Putin’s first official visit to Beijing enthuses Russian media (People’s Daily) Major Russian media have given extensive coverage of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s visit to China on Oct. 12-14, speaking highly of the trip and expressing optimism over the prospects of Russian-China ties. The two countries signed 12 agreements with a total value exceeding 4 billion U.S. dollars on Tuesday.

PRISTINA, Kosovo — Kosovo’s authorities said Friday they have demarcated a disputed border with Macedonia , a scene of tensions in the past. The deal, which will define several miles (kilometers) of border between the two countries follows months of negotiations . It is expected to pave the way to setting up diplomatic relations between the two countries, which Macedonia refused to set up before the agreement was reached. MOSCOW (AP) - From the Cold War to a Battle of the Bands.

No seriously, how tough is it to look up Wikipedia ? Reuters has an article about a Putin reference in this week’s episode of Family Guy. The subversive award-winning show, which has featured bestiality, incest and stars Brian, the talking dog, centres around one-year-old Stewie who speaks in a faux upper class English accent and abhors his middle-class American parents. If you know anything about Family Guy, you’d get the incorrectness. The description makes it sound like the American version of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai .

I understand Ms. Clinton recently agreed to a unilateral agreement to allow the Russian military to inspect our most secret nuclear sites to count these weapons etc. What do we get in return?      Putin will not agree with Hilary to sanctions against Iran’s nuke ambitions, but we will roll over for the Russians?   Thursday’s P/D wastes front page ink on Limbaugh’s lost Ram’s bid, the Dow index passing 10,000, El-Amin’s corruption, fencing sport articles, and “public option” snags.

MOSCOW - From the Cold War to a Battle of the Bands. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, by some accounts a big fan of ABBA, has suggested organizing an international song competition for Russia, Central Asia and China, saying it would strengthen cultura …

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said that Russia has a very good chance to host the 2018 World Cup in his meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin yesterday in Moscow.   The Russian bid which was announced last Friday has the full support of the government which would pour billions of dollars in to major milestone improvements in the European regions of the nation. “I believe that the World Cup should leave a legacy, and this idea is coming to life here in Russia.

Putin on the Ritz: Russian PM floats song contest MOSCOW ? From the Cold War to a Battle of the Bands. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, by some accounts a big fan of ABBA, has suggested organizing an international song competition for Russia, Central Asia and China, saying it would strengthen cultural ties among the nations. “Uzbekistan Idol” perhaps? [...]

From The Financial Times. I promise to avoid those terrible copy/pastes in the future. Tony Blair, former British prime minister, was the name on everyone’s lips on Monday as European Union leaders contemplated the choice of the bloc’s first full-time president. According to EU diplomats and officials, Mr Blair is far from assured of the job, not least because he cannot yet count on the support of Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, or the leaders of several smaller EU countries.

Posturing Klaus Published: October 13 2009 21:59 in the Financial Times ! too good to avoid the full copy/paste, thanks, Financial, this time you got Pro-EU ? Vaclav Klaus has taken his provocative brand of self-serving contrarianism too far. The Czech president’s obstruction of the Lisbon treaty has nothing to do with preserving freedom. His increasingly erratic views can hardly outweigh those of the Czech government, parliament and people, not to mention those of the 26 other European Union member states that have ratified the treaty – some of which have raised significant difficulties along the way.

. Putin went to Beijing and signed an agreement that would have China build a high speed railway system in Russia. It should be noted though that Russia already has more world-class high speed rail lines (one) than the US does (zero). ( Alibaba ) See video after the jump Ray LaHood, the transportation secretary of this great land, praised a plan to create a multi-modal transport hub in a defunct passenger rail station in the Twin Cities. “There are very few places around the country that are doing this,” he said.

Charles Krauthammer’s column in The Washington Post today is nothing short of a masterpiece. Trust me, it’s that good. Related Posts Putin Treats Obama To Russian Breakfast Video: Obama’s Fox Basher Anita Dunn Loves Chairman Mao Hot Video: “Peace Prize” Video: John Bolton Responds To Obama Nobel Win The Nobel Peace Prize: For The Fungus Amongus

Kafkaesque. The former Russian oil tycoon, who stood up to Putin, is back before his judges. Here is the story. [The following is a translation of an article published in the French publication Le Point. ] Le Point, October 15, 2009 Accused Khodorkovsky, Stand Up! From our special envoy Marc Nexon He stands up, opens his spiral notebook and pulls out 3 sheets of paper he has scribbled with his fine handwriting. He pats the microphone installed in his glass cage.

Kafkaesque. The former Russian oil tycoon, who stood up to Putin, is back before his judges. Here is the story. [The following is a translation of an article published in the French publication Le Point. ] Le Point, October 15, 2009 Accused Khodorkovsky, Stand Up! From our special envoy Marc Nexon He stands up, opens his spiral notebook and pulls out 3 sheets of paper he has scribbled with his fine handwriting. He pats the microphone installed in his glass cage.

On Tuesday, Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jibao in Beijing, to discuss several trade agreements. The result was a gas supply agreement and deals worth $3.5 billion . (Photo source:  http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/fe25ed804fec1021b2d2beacdf80898b/608×325.jpg?MOD=AJPERES ) Russia’s economy will decline by 7.5% in 2009, so Russia looks for new ways to rejuvenate it. China is the world’s second biggest energy user, so Russia is keen to sell more oil and gas to them.

MOSCOW, Oct 16 - Russia needs to take more steps to stimulate banks to give out loans, as the real economy still lacks affordable funds, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Friday. ‘There remains an acute problem of monetary resources for the re …

Past Tuesday, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin negotiated with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to sign trade agreements. About 40 deals were made. “An important element of global stability” Russia and China signed $ 3.5 billion (€2.35 billion) in commercial deals. “It’s the first time, perhaps, that such large commercial deals are being sealed in such volume between Russian and Chinese enterprises,” Alexander Zhukov said, Russian Deputy Prime Minister.

EUR/USD dipped as low as 1.4848 before stabilizing, failing to trigger the stops just below the 1.4845 level. A modest bout of short-covering ensured. Crossing the wires is news that Putin has asked the government to evaluate the pros and cons of a stronger rouble. If they find they can live with a stronger rouble, there would be less intervention, somewhat undermining the euro. That is a big “if”, however.

With most western countries still trying to figure out a way out of this crisis, the east is already rising again. Vladimir Putin, Russia’s prime minister, is visiting China together with a Russian business delegation. Yesterday, they brokered a 3.5 billion dollar deal on energy, infrastructure and space exploration. The talks took place in China’s capital Beijing, just two weeks after China’s 60 th birthday celebrations, where China already showed the world what can be expected from them in the future .

EDITORIALPutin Punks ObamaMista Obama, u been played.Last week, despite much Russian ass-kissing by Barack Obama, Russia’s chief diplomat spurned not only the notion of actual sanctions against the incipient nuclear weapons program being developed by Iran, with much Russian assistance, but even the threat of such sanctions.  Soon after that, Putin himself began issuing ominous warnings about leaving Iran alone.It was clear:  Obama had been punk’d.It was not a good week for the American President.

EDITORIALLies, Lies and More Russian LiesPerhaps Russia is slowly coming to its senses.  It really does begin to seem that Vladimir Putin’s neo-Soviet dictatorship is, under the pressure of his absolute economic failure, beginning to tremble at its foundations, ready to fall apart.First we had the amazing admission of the leader of Russia’s upper house of parliament that the country’s Internet is an utter sham, just what we’ve been saying it was for years now.Next, the Kremlin’s human rights ombudsman witheringly condemned the neo-Soviet tactics of Putin’s Hitler youth cult NASHI.