Category Archives: Russia
Locked out: The 12 million people without a country, and the need to become a citizen
By Stephanie Hanes, Correspondent The victims of shifting borders, politics, or the happenstance of birthplace, the world’s 12 million stateless people and their need to become citizens are rising on the international human rights agenda. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - -A Palestinian in Beirut, Lebanon, holding a symbolic key during a commemoration of the dispersal of [...]
Azerbaijan: Vulnerable Stability
Baku/Tbilisi/Brussels: If it continues to ignore the need for economic and political reform, Azerbaijan will squander an historic opportunity to use the country’s energy resources to build a more durablestate system and a prosperous nation. The latest report from the International Crisis Group, examines how oil money has entrenched a stagnant political system, making [...]
Russian protesters defy Putin warning – and meet tough response
Hundreds of young Russians protested Tuesday in support of their constitutional right of free assembly, despite Prime Minister Putin’s warning against unsanctioned political rallies. By Fred Weir, Correspondent / August 31, 2010 MoscowDefying a warning from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that anybody trying to stage unsanctioned political rally would be “beaten on the head” by police, [...]
Russian skinheads attack concertgoers
AP From: AP SCORES of bare-chested skinheads have attacked a crowd of about 3000 people at a rock concert in central Russia, beating them with clubs, media reports say. Dozens of people were left bloodied and dazed in today’s attack, television and news agencies reported, and state news channel Rossiya-24 said a 14-year-old girl was [...]
First Victory for Russia’s Opposition
by Vladimir Kara-Murza ‘World Affairs’ The last decade has brought endless setbacks for Russia’s pro-democracy forces. One after another, the regime claimed new targets in its drive to solidify power: media freedom, electoral competition, judicial independence, regional self-government. It is difficult to name what, if any, victories the opposition has scored against the rising authoritarian [...]
Yes, climate change is a major crisis
Jill Singer From: Herald Sun PAKISTAN is suffering its worst floods on record. Already, 1500 men, women and children have drowned, the UN fears a further six million lives will be lost without immediate assistance, and an estimated 14 million people so far have been directly affected by the crisis.In China, more than 700 people [...]
People smuggling: how flawed policy creates criminal activity
crickey Pamela Curr, campaign co-ordinator at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, writes: ASYLUM SEEKERS, BOAT PEOPLE, FEDERAL ELECTION 2010, FEDERAL; ELECTION 20, PEOPLE SMUGGLERS Asylum seekers on Lampedusa rescued from a leaking boat carrying 300 people. Photo: Penny Bradfield The corruption and bribery chains operating in the Indonesian people smuggling trade as shown in the [...]
Media professionals and health communicators strengthen capacity in emergency communication
Ashgabat,TurkmenistanThe Health Information Centre under the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and UNICEF organized an orientation seminar for media professionals and health communicators on risk and crisis communication. The seminar aimed at strengthening the capacity of national media professionals and public health information experts on reporting public health issues and the role [...]
Did You Know?
ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES One person out of every 115 people alive today is a refugee or displaced person. There are refugees living in every country in the world, but today most refugees live in the poorer countries of Africa or Asia. Most of the world’s displaced people also live in these countries. There are [...]
500 million Europeans, and dwindling
Die Presse Vienna “The 500 millionth European was born” in the first quarter of this year – but by the end of the century the European population will diminish sharply after a brief period of growth, notes Austrian daily Die Presse. The combined population of all the European countries (the EU plus Turkey, Russia, the Caucasus [...]
The Challenge of Nuclear Disarmament: Dis-invent the Bomb or Re-invent the UN?
by Mr Shahriar Mahmoud Sharei* I. The Challenge and Objective of ‘Zero Nuclear Weapons’ The calamity of nuclear bombs and their destructive power was illustrated in the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear attacks that caused 200,000 deaths on impact and several hundred thousands of radiation related illnesses and cancers over the years. In the post cold [...]
Of Utmost Importance Attention of: Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969)
Dear Mrs. Lopez, I write to you as the President of the Displaced Mothers of Cyprus, as a woman and as a mother above all. From this part of the world we have been watching and admiring your successful career, but also your amazing strength in raising your children and determination in offering them the [...]
Σκέψεις από την Κωνσταντινούπολη
The New York Times Οι τέσσερις βασικές ερωτήσεις που δέχθηκα κατά τη διάρκεια πρόσφατης επίσκεψής μου στην Κωνσταντινούπολη, από ακαδημαϊκούς, δημοσιογράφους και επιχειρηματίες, είναι ενδεικτικές της κατάστασης που επικρατεί σήμερα στην Τουρκία: Πρώτον, «παρακμάζει η Δύση και αναδύονται στη θέση της νέες παγκόσμιες δυνάμεις από την Ανατολή»;
2010 Refugee Week Launch
Freedom from Fear Mr John Gibson, President, Refugee Council of Australia . Speech for Refugee Week launch, Victorian Parliament House, 21 June 2010 Thank you. I’d like to first of all acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. I pay my respects to [...]
