TresSugar

Georgia Conflict Causes Diplomatic & Humanitarian Confusion

LibertySugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:30:22 -0700

The conflict between Georgia and Russia presents a complex set of questions for the international community. While Western officials try to figure out how exactly Russia's two-headed government shares power, human rights workers are searching for the truth about atrocities that may or may not have been committed.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin undoubtedly holds the power in Russia, but diplomatic protocol obliges European and American officials to negotiate with President Dmitri Medvedev, who appears much more accommodating than Putin. The good-cop-bad-cop routine makes it unclear if Russia will follow the cease fire agreement, signed by President Medvedev, leaving the rest of the world unsure of how to react to Russia.

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Meanwhile Russia and Georgia have spread the confrontation and confusion to courts. To find out how the neighbors trade accusations of human rights violations, read more.

After originally claiming 1,500 had died, Russian prosecutors have opened criminal cases for the deaths of 133 civilians allegedly killed by Georgia's forces. Taking it to the next level, Georgia filed a suit against Russia at the International Court of Justice, accusing Russia of ethnic cleansing. The sensationalized allegations initially put forth by both countries in the media have made the job of human rights investigators very difficult. Gathering data for these lawsuits becomes an even more daunting task given the fact that many people have been displaced and considering that lines are blurred as civilians who take up arms become combatants.

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Bush Says "Yo Harper. . . Medvedev's a 'Smart Guy'" Well Said?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:45:09 -0700

The G-8 Summit is well under way - the dominant stories heading out of the talks settle around the speaking style of the Decider in Chief, George W. Bush. Known for his colloquial folksiness and rampant nicknamery, a few such quotes have surfaced today.

Bush sat down to meet with Dmitry Medvedev on the occasion of the Russian leader's first face-to-face meeting with Bush. At the conclusion of the hour meeting, the two had agreed on the need for Iran and North Korea to dump their nuclear ambitions - though stopped short of bridging their differences on Bush's proposal to build a missile-defense system in Europe. But the money quote circulating after the diplomatic meeting is this:

“You know, I’m not going to sit here and psychoanalyze the man, but I will tell you that he’s very comfortable, he’s confident, and that I believe that when he tells me something, he means it. . . . I found him to be a smart guy who understood the issues very well.”

And then there's the second "yo" heard 'round the world. Reporters are tittering after President Bush slung an arm around the shoulders of the Nigerian President and called out to get the attention of the Canadian Prime Minister, "Yo, Harper. The president of Nigeria." It's not the first time such casual lingo seeped into high-level talks (the first caused quite a stir) but does it make a bigger statement about the perception of the US on the world stage? Do two "yo"s make a right?

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Russia Lectures US: You're in No Position to Give Advice

LibertySugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:00:30 -0700

Russian President Dmitri A. Medvedev is in no mood to listen to US criticism about the state of human rights or democracy in Russia. This week he said that the US was "essentially in a depression" and thus in no shape to tell other countries what to do.

During an interview with foreign journalists, one reporter asked the president about John McCain's proposal to expel Russia from the G8 for its record on democracy. Medvedev offered a lesson in international relations: "The Group of 8 exists not because someone likes or dislikes it, but because objectively, they are the biggest world economies and the most serious players from the foreign policy point of view." Little more than a decade after communism fell and left Russia in economic shambles, lucrative oil exports have made Russia economically, and geopolitically, confident.

Gas-station-side prayer vigils across America, organized by the Prayer at the Pump movement, might be giving Medvedev the evidence he needs to make such statements. For more on God and gas, read more.

The prayer group's founder, a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, said the group is currently in the prayer phase of working for lower-pump prices, but will soon begin activist work. He said: "We are praying that God will touch the hearts of people in power to find a solution quickly."

If money talks, do tough times mean America will soon lose its international influence?

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Front Page: Strike Explodes in Lebanon, India Fires Missile, Medvedev Sworn In, Chile Volcano

CitizenSugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:53:35 -0700

Strike Explodes in Lebanon: Explosions and gunfire heralded protests in the Lebanese capital of Beirut as opposition supporters held a one-day general strike for higher pay. Unions protested demanding the government triple the minimum monthly wage - currently $200. Tensions were fanned yesterday after the government announced it would shut down Hezbollah's private telecommunications network. Lebanon is in the midst of its biggest political crisis since the civil war, and it's been without a head of state for five months following a power struggle between the Western backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition, which is supported by Syria and Iran.

India Fires Missile: India has just test-fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile, Agni-III. The long-range missile is capable of hitting targets as far away as Beijing, or almost 2,000 miles, and it's capable of carrying a 1.5 ton nuclear payload. Agni means "fire" in Hindi and Sanskrit.
Medvedev Sworn In: Dmitry Medvedev was just sworn in as Russia's new president. He has promised to extend Russia's civil and economic freedoms, saying at his inauguration, "human rights and freedoms . . . are deemed of the highest value for our society." Medvedev follows Vladimir Putin's administration, becoming Russia's third leader since the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Almost immediately after the ceremony, Medvedev nominated Putin to be prime minister.
Chile Volcano: The Chaitén volcano in southern Chile erupted ash and lava a dozen miles into the air yesterday. The government has ordered the immediate and complete evacuation of everyone living within a 30-mile radius of the volcano, which began trembling last Friday. President Michelle Bachelet has visited the area and is announcing subsidies and other aid for affected families.

Headline: Putin's Pick Medvedev Wins in Russia

CitizenSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:35:42 -0800

In an election with hints of close ties with the Kremlin, current Russian President Vladimir Putin's personal pick, Dmitri Medvedev, has won the presidency. Though Medvedev's success was never in doubt, Russia's new president has never held elected office before and was most recently an aide to Mr. Putin.

Putin plans to serve as Medvedev’s prime minister and is indicating that he will broaden the responsibilities of that position. Since the Soviet Union’s fall, the position of prime minister has been mostly administrative.

Medvedev's stance toward the West appears less adversarial than Putin's, and some say his ability to advance this platform upon taking office will be an important indicator of whether Putin is allowing him to be more than a figurehead.

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Picture It: Communist Obama Found in Center

CitizenSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:30:02 -0700

Sasha and Malia aren't the only Obamas darling enough to have dolls based on them. Along with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, President Obama is now a matryoshka, a traditional Russian nesting doll. You know the kind that have doll after doll inside each other until you get to the tiny-doll center. Both leaders will meet in London tomorrow during the G20 economic summit; it will Obama's first trip overseas as president.

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Front Page: Relief Lands in Myanmar, Putin Confirmed as PM, Stem Cell Award in CA

CitizenSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:00:27 -0700

Relief Lands in Myanmar: UN relief supplies touched down in Myanmar this morning, though US military planes loaded with aid are still denied access by the country's isolationist regime. The junta also continues to stall visas for UN teams wanting to enter the country and ensure that the aid supplies reach victims amid fears that food and water shortages could push the death toll above 100,000. The prime minister of Thailand has offered to negotiate on the US's behalf to persuade the junta to accept their aid. US aid is currently at a staging area in Thailand, waiting. The coordinator of UN humanitarian aid said, "it is imperative at this point that they do open up and allow a major international relief effort to get under way."

Putin Confirmed as PM: Russia's parliament has just easily approved former President Vladimir Putin to be its new prime minister. Russia's new president Dmitry Medvedev nominated Putin almost immediately. The State Duma (lower house) voted 392-56 for Putin's appointment just after a speech where Putin promised parliament "single-digit inflation within a few years". Putin also said Russia could overtake the UK's GDP this year and become the world's sixth-largest economy.
Stem Cell Award in CA: California awarded $271 million in grants slated to build 12 stem cell research centers. The awards, announced yesterday, are the biggest sum of money awarded by California’s taxpayer-backed stem cell program. The program is scheduled to spend about $3 billion over about a decade. The grants are needed as the Bush administration prohibits federal financing of research using any human embryonic stem cells derived after August 2001 so any work involving newer stem cell lines cannot share any supplies or space with a project that is federally financed.

Front Page: Protestors Clash With Police Ahead of G20

CitizenSugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:45:08 -0700

Protesters in London have smashed in bank windows and clashed with police. So far there have been injuries among police, and protesters and 19 people have been arrested. - BBC News
President Obama and Russian president Dmitri Medvedev have pledged to open a new round of long-range nuclear weapons talks. - Voice of America
The Justice Department plans to drop all charges against Ted Stevens, the former senator from Alaska convicted of seven felony charges last Fall. - New York Times
North Korea has threatened to shoot down US spy planes that encroach its air space ahead of its anticipated missile launch. - The Guardian
China and the US have agreed to resume talks about human rights as soon as possible, and the two countries have pledged to work together on the economic crisis. - Reuters

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Front Page: Oscars, Russia and Serbia, Protest in Gaza

CitizenSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:59:00 -0800

The Oscars ceremony held last night produced a huge sweep for the Coen Brothers and their film No Country for Old Men. Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor for There Will be Blood and Marion Cotillard took home Best Actress for La Vie en Rose. The ceremony marked one of the biggest entertainment events to take place since the end of the writer's strike.
Russia has renewed its vow to stand with Serbia against Kosovo's independence. The statement came from Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Prime Minister who is favored to follow Putin after next Sunday's presidential election. After last week's violence in Serbia following Kosovo's declaration of independence, Russia has emerged stronger as Serbia's ally. Deputy PM Dmitry Medvedev said, "we proceed from the assumption that Serbia is a united country, whose jurisdiction covers the whole of its territory, and we shall stick to this principled stand."
Protesters formed a huge "human chain" today, made up of thousands of Palestinians. The chain, made in Gaza is in protest at Israel's blockade of the territory. Though the turnout for the protest was lower than expected, Israel had feared the protest would become violent. They issued this statement, "Israel will work to avoid a deterioration of the situation but declares unequivocally that Hamas must assume full responsibility if that happens."

Front Page: Vladimir Putin Might Return as Russian President

LibertySugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is taking steps to allow Vladimir Putin to return as president in 2009. According to Russian sources, Medvedev may push for changes to the constitution so former President Putin can return to power. - Reuters
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has traveled to the Middle East. Today she is in Israel to participate in peace talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials. - Voice of America
Rebels in the Congo have taken over more villages, as they extend their control in the eastern region of the embattled country. - BBC News

Democrats picked up another seat in the Senate, as Democrat Jeff Merkley defeated five-term incumbent Republican Gordon Smith of Oregon. - Huffington Post
The Bradley effect, the theory that people lie to pollsters or to themselves about voting for a black candidate, did not exist on Tuesday. Experts now say there is no point in continuing the discussion about how closeted racists impact polling. - New York Times

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