)
Pro-Russian activists gather outside the secret service building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk on April 14, 2014. (AFP Photo / Dimitar Dilkoff)
The anti-government protestors in Ukraine during the winter received visits from several prominent Western politicians, including US Senator John McCain, and Victoria Nuland, from the US State Department, who handed out cookies. But there have been very large anti-government protests in many Western European countries in recent weeks, which have received no such support, either from such figures or from elite Western media commentators. Nor have protestors received free cookies from officials at the US State Department.
Surely if they were so keen on anti-government street protests in Europe, and regarded them as the truest form of 'democracy', McCain and Nuland would also be showing solidarity with street protestors in Madrid, Rome, Athens and Paris? I'm confused. Can anyone help me?

A thousand people gather in front of fences blocking the street leading to the Spain's parliament (Las Cortes) during an anti-government demonstration in Madrid (AFP Photo / Javier Soriano)
A thousand people gather in front of fences blocking the street leading to the Spain's parliament (Las Cortes) during an anti-government demonstration in Madrid (AFP Photo / Javier Soriano)
A few weeks ago I saw an interview with the US Secretary of State John Kerry who said, “You just don't invade another country on phony pretexts in order to assert your interests.” But I seem to recall the US doing just that on more than one occasion in the past 20 years or so.
Have I misremembered the 'Iraq has WMDs claim'? Was I dreaming back in 2002 and early 2003 when politicians and neocon pundits came on TV every day to tell us plebs that we had to go to war with Iraq because of the threat posed by Saddam's deadly arsenal? Why is having a democratic vote in Crimea on whether to rejoin Russia deemed worse than the brutal, murderous invasion of Iraq – an invasion which has led to the deaths of up to 1 million people? I'm confused. Can anyone help me?

AFP Photo / Pool / Mario Tama
AFP Photo / Pool / Mario Tama
We were also told by very serious-looking Western politicians and media 'experts' that the Crimea referendum wasn't valid because it was held under “military occupation.” But I've just been watching coverage of elections in Afghanistan, held under military occupation, which have been hailed by leading western figures, such as NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen as a “historic moment for Afghanistan” and a great success for “democracy.” Why is the Crimean vote dismissed, but the Afghanistan vote celebrated? I'm confused. Can anyone help me?

An Afghan policeman keeps watch as Afghan voters line up to vote at a local polling station in Ghazni on April 5, 2014. (AFP Photo / Rahmatullah Alizadah)
An Afghan policeman keeps watch as Afghan voters line up to vote at a local polling station in Ghazni on April 5, 2014. (AFP Photo / Rahmatullah Alizadah)
Syria too is rather baffling. We were and are told that radical Islamic terror groups pose the greatest threat to our peace, security and our 'way of life' in the West. That Al-Qaeda and other such groups need to be destroyed: that we needed to have a relentless 'War on Terror' against them. Yet in Syria, our leaders have been siding with such radical groups in their war against a secular government which respects the rights of religious minorities, including Christians.
When the bombs of Al-Qaeda or their affiliates go off in Syria and innocent people are killed there is no condemnation from our leaders: their only condemnation has been of the secular Syrian government which is fighting radical Islamists and which our leaders and elite media commentators are desperate to have toppled. I'm confused. Can anyone help me?

AFP Photo / Amr Radwan Al-Homsi
AFP Photo / Amr Radwan Al-Homsi
Then there's gay rights. We are told that Russia is a very bad and backward country because it has passed a law against promoting homosexuality to minors. Yet our leaders who boycotted the Winter Olympics in Sochi because of this law visit Gulf states where homosexuals can be imprisoned or even executed, and warmly embrace the rulers there, making no mention of the issue of gay rights.
Surely the imprisonment or execution of gay people is far worse than a law which forbids promotion of homosexuality to minors? Why, if they are genuinely concerned about gay rights, do our leaders attack Russia and not countries that imprison or execute gay people? I'm confused. Can anyone help me?

US President Barack Obama shakes hands with King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia (AFP Photo / Saul Loeb)
US President Barack Obama shakes hands with King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia (AFP Photo / Saul Loeb)
We are told in lots of newspaper articles that the Hungarian ultra-nationalist party Jobbik is very bad and that its rise is a cause of great concern, even though it is not even in the government, or likely to be. But neo-Nazis and ultra-nationalists do hold positions in the new government of Ukraine, which our leaders in the West enthusiastically support and neo-Nazis and the far-right played a key role in the overthrow of Ukraine's democratically elected government in February, a ‘revolution’ cheered on by the West. Why are ultra-nationalists and far-right groups unacceptable in Hungary but very acceptable in Ukraine? I'm confused. Can anyone help me?

Chairman of the far-right parliamentary JOBBIK (Better) party Gabor Vona (C) reacts for the result of the parliamentary election with his party members at Budapest Congress Center in Budapest on April 6, 2014. (AFP Photo / Peter Kohalmi)
Chairman of the far-right parliamentary JOBBIK (Better) party Gabor Vona (C) reacts for the result of the parliamentary election with his party members at Budapest Congress Center in Budapest on April 6, 2014. (AFP Photo / Peter Kohalmi)
We are told that Russia is an aggressive, imperialist power and that NATO's concerns are about opposing the Russian ‘threat’. But I looked at the map the other day and while I could see lots of countries close to (and bordering) Russia that were members of NATO, the US-led military alliance whose members have bombed and attacked many countries in the last 15 years, I could not see any countries close to America that were part of a Russian-military alliance, or any Russian military bases or missiles situated in foreign countries bordering or close to the US. Yet Russia, we are told, is the ‘aggressive one’. I'm confused. Can anyone help me?

Kiev wants to spark war between NATO(north atlantic terrorist organization) and Russia’

‘Kiev wants to spark war between NATO and Russia’


Ukrainian servicemen look at a Ukrainian military jet fly above them while they sit on top of armoured personnel carriers in Kramatorsk April 16, 2014. (Reuters/Maks Levin)
Ukrainian servicemen look at a Ukrainian military jet fly above them while they sit on top of armoured personnel carriers in Kramatorsk April 16, 2014. (Reuters/Maks Levin)
The interim president of Ukraine Turchinov wants to beat the Russians into intervening and provoke war between NATO and Russia, as it’s the only reason he can hold power, foreign affairs analyst Daniel Patrick Welch told RT.
RT: Russia has called Kiev's action irresponsible and warned that it could trigger a full-blown civil war. How far do you see the situation going?
Daniel Patrick Welch: I think it depends completely upon whether Turchinov wants to push this to the end. The dangerous thing is that the point of it is that he wants to bait the Russians into intervening and spark of war between NATO and Russia because that’s the only reason Turchinov can hold power and not to scurry back to Italy.
RT: The White House has praised Kiev's crackdown of the protesters saying that the authorities were acting with restraint. Do you agree with that?
DW: No, of course, it’s silly. There is an old joke about the state secretary: “How can you tell that John Kerry is lying? Because his lips are moving.” He is paid to do that. I don’t blame him personally, but it’s hard to respond to lies when they are so huge and there are so many of them.
This is an absolute horror, it is a horrific thing to do to one's own people and there is nothing about restraint in this entire thing. Turchinov has taken the rump parliament of a rump state and a rump military. Anyone who is willing to still follow his orders and order them to kill their own people - it's abysmal, and Kerry is either shameless or has no short-term memory or both, because this is what they were trying to counsel Yanukovich to do just a several weeks ago.
RT: At the same time the US State Department says Kiev's actions are only aimed at bringing peace to the region. Do you think interim authorities will succeed with that?
DW: No, there is absolutely no question. What the fascists have done is cast the die that means the internal division of Ukraine. They have absolutely made the decision that they don’t care that the country will be split. The eastern population - and this is not just in the east, this is rumbling to the west as well, but more over in the east - they can’t pacify a region that doesn't want to be because they are dealing with a fallacy, they have allowed the CIA to tell them that this is just foreign agents, this is all Russian agents. And you can see it on YouTube, you can see it everywhere with people facing off against troops, saying "We are terrorists." “Are we terrorists? Are we foreign agents?” They can’t kill everyone, and this all is only going to get worse as far as they push.

Ukrainian soldiers drive on an airborne combat vehicle near Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine April 16, 2014. (Reuters/Marko Djurica)
Ukrainian soldiers drive on an airborne combat vehicle near Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine April 16, 2014. (Reuters/Marko Djurica)
RT: The CIA director visited Ukraine over the weekend. What do you think was the purpose of his visit?
DW: He gave Turchinov the go-ahead, basically. The string pullers of the junta told them what to do and now they are doing, that’s what I think the significance is, and that’s outrageous and immoral and a flagrant violation of the international law for them to say that Russia is interfering. The head of the Central Intelligence Agency just went, secretly by the way, under an assumed name, and met with the State Security Council and gave them the go-ahead to start this massacre. Then they have the gut to accuse another nation of interfering. You know, Orwell couldn’t have made a better script.
RT: Russia has called on the UN to condemn the escalation in the East of Ukraine. What response can we expect?
DW: We can expect nothing, unfortunately. The UN has shown itself through allowing itself to be manipulated in the crisis in Libya, in Syria and in Venezuela, as being virtual puppets of the Western regimes and they seem to be buying lock, stock and barrel. The notion that it was a peaceful demonstration that arouse to ouster dictator, so they have to protect the people – it’s standing history and truth on its head. Unfortunately, I don’t think the UN is going to help the situation at all.
RT: Would you like to see the UN more actively involved in brokering talks to end the crisis in Ukraine?
DW: Absolutely they should be. If the UN was a genuine body representing the world and its peoples and was truly interested in peace, then it would certainly be the form in which talks could proceed. They desperately need to, because the CIA-backed junta is not going to do it on its own, they are not going to come to the table. They are going to keep killing and keep destroying till something or someone makes them. It would be great if that would be the UN.
I think what they will do is side with the junta. That’s the impression that I’m getting. What is happening is that the junta is basically a bunch of lunatics and they need to be stopped, and the UN will refuse to do that, so anything that they will do if they try to intervene on the side of NATO, for example, and do what Turchinov asks that is to join his army in anti-terrorist operations (he thinks in 1950s and this is Korea), then Russia and China will probably pause with veto any such action. In other way the West will block it. So I see it as a stalemate at the UN.

Wednesday 16 April 2014

​Four anti-govt protesters shot while rallying near Ukrainian military base - report

Four people have reportedly been injured by gunfire in a confrontation between anti-Maidan protesters and soldiers stationed at an Interior Ministry base in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. A group of several dozen protesters arrived at the base, located in the turbulent Donetsk region, on Wednesday evening.
They called on the troops to abandon the base, but the soldiers didn't listen, the demonstrators said.
Instead, the troops opened fire at the protesters, injuring at least four people. One of them took a bullet in his chest and is in serious condition, according to protesters.
Some local media claimed the protesters were armed with Molotov cocktails, which they used in the confrontation, but no evidence of this was immediately available.
Unconfirmed reports put the number of casualties higher, with four people killed and as many as 12 injured. Protester chatter blames unidentified provocateurs for triggering the shooting.
Local residents report military jets flying over the city.
Dotetsk region has been gripped by anti-Maidan protests since last week, with activists seizing a number of governmental buildings in several cities and towns.
Kiev's coup-imposed authorities announced an 'anti-terrorist operation' involving military units against the protesters, but have so far had little success in the crackdown.

NATO to deploy ships, intensify Baltic & Mediterranean patrols 'due to Ukraine crisis'


NATO is strengthening its military presence in the Baltic and Mediterranean due to the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis. The organization is to deploy ships and intensified aerial patrols in the region.

At a meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in Brussels, NATO approved a number of measures to strengthen security in Eastern Europe in connection with the growing crisis in Ukraine.

“Our defense plans will be revised and strengthened,” said Anders Rasmussen, Secretary General of NATO, to press in Brussels.

He added that NATO had not yet reached a decision about the possible deployment of troops in Eastern Europe.

“Today we agreed on a number of measures that can be implemented quickly. But more work needs to be done,” said Rasmussen. Elaborating on the measures that are to be taken, Rasmussen said that air policing aircraft will fly more sorties over the Baltic region and NATO ships would be deployed in the Baltic Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.

“We all agree that a political solution is the only way forward,” Rasmussen told press. “We call on Russia to be part of the solution.”

In addition, he accused Russia of destabilizing Ukraine and amassing its troops along the country’s borders. He called on Moscow to “make clear” it does not support the violent actions of armed militia and pro-Russian separatists.

NATO has already been stepping up its presence in the region. Several warships have been deployed in the Black Sea over the last few days. They include the US missile destroyer Donald Cook, which carries helicopters and a crew of 300 and two more attack vessels.

Moscow has repeatedly denied Western allegations that it has a hand in the ongoing unrest in the south-east of Ukraine and said reports of Russian interference in the region are based on dubious information.

Furthermore, President Vladimir Putin has said the recent escalation in the Ukrainian crisis has brought Russia’s neighbor to the brink of civil war.

Kiev’s coup-appointed government announced the beginning of an “anti-terrorist” operation in the south-east of Ukraine on Monday. The move comes in response to ongoing unrest and violent protests in the region, rejecting Kiev’s interim authorities. Some more extreme elements are even calling for a Crimea-style referendum and possible separation from Ukraine.

Following months of deadly protests, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich was ousted and replaced by a self-appointed government on February 22. Russia slammed the coup-appointed government as illegitimate and said it had violated the Ukrainian constitution by setting elections for May 25.

Anti-govt protesters seize Ukrainian APCs, army units 'switch sides'


Kiev’s military faced off with protesters in east Ukraine on Wednesday to sort out their differences…and found none. Soldiers appeared reluctant to go into battle against anti-government activists.

When Ukrainian Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) entered downtown Kramatorsk as part of Kiev’s military operation against anti-government protesters in the east of the country, they were stopped in their tracks, surrounded by crowds of local residents.

One YouTube video of what happened next shows a woman coming to a soldier with the reproach: “You are the army, you must protect the people.”

“We are not going to shoot, we weren’t even going to,” is the soldier’s reply.

Similar conversations could be heard at each of several APCs which entered the city, with locals promising to defend their neighbors, in case the soldiers start a military operation.



Military vehicles parked in downtown Kramatorsk have turned into hotspots for political discussion, with people beside the vehicles trying to get their views through to people on top of the tanks.

Another video features the Kramatorsk crowds loudly chanting “Army with the people” and applauding the soldiers as they were leaving their APCs.

“Guys, we are with you! You are great!” women are heard yelling to the vacating soldiers.



Six Ukrainian military vehicles in Kramatorsk actually switched sides and began flying Russian flags on Wednesday.

Later a report emerged that three more Ukrainian armored vehicles had switched sides in the Donetsk Region. The vehicles came to the center of Slavyansk, took down their Ukrainian flags and handed their weapons to self-defense squads.

“We decided not to be at war with the people and not to defend authorities like this,” members of the crews explained to RIA Novosti.


This YouTube video shows an encounter where some of the Ukrainian military vehicles raise Russian flags, while others raise the flags of the Donetsk People’s Republic that the supporters of federalization want to establish. The crowd reacted with loud cheers.



Vladimir, a resident of Kramatorsk who witnessed the events, told RT in a phone call that a clear majority of the soldiers who arrived at Kramatorsk in armored vehicles were “boys of only 18-20 years old, with their heads freshly shaved as they had just entered military service.”

Immediately after the column of armored vehicles was blocked near the local market, local residents surrounded the column with a human chain, but did nothing more, Vladimir said.

“Both sides were simply standing there and smoking, waiting for God-knows-what. Then the local militia came to the scene, and asked the locals to step back and started negotiations. The soldiers were asked if they would like to surrender. They thought a little bit – and agreed,” Vladimir said.


Anti-government activists block a collumn of Ukrainian men riding on Armoured Personnel Carriers in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk on April 16, 2014. (AFP Photo/Anatoly Stepanov)


The soldiers and civilians started fraternizing very quickly and soon were joking about “coming for a visit without weapons next time.” Many of the soldiers put on St. George’s ribbons, the traditional Russian emblem used to commemorate the Soviet Union’s fight against Nazism in World War II.

The tanks have already been driven away to a safe place by the local militia, the witness said.

Vladimir said that Kramatorsk was not under siege, but he confirmed that there were armed checkpoints throughout the city. Military helicopters have been flying over the city since Tuesday, when there were clashes at the local airport. The local Internet connection is extremely unstable and mobile networks has been functioning only intermittently over the last few days, he said.

Tuesday, when the military operation against anti-government protesters in the east was launched, was not as peaceful.

According to activists, four people were killed and two others injured when troops seized an airfield in Kramatorsk, which had earlier been controlled by protesters.

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Scores of girls have been abducted in an attack on a school in north-east Nigeria, parents say.

Scores of girls have been abducted in an attack on a school in north-east Nigeria, parents say.

Gunmen reportedly arrived at the school in Chibok, Borno state, late last night, and ordered the hostel's teenage residents onto lorries.
Sources told the BBC's Hausa service that at least 200 girls had been abducted.

Kiev launches military operation in eastern Ukraine


Ukrainian armoured personnel carriers (APC) drive in the Donetsk region on the road from Donetsk to Odessa on April 15, 2014. (AFP Photo / Alexey Kravtsov)
Ukrainian armoured personnel carriers (APC) drive in the Donetsk region on the road from Donetsk to Odessa on April 15,
“The anti-terrorist operation started overnight Monday,” said Turchinov. “The aim of these actions is to protect the citizens of Ukraine.”

Anti-government armed men stand guard as pro-Russian supporters gather outside the mayor's office in Slaviansk April 14, 2014. (Reuters / Gleb Garanich)
Anti-government armed men stand guard as pro-Russian supporters gather outside the mayor's office in Slaviansk April 14, 2014. (Reuters / Gleb Garanich)
According to Turchinov, this ‘anti-terrorist operation’ also aims to prevent “attempts to break Ukraine apart.”
The anti-government protesters in south-eastern Ukraine have recently been protesting against coup-appointed Kiev authorities. They demand constitutional reform that would take into consideration the interests of all Ukrainian regions. They also propose the federalization of the country and to make Russian the second official language in the regions.
Earlier, a clip posted to YouTube showed local people in the town of Rodinskoye, Donetsk Region, who stopped a tank allegedly on its way from Kiev to take part in the crackdown against south-eastern Ukrainian cities.

Andrey Parubiy, head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, announced the first battalion of a National Guard “comprised of volunteers from Maidan self-defense troops", has left Kiev for the south-east.

Yandex Maps
Yandex Maps
According to Parubiy, the “battalion is comprised of volunteers from the Maidan self-defense troops".
On Monday, Turchinov signed a decree to officially begin a “special anti-terrorist operation” in the east of the country.
He ordered "that the National Security and Defense Council's decision of April 13, 2014, 'On urgent measures to overcome the territorial threat and to preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine' be put into effect."

Supporters of a referendum on transforming Ukraine into a federation at the entrance to the building of the Slavyansk City Administration in the Donetsk Region. (RIA Novosti)
Supporters of a referendum on transforming Ukraine into a federation at the entrance to the building of the Slavyansk City Administration in the Donetsk Region. (RIA Novosti)
Russia has warned that if Kiev uses force against anti-Maidan protests in eastern Ukraine, this would undermine the effort to convene a four-party conference on resolving the crisis in the country, which would include the US, the EU, Russia and Ukraine.
Turchinov also proposed conducting a joint operation with UN peacekeeping forces, a decision that was strongly condemned by Russian FM Sergey Lavrov at a Beijing press conference on Tuesday as “totally unacceptable.”
The Kiev authorities have already tried to launch a so-called “anti-terrorist operation” in the eastern city of Slavyansk, Donetsk Region, after anti-government protesters seized several buildings in the city.

image from Andrey Parubiy Facebook page
image from Andrey Parubiy Facebook page
Gunfire broke out on Sunday, after troops in black uniforms supported by armored vehicles and several helicopters approached the roadblock set up by the locals. One person was killed and two others injured during the crackdown.
There were rumors that among the troops were the members of the radical ultranationalist Right Sector movement, who were mobilized to take decisive steps to “defend Ukraine’s sovereignty

Monday 14 April 2014

Iran Navy fits vessels with new cruise missiles: Cmdr

Iran Navy fits vessels with new cruise missiles: Cmdr.
An Iranian vessel launches a missile on the fifth day of the six-day naval drills dubbed Velayat 91 in southern Iran on Jan. 1, 2013.
An Iranian vessel launches a missile on the fifth day of the six-day naval drills dubbed Velayat 91 in southern Iran on Jan. 1, 2013.
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The Iranian Navy has equipped its vessels and coastal defense units with a domestically developed state-of-the-art cruise missile, says a top commander.
“Ghadir cruise missiles have been mounted on both destroyers and missile-launching warships of the Navy, and they are also used as coast-to-sea missiles,” said Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari on Monday.
He said that Ghadir missiles, which can be fired both from vessels and from the coast, have already been delivered to the Navy.
Ghadir cruise missiles enjoy great precision and high destructive power in comparison to other types of missiles already manufactured in the country, the commander underlined.
In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and has attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.
Iran has so far designed and manufactured a variety of indigenous missiles, including Sayyad-2, Khalij-e-Fars (Persian Gulf), Mehrab (Altar), Ra'd (Thunder), Qader (Mighty), Nour (Light) and Zafar (Triumph).
Tehran has repeatedly assured other nations that its military might poses no threat to other countries since the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine is based entirely on deterrence

Putin to Obama: Use your influence to prevent bloodshed in Ukraine


Russia's President Vladimir Putin (AFP Photo / Alexey Nikolsky)
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (AFP Photo / Alexey Nikolsky)
i think this should be a  good use of sarcasm but russia's President Vladimir Putin has urged his US counterpart Barack Obama to use his influence on the Ukrainian government to prevent “bloodshed” in the country.
“The current protest in the south-east of the country is the result of the unwillingness and the inability of the current regime in Kiev to consider the interests of the Russians and Russian speakers. Putin called upon Obama to use all of his capabilities, to prevent the use of force and bloodshed,” said a statement from the Kremlin press service.
The Russian President also denied that Russia is meddling in Ukraine.
"The President noted that such speculation is based on unreliable information. Ukrainian authorities should rather direct their attention to formulating a new constitution that involves all political forces in the country, creating a federalized state and guaranteeing Ukraine's non-aligned status,” said the statement.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW

wow they killed bin laden and they were killed in return

What happened to Navy Seal Team 6 in 2011?
Article by: Raphael Sharp
Heard of Navy Seal Team 6? If not, then they were the ELITE team of US soldiers who reportedly killed Bin Laden in 2011 (And I’m really serious here when I say “ELITE”.) Those seals were among the best soldiers on Earth. Nice story till here. Here’s the undigested part of the story which many of you have missed: They are all dead. All 22 of them (21 killed in a so-called attack and another 1 killed in a so-called training accident)!
What really happened to Navy Seal Team 6? Were they killed on purpose to hide any specific secret? We’ll try to talk about this here. But before that, the usual “back in history” part.
A dozen years have passed since the 9-11 2001 terrorist attacks on the WTC. An event in history, which unfolded in front of dazed eyes all around the world, but little seems to have changed in the world since then, you feel. It is also more than two dozen-months since an elite American unit shot dead Obama in Pakistan (oops sorry, Omama it was Osama).
If you still can’t recollect the name, just remember an old bearded man in his late 60’s or 70’s was cornered in his bedroom, and shot while his very young 13th or 14th wife was a helpless onlooker. It is also coming to 2 dozen-months, when an old hazy news report about 21 soldiers of a decorated unit of the American army perishing in a Chinook helicopter crash in Afghanistan appeared: THEY WERE NAVY SEAL TEAM 6. 
People have long stopped talking nineteen-to-a-dozen over the above incidents, but just as we remember our loved ones more during an anniversary, yet another anniversary of the 9/11 incident is a good time to keep remembering some of the unfortunate souls, who get caught up in these never ending war’s for no fault of theirs.
Start of the BUSHOBAMA Hunger Game
For the benefit of the Siberian wolf-boy, (discovered this week, having lived 16 yrs in a jungle away from civilization) and many more people like him, who have buried their heads in the sand for the last dozen years, here is a brief recap of the incidents, which happened at the dawn of the 21st century.
2001 September – Apocalypse at the WTC
As people switched on their TV sets one fine day in Sept to listen to the news (for a change, instead of soaping their eyes to another soap-opera), the unworldly image of 2 passenger airplanes crashing into the twin WTC buildings in New York brought out (Oh!My God, Hai Ram, Allah-o-Akbar,Oh Mon Dieu) expressions round the world. Reading the next day newspapers, you would have thought full-page ads of the American movies ‘Towering Inferno’ or ‘Apocalypse Now’ were being taken out in the front pages. Eventually about 5000 perished in that incident.
Funny Bush face
2001 October – The Bush and Bushes
You are with us or against us’ – a remark made by a Man who never hid behind bushes, certainly got every rabbit in Pakistan and Afghanistan running for cover under the bushes.
The Americans, believing that Osama bin Laden and his men were behind the 2001 attack, invaded Afghanistan, (Operation Enduring Freedom) which was under the control of a tribal regime called the Taliban. The Taliban (along with Osama) ran with their tail behind their legs. Afghanistan got a government friendly to the USA, but Enemy No 1 (Osama) was nowhere located.
2001 November onwards – Amazing Taliban?
The Taliban proved they were like a Sheesh-Nag (multi-headed serpant), you cut off one head, another pops out from some other hole as they dug in their heels and counter-attacked. How they keep getting people to fight when they are surrounded by the US and Afghanistan (and Pakistan army) is perplexing?
I guess, like rabbits when there’s nothing else to do in a war, they make love and ensuring their army of soldiers never dry up. I guess the sound of bullets in the background help certain white things find their target more easily as well. The count of the people killed in this conflict needs revision on a daily basis from 2001 November!
2011 May – Killing Bin Laden (Or simply ending a fake story)
As a star-gazer in Abbotabad Pakistan looked into the sky, a helicopter appeared from nowhere and landed in the compound of a very isolated bungalow. Gunshots were heard, screams were heard, the helicopter took off again and the next day newspapers were splashed with ‘America Got their Man’.
Osama bin Laden, just as it was coming to 10 years since 9/11 was finally discovered living in a posh house in Pakistan, while American soldiers were busy looking down every man-hole in Afghanistan. No one claimed credit for saying they shot Osama, but it appears US Vice President Biden (THE CLOWN) did praise the elite Navy Seal 6 unit for their bravery.
2011 August – Navy Seal Team 6 Down!
Navy seal team 6 dead
A Chinook helicopter on a routine flight transporting American soldiers was suddenly ambushed as it was landing. 21 soldiers of the crack Navy Seal unit, along with other American troops and 7 Afghanistan soldiers were killed. The rest of the world hardly remember this incident amidst the daily killings which happen all over the Middle-East, but in America this is still a touchy subject (Except for the Obamasies!)
The initial reports of the 2011 August incident was that there was a skirmish between the Taliban and the US troops and as a helicopter with some of the troops took off, a rocket fired by the Taliban appeared to have brought the Chinook down.
Conflicting reports after the report talked of a deliberate trap laid by the Taliban and the helicopter walked right into the path the Taliban wanted to take. An initial report by US CENTCOM in October 2011 announced an investigation and concluded that the Taliban brought down the helicopter in a normal skirmish. Still doubts remained and after reading transcripts of US army statements from August 2011, Republican Senator’s Jason Chaffetz and Darrel Isa have formally asked for a probe.
A report in the Washington Times, which recently appeared has brought back into limelight the plight of the unfortunate soldiers of the Navy Seal unit.
Were the Navy 6 Unit Deliberately Attacked
As per the report, written by Jeffrey T.Kuhner, a radio commentator the new investigation opened in the US Senate should look at the angle that there was a conspiracy hatched specifically aimed at the Navy 6 unit, because of their link to the April 2011 attack, which killed Osama bin Laden.
In the article, he questions how did the Navy 6 unit come into world focus. On the day of Osama’s killing, all the world knew was America killed Osama. But a few days after the attack, Vice-President Joe Biden appeared to gloat too much (reference to spike the ball, a phrase in American football when a player celebrates over-the-top) and highlighted the first reference to the Navy 6 unit. Even a primary kid just learning to read articles would have put two and two together and surmised that it was the Navy 6 unit which was responsible for the Abbotabad surprise operation.
The article states that Biden’s reckless remark, as well as subsequent confirmation from President Obama, brought the Seal 6 straight into the spotlight of the Taliban and their sympathizers. The Taliban were obviously not going to garland the team, if they were in the same room together. The unwarranted attention unnerved all members of the Navy Seal 6 (even those who did not take part in the attack). Some of them immediately contacted their family members back home, asking them to remove any reference to Navy 6 from their social-media sites, like Face Book. An interview with Karen Vaughn (mother of Aaron Vaughn, who died in the Chinook attack) has the following quotes.
““Aaron called me and said, ‘Mom, you and Dad have to take everything down. Biden has just put a huge target on everybody.’”
The report goes on to discuss Vice-President Joe Biden, who most reporters affectionately term as Uncle Joe (a reference to the silly gaffe’s everyone’s old Uncle Joe makes).
Why does America always get Presidents with silly Uncle Names: Uncle Sam, Uncle Joe, and Uncle George.
Aunties certainly liked Uncle Bill best, because he was the most playful of all the Uncles. However, this article does not paint silly Uncle Joe in that favorable a light. It paints VP Joe Biden as a cynical opportunist, who will say and do anything to advance President Obama’s agenda. They wanted to score political points by naming the Seals and placed them in the open.
The report also quotes Charles Stranger, another father whose son Michael died in the attack. These are his words:
“I saw Mike’s dead body, It was clearly recognizable. He was clutching his gun. He wasn’t burned to a crisp. Why did they cremate my boy? They did not need to do that. Something’s not right.”
These lines appear to contradict the CENTCOM report summary where the final verdict is the helicopter crashed after it came under fire, so implying the soldiers should have been charred to death.
What Can We Say: Little Dirty Secrets USA
We would first want to bow our heads silently acknowledging the brave 38 or so men who perished in the Chinook helicopter, as well as the scores of people who have been killed in this war starting from 2001.
Reading the events unfolding since 2001, 3 famous statements come to mind. You can drop us a comment later if you guessed who first made these comments. We may not make you a millionaire by your answers, but your reply in here on Island Crisis will acknowledge your sharp memory.
The first statement comes from physics – “To every action, there is an equally violent reaction”.
The second statement comes from a man, 2000 years ago – “If a man slaps your left cheek, turn the right cheek and see if he wants to do it again”.
The third statement comes from a man, 100 years ago – “An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind”. We are not saying not to fight if attacked, but surely people in the higher offices of important.
In a nutshell, we are saying we do not want to spin any more conspiracy theories but then: we did not spin any of it. Anyone with a fair level of common sense will smell that something is fishy in all these so called accidents and coincidences.
Let the US Senate debate once more and come to conclusions. It does appear that the US Vice-President and President Ousama… opps sorry: Obama, may have made a mistake by naming the Seal 6 unit. But, whether it was done as part of a conspiracy is something only US politicians will know best.
We would like to add that this report appeared in the Washington Times, a conservative newspaper who are more likely going to publish favorable reports leaning towards the Republicans than the Democrats. Whatever points are scored in this debate, it is going to be harder to recruit strong men willing to sacrifice their lives for the country to join the Navy 6 elite unit.
But then, is it so? Politicians know the theory of: I piss on your face and let’s forget it.
Let us know what you think about the death of all Navy Seals Team 6 members. Do you too think it was a set up to HIDE any specific secret about the death of Bin Laden? Was Bin Laden even alive? 

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