Foreign Policy lists 10 stories that appear over and over but never seem to actually happen. You HAD to figure there was going to be something in there about Venezuela or Russia, if not both…well, it’s Russia. Seventh on the list: “New Russian president proposing liberal reforms” Like his predecessor and benefactor Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev came into office as a mystery. Reformers in Russia and the West hoped that the easygoing lawyer would prove to be a more moderate leader than Putin, now the prime minister, proved to be.

Foreign Policy lists 10 stories that appear over and over but never seem to actually happen. You HAD to figure there was going to be something in there about Venezuela or Russia, if not both…well, it’s Russia. Seventh on the list: “New Russian president proposing liberal reforms” Like his predecessor and benefactor Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev came into office as a mystery. Reformers in Russia and the West hoped that the easygoing lawyer would prove to be a more moderate leader than Putin, now the prime minister, proved to be.

It seems that the news media always promotes the most eligible single men. What about the sexy, eligible hot women? Well, the Russian magazine, Tatler, has come out with a list of the most sought-after eligible, single, sexy Russian women.   Known as Russia’s “It Girl”, Ksenia Sobchak , would be Russia’s answer to Paris Hilton.  This hot, sexy Russian socialite is the daughter of St.

From PJM MoneyObama’s mega-borrowing is predicated on a rather thin margin of safety. We can service nearly $2 trillion in additional debt this year—on top of the existing $11 trillion—only because interest rates are so low.But as a veteran of the near usury of the 1970s and early 1980s, I see no reason why interest rates won’t shoot up to 10% once the economy recovers and the U.S. has to convince lenders to buy our paper in an inflationary spiral.

REUTERS VIA RIA NOVOSTI ANKARA, October 28 (RIA Novosti) - Turkey is switching to national currencies in trade with Iran and China, ending dependence on the U.S. dollar and the euro for about 20% of its commodity turnover, local media reported on Wednesday. Turkey has already switched to settlements in national currencies with Russia amid weakening confidence in the greenback as the world’s major reserve currency. The move was initiated by Turkish President Abdullah Gul during his visit to Moscow in February.

“Transformative change” by sheikyermami on October 28, 2009 Look out America, you not gonna like this: “Without media justice, there will be no social justice!” The “interfaith coalition for media justice” is led by the United Church of Christ. Yes, that’s the same church of Obama’s race-baiting, Jew-bashing ex-pastor Jeremiah Wright.

http://www.pcgarage.ro/vizualizare-wishlist/170666/ , dar pretul cam depaseste bugetul.

In the New York Times Ellen Barry writes about the outcry among academics St Peterbsurg University (alma mater of Putin and Medvedev) who are concerned about new legislation that may require their work to be submitted to the authorities before it can be published overseas.  Whilst defenders of the order, such as the university’s rector, Putin-Medvedev friendly Nikolai M.

TODAY : Markelov’s assassins to be arrested?  Stalin monument reports ‘baseless’; UK and Russia to try and mend relations; Russia not supplying Iran with missiles; abstinence-based AIDS strategy not working; nuclear spaceships. Mikhail Markelov, the brother of Stanislav Markelov, the human rights lawyer murdered in January of this year, said he has conducted an investigation parallel to the official one and that those responsible for the killing are known to the authorities and will be arrested soon.

TODAY : Markelov’s assassins to be arrested?  Stalin monument reports ‘baseless’; UK and Russia to try and mend relations; Russia not supplying Iran with missiles; abstinence-based AIDS strategy not working; nuclear spaceships. Mikhail Markelov, the brother of Stanislav Markelov, the human rights lawyer murdered in January of this year, said he has conducted an investigation parallel to the official one and that those responsible for the killing are known to the authorities and will be arrested soon.

Tracing the policy movements of Presidential power-handler Vladislav Surkov is rather like witnessing a three-point turn in a dark alley - as a piece in the Power Vertical points out today.  Whilst transparency is the last thing once can expect from the Kremlin’s shadowy ideologue, his moves of late are dizzying analysts.  Brian Whitmore identifies some of Surkov’s recent twists - from the motives for his alleged involvement in the Duma walkout - to the matter of his oscillating stance on liberalizing political structures to aid economic development.

Even as the latest human rights activist was laid to rest in a grave after being murdered, opposition leaders met with President Medvedev to discuss the non-existence of democracy in their country. Leaders of three opposition parties met with the president about the issue of election fraud who expressed interest in having the topic of election fraud placed on the agenda for discussion, their was a discussion, and all agreed there may have been election fraud which apparently ended the discussion.

By John Helmer in Moscow The new Economy and Energy Minister of Bulgaria, Traycho Traykov, has issued a warning to Moscow that if Russia intends to build a new cross-Turkey crude oil pipeline, running from Samsun on the Black Sea, to Ceyhan, on the Aegean, that will mean the cancellation of the long planned Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline, crossing Bulgaria and Greece. The Turkish option has been five years in planning; is 550 kilometres long; $2 billion in estimated cost; and will receive and deliver 1.5 million barrels per day.

The race for Ukraine’s Presidency is hotting up.  With the incumbent serial Kremlin-offender Viktor Yushchenko flagging with ratings of just 3%, it seems that battle has truly commenced between Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych.  Russia-Ukraine relations have considerably suffered under Yushchenko’s leadership -  will Tymoshenko, the other, (lest it be forgot) architect of the Orange Revolution, be West or East-leaning?  RFE/RL quotes her as suggesting

Russia ‘ counts on a controlling stake ‘ in the three small hydropower plants it is building in Tajikistan and ‘ hope[s] for the Tajik side’s understanding ‘ in the matter.  The United Nations nuclear watchdog is in the process of inspecting Iran’s uranium enrichment plant.  Both Iran and the U.S. are wary of falling into a trap over the nuclear question, reports the New York Times , and President Barack Obama reportedly called Dmitry Medvedev over the weekend to discuss the need to maintain Russian and U.S.

Russia ‘ counts on a controlling stake ‘ in the three small hydropower plants it is building in Tajikistan and ‘ hope[s] for the Tajik side’s understanding ‘ in the matter.  The United Nations nuclear watchdog is in the process of inspecting Iran’s uranium enrichment plant.  Both Iran and the U.S. are wary of falling into a trap over the nuclear question, reports the New York Times , and President Barack Obama reportedly called Dmitry Medvedev over the weekend to discuss the need to maintain Russian and U.S.

The ever-positive Vladimir Putin is forecasting 8% inflation for the coming year, which would be a ‘ post-Soviet low ‘.  The government will sell tons of its gold stockpile this year to cover its budget deficit and help it fund other supporting measures such as Moscow’s $570 million federal loan .  Private lender Alfa Bank is working on debt restructuring terms for giants BasEl and RusAl, and threatening to take the latter to court over unpaid debts.

The ever-positive Vladimir Putin is forecasting 8% inflation for the coming year, which would be a ‘ post-Soviet low ‘.  The government will sell tons of its gold stockpile this year to cover its budget deficit and help it fund other supporting measures such as Moscow’s $570 million federal loan .  Private lender Alfa Bank is working on debt restructuring terms for giants BasEl and RusAl, and threatening to take the latter to court over unpaid debts.

TODAY : Medvedev defends elections, says open to dialogue; Nashi files lawsuits with foreign papers; mafia boss praised by public; Ingush opposition leader killed; Serbia-Russia pact; reverse on Goldstone vote? Dmitry Medvedev  defended Russia’s recent elections during a meeting with parliamentary opposition leaders, saying that they were ‘ overall well-organized ‘.   Reuters called his comments a ‘ snub ‘ to opposition parties.

In December, President Obama will fly to Oslo to receive in person the Nobel Peace Prize he was recently awarded — beating, among others, Chinese dissident Hu Jia. He might also drop in next door to Copenhagen, where the United Nations will be trying to arrive at a global solution to climate change, a sort of another Kyoto, only successful.President Obama, however, will miss the November 9 celebrations of the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the event symbolically marking the end of the Cold War.