Friday, March 9, 2012

North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un/© REUTERS/ Kyodo

14:46 09/03/2012

MOSCOW, March 9 (RIA Novosti)

North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un congratulated Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin Thursday on his landslide victory in the March 4 presidential elections and said that he wished Putin “building a powerful Russia,” North Korean state-run Rodong Sinmun daily reported on Thursday.

“I wish you achievement in your responsible work for building a powerful Russia, expressing belief that the traditional bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation would grow stronger,” Kim said in his letter.

Kim Jong-Un has run the isolated, nuclear-armed state since the death of his father Kim John-Il in December, 2011.

Shortly after Putin’s victory which critics say is illegitimate because of the mass vote frauds, the United States sent to Russia muted congratulations, which did not even mention Putin’s name, but only the title.

“The United States congratulates the Russian people on the completion of the presidential elections and looks forward to working with the president-elect after the results are certified and he is sworn in,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said on Monday.

White House spokesman Jay Carney however said earlier on Friday that no conclusions should be drawn from the fact that U.S. President Barack Obama has not yet personally congratulated Putin.

Putin was Russia's president between 2000 and 2008, when he was forced to stand down by the Constitution. He became prime minister after the inauguration of his hand-picked successor, Dmitry Medvedev. The two men are now expected to swap jobs.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

A year after the tsunami in Japan....[ 2773 ]

On Japanese tsunami anniversary, survivor cannot go home -- Reuters Investigates (2:46)

Set it at full screen

One Japanese sushi chef wants to return to his shop in Ofunato, a coastal city devastated by last year's tsunami. Reuters' journalist Chris Meyers follows up with this tsunami survivor he first met in the rubble shortly after the 2011 earthquake.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Tropical Storm Irina kills 72 in Madagascar...[ 2772 ]

Tropical Storm Irina kills 72 in Madagascar

By the CNN Wire Staff

March 7, 2012 -- Updated 1555 GMT (2355 HKT)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

An estimated 70,000 people are left homeless
Irina is Madagascar's second storm in two weeks

(CNN) -- At least 72 people are dead and 70,000 others homeless after Tropical Storm Irina struck Madagascar, the island nation's second violent storm in two weeks, the United Nations' humanitarian news agency reported.

Irina began affecting Madagascar on February 26, dumping heavy rain, especially in the southeastern part of the country, according to the IRIN news agency, a service of the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which cited the nation's Disaster Risk Management Agency.

Cyclone Giovanna wreaked havoc on Madagascar last month, IRIN said. But "while most people had been warned of Giovanna's destructive potential, Irina took the Indian Ocean island largely by surprise, destroying roads and houses already weakened by the first cyclone."

More than 100 people have died during the nation's current cyclone season, which usually runs from January to March, IRIN said.

Most of the casualties were in the southeastern town of Ifanadiana, where a mudslide swallowed homes and caused a traffic accident involving a minibus, according to IRIN.

In addition, main roads connecting the town of Vangaindrano to the rest of the country were submerged under mud and water, the news agency reported. An aid agency team there was stranded along with residents.

Greek Protesters Disrupt Military Parade....[ 2771 ]

Greek Anti-Austerity Protesters Disrupt Military Parade

Topic: Financial crisis in Greece

ATHENS, March 7 (RIA Novosti)

Greek demonstrators protesting against the government’s austerity measures disrupted on Wednesday a military parade on the Aegean island of Rhodes, the Athens News Agency reported.

A large group of protesters chanting anti-government slogans broke through a military cordon surrounding the stage where government members, military officials and lawmakers gathered during the parade. The event marked the 65th anniversary since the Aegean Dodecanese archipelago became part of Greece in 1947.

The protesters threw water bottles and cups of yogurt at the high-ranking guests, forcing many of them to flee.

There have been no injuries reported.

This was not the first time when Greek protesters disrupted official events like Wednesday’s parade, outraged by unprecedented austerity measures taken by the government in exchange for financial aid from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Thursday is the deadline for investors to agree to swap their Greek government bonds for new debts that are worth about 70 percent less. If the deal does not go through, the EU and IMF have threatened to block a fresh 130 billion euro bailout for Greece, which analysts warn would lead to its economic default.
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Gumdrop Meets Spider...[ 2770 ]

Gumdrop Meets Spider

This image, taken on March 6, 1969, shows the Apollo 9 Command and Service Modules docked with the Lunar Module. Apollo 9 astronaut Dave Scott stands in the open hatch of the Command Module, nicknamed "Gumdrop," docked to the Lunar Module "Spider" in Earth orbit.

His crewmate Rusty Schweickart, lunar module pilot, took this photograph from the porch of the lunar module. Inside the lunar module was Apollo 9 commander Jim McDivitt.

The crew tested the orbital rendezvous and docking procedures that made the lunar landings possible.

Image Credit: NASA

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Δευτέρα	+15°	+6°
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