Tag Archive: Russia

on August 17, 2013 in World News

PUTIN AND MINORITIES IN RUSSIA

PUTIN AND MINORITIES IN RUSSIA On February 4th, 2013, Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, addressed the Duma, (Russian Parliament), and gave a speech about the tensions with minorities in Russia: “In Russia live Russians. Any minority, from anywhere, if it wants to live in Russia, to work and eat in Russia, should speak Russian, and should respect the Russian laws. If they prefer Sharia Law, then we advise them to go to those places where that’s the state law. Russia does not need minorities. Minorities need Russia, and we will not grant them special privileges, or try to change our… View Article

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on August 16, 2013 in World News

U.S. Army Buys Nearly 600,000 Soviet AK-47 Magazines

U.S. Army Buys Nearly 600,000 Soviet AK-47 Magazines The U.S. Army is buying almost 600,000 Soviet AK-47 magazines, enough to hold nearly 18,000,000 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammo which is not standard-issue for either the U.S. military or NATO.A U.S. Army solicitation on the Federal Business Opportunities site asks for approximately 592,825 new AK 30-round magazines. The solicitation even refers to the magazines as being for “non-standard weapons.” More specifically, they are for the AK-47 designed by the Soviet Union at the start of the Cold War, which is now commonly used by opposition forces in proxy wars around the world…. View Article

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on August 10, 2013 in World News

PetroChina joins Exxon to dominate Iraqi oil industry

PetroChina joins Exxon to dominate Iraqi oil industry China’s biggest oil producer PetroChina will be developing Iraq’s giant oil field West Qurna with American Exxon Mobil. The deal could make Chinese energy giant the biggest foreign investor in Iraq’s oil industry. China already dominates the oil fields around southern Iraq, Reuters reports. PetroChina was the first foreign company to strike an oil deal in Iraq after US-led forces overthrew Saddam Hussein. It is now developing Iraq’s biggest oilfield Rumaila with BP. The PetroChina-Exxon agreement could be announced in weeks. “PetroChina will participate in developing the field,” Reuters quotes an industry… View Article

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on August 5, 2013 in World News

Belarus and Russia in a ‘chocolate war’ against Ukraine

Belarus and Russia in a ‘chocolate war’ against Ukraine Minsk has decided to support its Customs Union ally Moscow and ban the Ukrainian confectionary firm Roshen from entering Russia. The so-called ‘chocolate war’ with Russia could cost Roshen an estimated $200mn. Belarus will not allow confectionery manufactured by Roshen to cross its territory, the Belarusian Ministry of Health said in a statement on Friday. That’s after the Russian sanitary services banned the confectioners products after the toxic hydrocarbon benzopyrene was found in Roshen milk chocolate. While Roshen products are still being tested by the country’s sanitary controls department, “the Belarusian… View Article

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on July 5, 2013 in World News

Russia, China naval drills in Sea of Japan

China and Russia have begun their biggest-ever joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan amid growing indications of a broad-based enhancement of ties between former Cold War rivals. During the military exercise, which kicked off on Friday, 18 surface ships, one submarine, three aircraft, five ship-launched helicopters and two commando units were involved in the “Joint Sea-2013” maneuvers, which is due to continue through July 12. The joint exercises will reportedly include anti-submarine warfare, close maneuvering, and the simulated take-over of an enemy ship. China’s Chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army Fang Fenghui reportedly ratified… View Article

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on June 25, 2013 in World News

Obama hit by Snowden setbacks with China, Russia

            WASHINGTON     (AP) — For President Barack Obama, National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden’s globe-trotting evasion of U.S. authorities has dealt a startling setback to efforts to strengthen ties with China and raised the prospect of worsening tensions with Russia. Indeed, Russia’s foreign minister on Tuesday called U.S. demands for Snowden’s extradition “ungrounded and unacceptable.” Relations with both China and Russia have been at the forefront of Obama’s foreign policy agenda this month, underscoring the intertwined interests among these uneasy partners. Obama met just last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of… View Article

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