Russia has the right to protect its citizens[761]

Russia can now ''legally'' invade other countries

evolutsia.net/?tag=chechnya
Inge Snip

Kiev, Ukraine-

Apparently, Russia now officially has the legal right to protect its citizens in another country’s territory (well, internally, since according to international law it is quite forbidden). I thought they already claimed they had that right after the August war of 2008?

Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, signed into law amendments expending legal ground for the use of the Russian armed forces abroad, the Kremlin said on November 9.

According to the Kremlin, the law on defense envisages use of the Russian armed forces anywhere in the world to protect Russian citizens from armed attack; also in case of armed attack on Russian military units located outside Russia; when a foreign country is attacked and this country requests for Russia’s help and also for anti-piracy measures.

Medvedev said on November 5 that Russia would use its armed forces abroad only in exceptional circumstances.

“Such decisions are absolutely extraordinary and will be made only in case of extreme emergency,” he was quoted by the Russian media sources. “Our citizens should be protected in any part of the globe and feel that the state protects them.”

Russia : Orthodox Priest's Murder Solved[ 760 ]

Russian Investigators Say Orthodox Priest's Murder Solved

Orthodox priest and missionary Daniil Sysoev was murdered in November 2009.

March 16, 2010

MOSCOW -- Russian investigators say they have solved the murder last year of an Orthodox priest, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

Daniil Sysoyev died in November 2009 after he was shot in his own church, the Church of St. Thomas in Moscow.

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Prosecutor-General's Office said today that a forensic examination had shown that a pistol found on a man killed in a police shootout in Makhachkala, the capital of Daghestan, was the weapon used to kill Sysoyev.

The dead man's passport was in the name of Beksultan Karybekov.

Sysoyev had reported receiving death threats for converting Muslims and for his outspoken criticism of Islam.

Heads of the Greek gods in Crete. ...[ 759 ]

Heads of Greek mythological Gods ?

The mountain that resembles to a head , said to be the head of Greek God Zeus

This is Mount Yiouktas in Heraklion, Crete.
The Greek head of the god, Zeus, is supposed to have been born on Crete and as legend has it, also died there, leaving his profile imprinted on the mountain as a mythical tomb.


This is another mountain showing a face in profile, also on Crete.
It looks similar to the first picture, but look at that nose and the elegant forehead!
Crete seems laden with legends, but we knew that already, from the Greek mythology.

NASA image of the day, March 20th...[ 758 ]

The latest NASA "Image of the Day"

STS-125 Crew Visits the Stock Exchange
NASA astronauts Scott Altman and Mike Massimino of the STS-125 mission visit the New York Stock Exchange to support the release of Hubble 3D, the newest IMAX film, which documents the mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope and features never-before-seen 3D flights through Hubble imagery such as the Orion Nebula.

In honor of the occasion, Altman and Massimino ring 'The Closing Bell' ending the day's trading at the Exchange on Thursday, March 18, 2010. Image Credit: NYSE (Used by permission)

Σάββατο, 20 Μάρτιος 2010 6:00:00 πμ

For Greek PM Silence is golden...[ 757 ]

Greece's Risky Rhetoric

WALL STREET JOURNAL * Heard on the Street
BY RICHARD BARLEY, March 19,2010

Message to George Papandreou: Silence is golden. Thursday, the Greek prime minister called on European leaders to agree next week to a package of standby loans to buy his country breathing space on reform.

But every time Mr. Papandreou opens his mouth to complain about the lack of European Union support for his country, or hints that he might go to the International Monetary Fund for aid instead, he actually makes the job of financing his country's deficit more difficult.

( This is not the full and complete Article, it will be posted when I will secure it )

20-3-2010 - *** here is the full article

The Full Article By RICHARD BARLEY

Message to George Papandreou: Silence is golden. The Greek prime minister Thursday called on European leaders to agree next week on a package of standby loans to buy Greece breathing space on reform. But every time Mr. Papandreou complains of a lack of support for the nation or hints he will tap the International Monetary Fund, he makes financing Greece's deficit tougher.

Mr. Papandreou's fear: that high borrowing costs will dilute the impact of budget measures already announced. But by discussing the need for support, he risks raising investors' concerns that Greece has a problem with market access, when it doesn't. Greece has sold €13 billion ($17.9 billion) in bonds this year, with the latest sale just two weeks ago.

Sure, Greece is paying a high price to borrow. This year's bond issues yielded over 6%. But Greek borrowing costs are falling. Its 10-year bonds now yield 2.8 percentage points more than German debt, well below the peak of four percentage points in January. That spread should continue to tighten as the country rebuilds fiscal credibility.

There is also a limit to how far yields can fall. Ireland, with a similar budgetary challenge and a struggling banking system but greater market credibility and higher credit ratings, would pay about 1.3 percentage points over German bonds to borrow 10-year money. And the market knows Greece faces a €16 billion bond refinancing hump in April and May. Greek spreads might tighten at best to 1.8-2.0 percentage points over bunds medium term.

Mr. Papandreou's misguided communications are an obstacle to costs falling to even these levels. If he is serious about reducing borrowing costs, he needs to recognize there are no shortcuts—and no alternative to the tough changes that Greece has ducked for so long.

—Richard Barley Printed in The Wall Street Journal