The Economies Collide

The US and Russia are to begin formal economic talks at ministerial level, the US embassy in Moscow has said.

Increased investment and trade between the two nations has allowed their relationship to develop, it added.

This is despite several disagreements over issues including US plans for a missile defence shield.

The first dialogue - to include various US departments and agencies, Russian ministries and business communities is scheduled for spring in Washington.

Link to Article

The increased communication between the US and Russia over economic issues is a big deal. These talks can have a great positive impact on the relationship between the two countries. It can help to smooth over differences that we may have had in the past, and it shows the US's commitment to help other countries grow and prosper.

GRADE THIS POST

Medvedev's Goals

Mr Medvedev, a first deputy prime minister, told lawyers it was "necessary to give state employees more thorough and better legal training". President Vladimir Putin has named Mr Medvedev as his preferred successor. The election will be held on 2 March.

Mr Medvedev has refused to take part in live TV debates with rival candidates. The BBC's Russia analyst Steven Eke says a powerful public relations machine has been set in motion to groom Mr Medvedev as the nation's next leader. He is also chairman of the state energy giant Gazprom.

Read the Full Story [Here]

With Medvedev now exceeding Putin with the people, he has announced some of his goals. He has lead on that their is no tension between Russia and the West. He has also insisted all of the political figures in Russia should get more training, and he is pushing for a huge leap of modernization. With Medvedev refusing to participate in debates, it seems he believes he is higher than all the other candidates.
Also since he is trying to modernize and keep much of Russia's plans secret, Russia may very well become a super power once more. The soviet Union only remained a super power because of its secrecy, and it seems that Medvedev would like to return to this state of secrecy and supremacy.

GRADE THIS POST

Out with the Old, In with the New

Vladimir Putin’s framed photos have been put up on sale
in Russia. Prices on Putin’s framed photos have been cut due to forthcoming presidential election in the nation.

Putin’s persona, the Vladimir Putin brand, goes out of
fashion slowly but surely. Russians are developing a new political addiction – Dmitry Medvedev, Putin’s protégé, his official successor. The propaganda machine has been taking great efforts to promote the new brand across Russia. The new brand, Dmitry Medvedev, has thus been outshining his predecessor – Putin.

It is worthy of note that political factors are intertwined with economic ones. Germany’s Die Welt wrote, for example, that the production of vodka under trademark Putinka has been declining in Russia. Until recently, the brand has been brining the profit of 330 million euros a year.

Read the Full Story [Here]

Russia is now pushing Putin out and getting ready for Medvedev. Prices have dropped with everything that has to do with Putin and they are being replaced by Medvedev. There is no doubt that Russia will be just as supportive of thier new president as the old. But this raises the question, will Russia lose focus of Putin and soely focus on Medvedev? Will they pay any attention to Putin as Prime Minister? But more importantly will Putin allow himself to drift out of popularity, or will he struggle to stay in the spotlight? Only time will tell if he will go peacefully or if he will try to keep the people. The people may not listen to him as much as he had wanted.

GRADE THIS POST

Dimitri is pretty much a guarantee

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Dmitry Medvedev, named by Russian President Vladimir Putin last month as his favoured successor, launched his personal Internet site on Wednesday.

Photographs on the Web site show Medvedev standing behind Putin, leaning in to listen as Putin speaks across a dinner table, walking without a necktie next to Putin and standing alone while petting a bunny rabbit.

Russia votes to replace Putin, constitutionally prohibited from seeking a third term, on March 2. Medvedev leads in all polls by an overwhelming majority and is expected to win outright in the first round.

Read Full Story...

From the beginning Medvedev has been a favorite for the successor to Putin and this trend seems to be continuing. From this we can see the power that Putin holds over his people. By simply telling them Dimitri is the man for the job, they agree. From our point of view we might see Putin as restricting his people’s rights and maybe even oppressive, but in the eyes of the Russian people Putin is a god. So is it better to respect your leader and possibly live where your rights are abridged, or is it better to live where you are free but not respect your leader?

GRADE THIS POST

Russian model dies defending her Porsche Cayenne from hijackers

Anna Loginova, a 29-year-old woman, a former model, the head of a private security firm, died trying to defend her Porsche Cayenne from a hijacker.



At night of January 27 Anna arrived on her prestigious car to Moscow’s Novomarinskaya Street to purchase a kitten from someone. The next moment a Russian-made car stopped near the silvery Porsche. A young dark-haired man stepped out of the car and ran towards Anna’s vehicle....

Click here for full story

Murder is a tragic event, when one human kills another most people agree that killing is in our human nature, but when one person over posessions that is not in our human nature.

Grade this Post

Russia Limits Election Monitors

Four hundred observers will be able to monitor the vote, election commission head Vladimir Churov announced. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, or OSCE, will be restricted to just 70 observers.

The OSCE (the largest European monitoring group) sent almost 400 observers last time. The issue of foreign observers has become a source of friction between Russia and the West after Russian authorities cut the numbers right down for the parliamentary election last month.

This, along with delays to visas and restrictions on what could be said publicly about the conduct of the election, led the OSCE to abandon its mission to Russia.

Read the Full Story [Here]

Further cutting of the foriegn monitors will only increase Russia's headbutting with the Western world. Most foriegn monitors wonder if its even worth the hassel this time. There is not really a struggle in the elections. It is clear that Medvedev will win president and Putin will for Prime minister. So why go through all the trouble of Visa's and what not?

Other than the already known outcome, Only 70 foriegn monitors from OSCE can go. With Russia and the western world already exchanging harsh glances, I don't think Russia further limiting foriegn monitors would help relations. However since this is an election already won by Medvedev, then hopefully no serious hostile tension will be established over this.

GRADE THIS POST

Affordable, Accessible, Attainable Uranium: Russia

The eighth and final batch of Russian nuclear fuel, which is necessary for the initial stage of operation of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, was delivered to its construction site, Itar-Tass quoted the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) as saying.

The shipment of 8.6 metric tons of uranium fuel completed Russia's promised nuclear fuel deliveries to the Bushehr power plant, which is located in southwestern Iran.

So far, all fuel necessary for the initial stage as well as all necessary equipment has been delivered to Iran, the AEOI said in a communique.

"The total amount of supplies has made up 82 tons of nuclear fuel enriched to 1.6-3.6 percent (235U)," said the communique.

"Supplies were made with adherence to all safety demands," it added.

Read Full Story...

As indicated in an earlier post Iran has been receiving shipments of Uranium from Russia. As of yesterday all of the necessary fuel to complete the power plant under construction has been delivered. It is still said that all safety requirements are being met and that the Uranium is strictly for the power plant, but only time will tell...

GRADE THIS POST

Comments or Questions...

Feel free to leave any comments or questions to help improve our blog.

Female smokers 'double in Russia'

Smoking rates have more than doubled in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union, researchers say. The Bath University-led team said "aggressive targeting" of women by tobacco firms was behind the rise. Researchers monitoring 7,000 people over 11 years found 7% of women smoked in 1992, compared with 15% in 2003, the Tobacco Control journal reports. Manufacturer British American Tobacco said the increase was...

Click here for full story

In the U.S smoking is implemented to alleviate depression, if the smoking rate has increased then I believe that peoples depression in Russia has increased.

Grade this post

Russia may ban entry of Indian farm products

Exports of bulk tea, coffee, rice, tobacco and sesame seeds to Russia have come under threat. The Russian authorities are reported to be considering a ban on imports of plant products from India on the basis of detection of kharpa beetle pest in an Indian consignment of sesame seeds that landed in Russia recently. The ban is reported to become effective January 28. The Russian authorities have apparently...

Click here for full story

India is currently a third world country, they do not have special externimators to kill these harmful disease that will kill many people.

Grade this post

Assessment Complete

Russia Resumes Flight Runs

He said two Tu-160 bombers tested the missiles in neutral waters in the Bay of Biscay off the coast of France and Spain on Tuesday. The jets were tracked by British and Norwegian planes, the official said. The exercises come amid Russia's growing military assertiveness in recent years.

Russia has also recently resumed long-range patrols by its bomber aircraft. The practice was suspended after the collapse of the Soviet Union and was revived last August as part of a more assertive foreign policy pursued by President Vladimir Putin.

"The crews of two Tu-160 planes... are successfully carrying out exercises over the Atlantic and firing rockets," Col Alexander Drobyshevsky, an aide to Russia's air force commander, was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. Read the Full Story [Here]

It appears that Russia is now complying more with international law. They did this flying in neutral airspace which is good considering almost ever move they make is closely watched. This implies that their economy may be improving giving them the money to fund these runs, and Russia's growing military leads us to believe that they want back their status as a super power.

I believe the UN should keep a close watch on how far Russia's military grows, because a Russia that is to powerful could result in war, panic, and another Soviet Union.

GRADE THIS POST

Against New Iran Sanctions

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the draft agreed on Tuesday did not require tough new measures against Tehran. But it does call for countries to be vigilant in their trade with Iran, Mr Lavrov said. Diplomats said on Tuesday the draft agreed by the foreign ministers of the five permanent Security Council members and Germany would impose new sanctions.

Mr Lavrov stressed the draft resolution did not mention strict sanctions, but would call on "countries to be vigilant in developing trade, economic, transport and other relations with Iran so that these relations are not used to transfer illegal, banned materials that can be used in nuclear affairs".

"For as long as the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) has unresolved issues regarding Iran, these restrictions will remain in force," he said.

Read the full story [Here]

I find it extremely interesting that Russia is putting so much emphasis on the fact that no true sanctions are necessary, and only regulations on nuclear materials should be initiated. Russia has made it extremely evident that they disagree with any "sanction" on Iran, but they supposedly will support the move to stop the nuclear materials from entering Iran.

With all the protection from Russia i seriously doubt that the "regulations" will do much good. This will probably effect Iran very little if at all. With Russia protecting them, there are little peaceful things we can do.

GRADE THIS POST

Alcohol-driven domestic crime on the rise in Russia

MOSCOW, January 24 (RIA Novosti) - Alcohol-driven domestic crime in Russia has leaped by one third in the past five years, the Interior Ministry's public order department said on...

Click here for full story

This shows the amount of effort the Russians are putting in, in order to eliminate drunk driving compared to the U.S whose domestic crime has most likely decreased by one third.

Grade this post