Corruption protests in Russia

#Russia #Corruption #protests #VladimirPutin #AlexeiNavalny #incidents #politics

More than ten thousand people protested across 100 cities in Russia, covering all the 11 Russian time zone, against political corruption. Out of these, more than a thousand protesters were arrested, including Alexei Navalny, opposition leader and protest organizer. Mr. Navalny has now been sentenced to 30 days in jail.

The protesters who held rallies on Russia day, a national holiday, denounced President Vladimir Putin. The Moscow demonstration featured an unlikely scene of about 5,000 protesters rallying next to an enclosure with geese, a medieval catapult and bearded men in homemade tunics and carrying wooden shields.

Most of the protestors were younger, those who were born/raised during the 17 years of Putin rule. Although School and University staff warned the students to go in such rallies, most of the students unhesitatingly took part in the protests.

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This is incredible. Younger generation standing up for the fight against corruption, that too in Russia. I do wish that everyone arrested is safe and sound.

Putin is satisfied with Trump’s decision to withdraw from Paris Pact

#Putin #Russia #Trump #President #US #ParisClimatePact #GlobalWarming #ClimateChange #politics

Putin mentioned “Don’t worry, be happy!” on being asked for his reaction on Trumps decision regarding the withdrawal of US from the Paris Climate Pact. Putin might be satisfied with Trump’s decision, considering Russia is the largest crude oil producer and fifth largest greenhouse emitter in the world.

Russia pledged to reduce its carbon emissions by at least 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. Under current projections, Russia could step up its carbon emissions and still claim to meet its 2030 goals. There are currently no utility-scale wind turbines or solar farms in Russia.

However, Putin seem to be aware of the man-made carbon emissions and the global warming caused by it, unlike President Trump who still says that global warming is partly an elaborate hoax.

Putin also joked that everyone can blame the Trump administration and American Imperialism for the impacts of global warming.

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Well. Russia seems to be satisfied. I wish US can come to terms, and in turn at least launch a campaign to protect its own environment and control its pollution, if it doesn’t feel like helping other countries.

Putin meets French President Macron

#France #President #EmmanuelMacron #Russia #VladimirPutin #Versailles #PetertheGreat #Syria

French President Macron met Vladimir Putin on Monday, on the 300th anniversary of a visit to Versailles by tsar Peter the Great. The handshake this time was much warmer, compared to Macron’s handshake with Donald Trump recently.

Macron said that they disagree on a number of things but at least it was discussed. The topmost priority is the fight against terrorism and eradication of Daesh (IS) in particular. He also mentioned that Syrian use of chemical weapons will be a red line, and France will give an immediate response to such an event.

Putin also shrugged off allegations that Russian hackers infiltrated Macron’s campaign. He also seemed to have promised Macron to give the the ‘whole truth’ about an alleged crackdown on gay men in Russian-controlled Chechnya.

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You remember right? IS = Illiterate Souls

This is a firm stand by French President Emmanuel Macron. And it is nice to see such a leader appear on the podium. I wish he stays the same throughout his term and change European policies for the better.

Modi’s 4-nation tour

#PrimeMinister #NarendraModi #India #Germany #Spain #Russia #France #politics

As India has close ties with European countries for bilateral cooperation on economic, defence, science and technology, and nuclear fronts, fight against terror, and many more, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be going on a four nation European tour starting today.

He will be first visiting Germany, to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel and will head head the fourth biennial Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC). India and Germany have more than 23 working groups that are related to climate change, energy, infrastructure and tourism. Germany also supports India’s membership in different export control regimes, including the NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group).

He will then be meeting Premier Mariano Rajoy in Spain, and Spanish King Felipe VI. Spain’s advanced technology and infrastructure, and a cooperation in counter-terror will be some of the main topics to be discussed.

On May 31, he will be travelling to Russia where he will meet President Vladimir Putin. He will also, for the first time, be attending St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Science and technology cooperation and people-to-people contacts are also areas that will come up for discussion during the Modi-Putin meeting.

The final stop will be France, where Modi will meet the newly President-elect Macron, considering that India & France have very strong cooperation in space, civil, nuclear, defence and economy.

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Building a connection with other countries is important, and visiting them is always a good way of showing cooperation. India as a growing nation needs this.

Why President Trump gave intelligence to Russia?

#President #US #trump #Israel #Russia #Putin #intel #politics

According to a few US officials, Trump discussed about Islamic State with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak. US lawmakers have been asking the White House and the President for a complete explanation regarding the matter.

An US ally, probably Israel as suspected by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and CNN, and it’s source of information had been revealed by Trump in a meeting with the Russian officials. This threatens the strength of US confidentiality as it shared the information without consulting the respective country, or the US Congress.

Trump said on Twitter on Tuesday he had an “absolute right” to share facts with Russia, adding he wanted Moscow to be more active in fighting Islamic State militants.

Trump’s alleged ties with Russia, the Russian interference in the US election, firing of Flynn and now the firing of Comey, have all raised flags with how deeply the Russian and Trump involvement goes.

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This is a serious issue. No state can reveal such information without the consultancy of it’s own congress or the source. If this is proven to be true, it will be a major concern for US allies, and a major concern for US as it might not receive reliable data or any data from it’s allies in the future.

Babies named after Putin in Syria

#Russia #Syria #BasharAssad #babies #VladimirPutin #IS #military

Syrian families are naming their children Putin as a mark of gratitude for the Russian President’s support for his Syrian couterpart in the six-year war, a government official said.

Not only that, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has also made Russian the second language in Syria in a show of showing gratitude for Russian efforts. He also donated land near Damascus for a Russian ‘school’ to be built.

Russian military and jets have helped Syria quite a bit through it’s war against IS. Russia even opposed the UN move of censuring Damascus for a chemical attack on a village earlier this month that had been blamed on Bashar Al-Assad.

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As if one wasn’t enough. Well, at least they are not naming them Trump for the US support. 😀

Dozens killed in Chemical attack

#victims #Syria #BasharAssad #chemicalAttack #Russia #US

A chemical weapons attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun is believed to have killed at least 58 people, which did include 11 children. People were gasping for breath and convulsing in the streets and overcrowded hospitals. Witnesses said that the chemical weapon was carried out by Sukhoi jets operated by the Russian and Syrian governments.

Volunteer medics used fire hoses to wash the chemicals from victims’ bodies, many of which were stripped to the underwear. The attack reminded people of a 2013 chemical assault that left hundreds dead and was the worst in the country’s ruinous six-year civil war.

Donald Trump, US President, denounced it as a ‘heinous’ act that “cannot be ignored by the civilized world.”

Syrian government tried to reject the claims that it was responsible, and said that it does not posses any chemical weapons, hasn’t used them ever and won’t be using them in the future. The Russian defense ministry said the Khan Sheikhoun residents were exposed to toxic agents from a rebel arsenal hit by a Syrian air strike.

This was the third claim of a chemical attack in just over a week in Syria. The previous two were reported in Hama province, in an area not far from Khan Sheikhoun.

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What is wrong with Syria, if the claims are true, how can it do such atrocities against its own people..

Russian metro train bombing

#Russia #train #StPetersburg #bombing #terrorism #IS #victims

A metro train carriage was bombed in St. Petersburg on Monday, killing 11 people and injuring 45. There have been no proclamations as of yet, but the Russian law enforcement are suspecting a suicide bomber with ties to radical Islamist.

President Vladimir Putin visited the scene of the explosion on Monday night and laid red flowers.

Russian media broadcasted that a bearded man was being sought by the police for questioning, however he was cleared after the individual stepped forward and inquired. The human remains examined by the police said that the blast was carried out by a suicide bomber.

Many people in the Russian society see the metro bombing as proof that Russia should not have intervened in Syria to fight the ISIS, which is the reason such attacks are back to the country.

Two years ago, the Islmaic State group said it brought down a plane carrying Russian touriests home from a Red Sea resort. All 224 people on board the flight were killed.

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Please pray for the deceased, and wish speedy recovery for the injured.

I do not even understand what are these terrorists even fighting for. Earlier they said it was for religion, but no religion would ask another human to forcibly convert to that religion. So what is this for? What is this exactly? Trying to cling on the hope of taking control over the world by terrorism.

Trump, reality, Russia

#Trump #US #President #Russia #FBI #NSA #Obama #security

Only hours after Trump dismissed that his campaign team was being scrutinized by the FBI for possible ties with Russia, FBI Director James Comey confirmed that the investigation is real. (Oh, well) The FBI Director also insisted that there was no evidence that Mr. Obama had ordered a wiretap for Trump tower.

Not only this, Michael Rogers, head of the NSA, that there has been no evidence that Britain had helped President Obama with the surveillance.

This might come as a huge blow to Trump, who is bound to lose credibility and standing as a reliable ally for his fellow Republicans, ofcourse the most ardent fans of Trump won’t be buzzed with such fake news.

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Here is how it went down:

Air strikes kill 42 in Syria

#Israel #Syria #IS #terrorism #airstrikes #Russia #US #civilians

More than 42 people were killed and wounding more than a hundred in an air strike by unidentified warplanes on a village mosque in Aleppo province. The attack happened during evening prayers and most of the casualties were civilians. The village is held by rebel and Islamist groups, but no jihadist factions are present.

Abu Muhammed, a village resident, said that he saw 15 bodies and a lot of body parts in the debris when he arrived at the scene.

An AFP reporter at the scene said rescuers earlier left the wreckage site but were forced to double back when they heard moaning coming from the debris.

The skies over Aleppo are often busy with Syrian and Russian warplanes as well as US-led coalition aircraft carrying out air strikes. Russia has often denied allegations of civilian deaths in its strikes, whereas US-led coalition said earlier this month that at least 220 civilians had been unintentionally killed in its raids in Iraq and Syria.

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