North Korea - Still Going Strong

Last UPDATE: June 7, 2014



金正恩视察朝鲜精英部队:
朝军要培养“以一当百的战争能手”

Kim Jong Un inspecting North Korea's unit of outstanding heroes:
The North Korean army wants to train "war experts for pitting one against 100".

朝鲜士兵向金正恩展示胸口碎大石

North Korean soldiers showing to Kim Jong Un
the crashing of large stone on the pit of the stomach.




Channel 3 of North Korea Central TV broadcast a documentary where soldiers not only exhibited training techniques like hand-to-hand fighting but as well special skills like "crashing stone on the pit of the stomach". 朝鲜中央电视台3号播出了最高领导人金正恩视察朝鲜人民军精英部队的纪录片。片中，军人们不仅展示了近身搏斗等训练技巧，还表演了“胸口碎石”等特殊技能。

[Source: China News Network 中新网 on June 5, 2014]

..............................



朝鲜判处韩国传教士金正旭终身劳动教养

North Korea sentences South Korean missionary
Kim Jong Uk to lifelong "reeducation through labour".

Latest news on a North Korean spy story that began in February 2014 and ended a few days ago with a press conference in Pyongyang where the alleged culprit was presented.

今年2月，金正旭在平壤举行记者会，称其去年10月因非法潜入朝鲜遭到扣留，承认自己进行反朝活动并接受韩国国家情报院的资金。韩国方面认为金正旭是从事宗教活动的韩国公民而非朝方所说“反国家犯罪分子”，与韩国国家情报院没有关系，要求朝方尽快将其释放。

In February this year, on a meeting of journalists in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Uk said he suffered detention because of having illegally sneaked into North Korea in October last year. He admitted having carried out himself activities directed against the North and having accepted funds from South Korea's intelligence bureau. The South Korean side considers Kim Jong Uk as a South Korean citizen engaged in religious activity but not what the North is calling "a criminal opposing the nation". [According to the South] he has no relation with South Korea's national intelligence bureau, and the North is requested to set him free as soon as possible.

[Source: China News Network 中新网 on 1st June 2014]

..............................

Today, June 6, CNN reported the detention of a U.S. citizen, Jeffrey Edward Fowle who arrived as a tourist in North Korea on April 29. The CNN report is referring to the Korean Central News Agency KCNA in Pyongyang. Fowle was part of a tour group and was detained in mid-May after allegedly leaving a Bible in a hotel where he had been staying.

North Korea is also holding Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American missionary who was sentenced to 15 years hard labor in 2013 by a court that said he carried out acts aimed at bringing down the regime of leader Kim Jong Un.

A third U.S. citizen in North Korean custody might be mentally disturbed as he is reported to have torn his tourist visa and shouted he would seek asylum.

As to religious activity in North Korea, there are a number of state-controlled churches. However, the regime forbids independent religious activities, holding them as a potential threat to its authorities.

[Source: CNN on June 6, 2014]


朝鲜扣留一美国游客 外媒：或因 其在酒店留下一本圣经 ［凤凰—2014年06月07日］

..............................



俄官员称俄朝贸易额拟提高10倍 将连接俄朝铁路

Russian official says the volume of trade between Russia and North Korea is planned to increase ten times by means of joining railroads between [both countries].

The Chinese article is quoting Russia's minister for the development of the Far East as saying that a joint commission of both governments, charged with cooperation in the fields of economy and trade as well as science and technology, has concluded in its [recent] meeting to increase the volume of trade to probably one billion U.S.$. This would come up to a ten times' increase of the actual trade volume [which is 112 million $].

[Source: China News Network 中新网 on June 5, 2014]

---

Iraq - Sectarian Power Resists

قتلى معظمهم من الجيش باشتباكات مع العشائر بالفلوجة

Most of the troops died when engaging with tribesmen in Falluja.

قالت مصادر طبية في مدينة الفلوجة غرب بغداد إن 15 شخصا قتلوا بالهجوم الذي تشنه القوات الحكومية منذ الصباح على المدينة، في حين أكد الأهالي أن مسلحي العشائر تصدوا للجيش.ـ

Medical sources in the town of Falluja, west of Baghdad, are saying that 15 died in an attack launched by government troops on the town since morning. At that time, so inhabitants confirmed, armed tribesmen resisted the army.

[Source: Al-Jazeera - Online الجزيرة نت on 1st June 2014]

EU 2014 - Europe has Voted

Last UPDATE: May 26, 2014



The general voting procedure in 28 member states of the European Union is coming to an end.

First results from Germany are showing a close run between both governing parties:
The Christian-Democrats (i.e. the Merkel party together with its regional sister party
(CSU) in the federal state of Bavaria) reach 35,5% => inofficial final result: 35,3%.

The Social-Democrats (i.e. the Gabriel party) reach 27,2% => inofficial final result: 27,3%.

Further results:
Greens' Party 10,7% => final result: 10,8% at 23:00 CET
Leftist Party 7,5%
AfD (Alternative for Germany) 7,0% => final result: 6,8% at 23:00 CET
The eurocritical AfD has run for the first time in European elections.

Some 48% of German voters have participated in the vote. All essential parties are generally in favour of the European Union but demand certain changes on different fields of administration. A deregulation of central law-making in Brussels is requested by many candidates. Such, German regions could enjoy again more liberties in their plannings.

All data mentioned above have been quoted from reliable German media at about 20:00 CET. Later changes have been specially marked. Inofficial Final Results

..............................

Raw data of election results from other member states of the European Union can be found here:

Austria:

Hungary:

Poland:

The Netherlands:

Italy:

Great Britain:


..............................

Election Results from France:

Here now a graphic representation of election results in France from May 25/26. Comprehensive data and background information about France and other EU member states are available from the election news service of FranceTVinfo.

Voici l'un des meilleurs sites sur les élections européennes, pas seulement centré sur la France mais aussi avec une première analyse des résultats à l'étranger, pays par pays:
FranceTVinfo: Les résultats des européennes, pays par pays.




The Political Color of France in the European Elections.

Dramatic changes in France from 2009 to 2014:

Dark colored regions in the infographics above are showing French "départements" where far-right candidates of the National Front (FN) reached a majority in the European Elections of 2014. These administrative regions have been mostly won over from the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), a centre-right political party related to the former presidents of France Chirac and Sarkozy. The centre-left Socialist Party (PS), represented by current president Hollande, lost two of four departments compared to the 2009 elections.

The National Front has won 26% of all votes and one third of seats reserved for France in the European Parliament.

The National Front (FN) can be characterized by economic protectionism, a zero tolerance approach to law and order issues, and anti-immigration. The party's opposition to immigration is focused on non-European immigration, and includes support for deporting illegal, criminal, and unemployed immigrants. Since the 1990s, the party's evaluation of the European Union is increasingly marked by euroscepticism.

Marine Le Pen, daughter of FN founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, is now celebrating her party's unprecedented victory. The tendency of mainstream politics in France, however, identified as a general drift towards nationalist and far-right positions, is scaring many observers abroad.


Spain's most important daily "El País", Madrid, May 26:


"La Bleue Marine" Le Pen

"El Frente Nacional se convierte en la primera fuerza política francesa"

"The National Front is turning itself into first political power of France"

---

A "cautious" visitor to "blueprint news" coming from New York, Lower Manhattan.



Visitor coming from the historic center of Berlin, Germany.



Visitor from Paris and who could be detected near Centre Pompidou,
a remarkable center of cultural activities and a central meeting point
of the French capital. The inserted photo is showing a demonstration
of support for the Ukraine entering the European Union EU and which
took place just in front of Centre Pompidou.

Russia - Huge Gas Deal with China

Yesterday, May 19, the website of Russia's state TV (RT) came with the following headline:

Gazprom to Sign Monumental Gas Deal with China
That deal should be signed these days when Russia's president Putin is going to visit China in order to meet his counterpart Xi JinPing. The following map is showing the infrastructure of Russia's oil and gas delivery to China and gives an idea of its extent.




However, an expert evaluation from China, dealing with the same subject, implies there is much more behind it for the Chinese side:




为什么中国还可能继续和俄罗斯死磕天然气

Headline: Why does China probably still continue with natural gas knocked out from Russia ?

外界普遍预计，本周俄罗斯总统普京访华将促成旷日持久的中俄天然气协议。《华尔街日报》总结分析师的观点说，中俄政府从没这么接近达成协议。尽管如此，两国依然有很大的分歧空间。

The outside world generally estimates, Russian president Putin's visit to China this week facilitates a long-drawn-out agreement on natural gas between China and Russia. According to the viewpoints of analysts that are being summed up for Wallstreet Daily, China and Russia are out of nothing getting close to reach an agreement. Such feeling free, both countries still have very much space for differences.

要说分歧，以前就有。十多年前，中国石油集团与俄罗斯国有天然气公司Gazprom就开始谈判，希望达成长达30年、每年供应天然气380亿立方米的协议，但价格问题一直谈不拢。

[Such] former differences need to be mentioned. Ten years ago, China's oil group [i.e. CNPC] and Russia's national company for natural gas GAZPROM began negotiations, hopeful to reach an agreement lasting 30 years and comprising an annual supply of 38 billion cubic metre of natural gas. The question of prices, however, could not be directly approached.

今年年初，中国上调了天然气年度消耗目标，预计到2020年将每年消耗4200亿立方米，去年预计规模1700亿立方米。中国的预计需求剧增，按说中俄天然气供应谈判应该向更有利于俄罗斯的一面发展了。其实不然。

At the beginning of this year, China has raised its annual goal of consumption, the estimated annual consumption [now being] 420 billion cubic metre until 2020 [compared to] a scope of 170 billion cubic metre last year. China's estimated demand sharply increased, the negotiations for a Russian supply of natural gas to China should normally lead to more profit for the development of the Russian side. - Actually this is not so.

下图可见，2000年以来，中国天然气需求增长六倍多。

China's demand for natural gas has increased six times since 2000, as can be seen on the picture below:



The following part of the article is dealing with actual prices for natural gas and liquid gas [LNG] from different countries [seen as an intrinsic function of quality and availability] in comparison to regional market prices. It can be seen that this is a rather complicated market where an increase in local exportation doesn't necessarily mean a comparable increase in revenues for the providing country.




[Source: wallstreetcn 华尔街日报 on May 19, 2014]




Xi JinPing meeting with Putin in Shanghai on May 20, 2014.

Postscriptum:

On May 21, during the visit of Russia's president to China, China News 中新网 reported the completion of a " partnership relation for the overall cooperation in the field of energy resources 全面能源合作伙伴关系" between both countries by using the expression " the ice is broken 破冰". This, however, might imply that it took almost to the last moment of a bilateral summit to reach an agreement.

..............................



..............................



"The Devil Within"

This visitor's call from Northern Ireland could serve as a reminder of the bloody war between the outlawed Irish Republican Army IRA, pro-British militias and British authorities in the frame of a conflict bearing some pseudo-religious dimension as folllowers of both sides were either Roman-Catholics or Protestants belonging to the British Anglican Church that had separated from Rome already centuries ago.

The main conflict, however, was primarily a political one about the constitutional status of Northern Ireland and the relationship between its two main communities. Unionists and loyalists, who mostly come from the Protestant community, generally want Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom. Irish nationalists and republicans, who mostly come from the Catholic community, generally want it to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland.

Gerry Adams, representative of "Sinn Féin", the legal branch of the IRA and a legitimate political party, had always been suspected of having been involved in IRA cruelties during his early years as a follower of that separatist organization. However, nothing could be proven. Now in May 2014, a renewed charge related to the murder of a widow and mother of ten children in 1972 is expected to end like many earlier charges without legal consequences.



[Source: Huffington Post, 1st May, 2014]

I still remember TV reports from the 1970ies about daily killings in Belfast and Londonderry and IRA proceedings abroad when their representatives raised money from U.S. citizens of Irish extraction to buy weapons for their combat at home. If "terrorism" had been invented at that time, it would have been the IRA to claim the copyright for it.

A current joke from these years can be seen as a proof of partial misunderstanding of the conflict abroad. It is hinting at the devastating military conflict between Roman-Catholic rulers and their Protestant counterparts during the "War of the Thirty Years" (1618-48) which had turned all of Central Europe into a battlefield:
Some airliner is on its way to Northern Ireland. Finally the captain addresses his passengers with the following words: "We are now approaching Belfast airport. Please, fasten your seatbelts and turn your watches 300 years back."

Vietnam - Anti-Chinese Demonstrations

China’s deployment of a giant oil rig this month is seen by Vietnamese activists as a provocative assertion of Beijing’s hotly disputed territorial claims to virtually all of the South China Sea, and has been criticised by U.S. foreign secretary John Kerry as a "provocation" and an "aggressive behaviour". Increasing anti-Chinese sentiments now triggered off a wave of violence in Vietnam that allegedly left 16 Chinese severely wounded and forced the government to deploy hundreds of security personnel. [Main source: Chinese news thread on May 18, 2014]




越南今或再发反华游行 越总理连发三短信吁民众勿参加

Vietnam probably starts further anti-Chinese demonstrations today.
Vietnam's prime minister pleaded the masses in three joint words not to participate.

“非法的示威游行” "An Unlawful Demonstration of Strength"

[Source: XingDao Global Network 星岛环球网 on May 18, 2014]




越南18省市今示威 中共大使馆布铁马阵

Vietnam demonstrating [its strength] in 18 provincial towns. The embassy of Communist China declares state of siege.

Chinese troop contingents are gathering in Chongzuo district in the frontier area of China's Guangxi province (photo above / map below).



[Source: Epoch Times 大纪元 , Chinese anti-Communist daily on May 18]




中国政府协助在越人员回国：已有3000多人回家

China's government provides help in the repatriation of [Chinese subjects] from Vietnam: More than 3000 persons have already returned home.

After violent incidents directed against Chinese enterprises and single persons in Vietnam, 3000 Chinese have already been repatriated with the help of China's embassy in Hanoi by Saturday afternoon (May 17). China's government had organized transportation means like chartered planes and ships.

[Source: People's Network / XinHua Network 人民网—新华网, quoting China's ministry of foreign affairs on May 18, 2014]

U.S. Sanctions - Russia Strikes Back

俄或停止向美国供应火箭发动机 以回应美制裁

Headline: Russia probably stops supplying the U.S.
with missile engines as an answer to U.S. sanctions.

据俄新社5月13日报道，俄罗斯副总理罗戈津13日表示，俄罗斯或暂停向美国供应RD-180和K-33火箭发动机，以回应美国的制裁。

According to a Russian news agency report on May 13, Russia's deputy prime minister Rogozin made clear the same day that Russia suspends further supply of RD-180 and K-33 missile engines to the U.S. as an answer to U.S. sanctions.

[Source: XinHua Network 新华网, quoted by 中国甘肃网 on May 14, 2014]


The RD-180 (РД-180, Ракетный Двигатель-180, Rocket Engine-180) is a Russian-designed-and-built rocket engine. It features a dual-combustion chamber, dual-nozzle design and is fueled by a kerosene/liquid oxygene mixture. Currently RD-180 engines are used for the first-stage of the U.S. Atlas V launch vehicle and which is expended at each launch. Therefore, a steady supply of RD-180 engines is needed.

Doubts about the reliability of the supply chain for the RD-180 arose following the Ukraine crisis in March 2014. For over 13 years since the engine was first used in the Lockheed Martin Atlas III launch vehicle in 2000, there was never any serious jeopardy to the engine supply, despite an uneven record of U.S.-Russian relations since the Cold War.

Deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin now said "Russia will ban the United States from using Russian-made rocket engines for military launches" thus targeting the frequent military payloads of the ULA Atlas V launch vehicle which powers its first stage with two RD-180 engines.

Originally intended was a co-production of the RD-180 engine by Pratt&Whitney, however up to now all engines have been produced in Russia.




test-firing of an RD-180 engine

..............................



Rogozin, one of the senior Russian officials sanctioned by the European Union and United States after Moscow moved to annex Crimea, was turned away when his plane tried to fly to Moscow from Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region.

According to his tweets in English, Rogozin, who oversees Russia's powerful arms industry, was also blocked by Ukrainian interceptor jets as he tried to fly home from the Russian-speaking region of Moldova bordering Ukraine.

"Upon US request, Romania has closed its airspace for my plane," he tweeted. "Ukraine doesn't allow me to pass through again. Next time I'll fly on board TU-160." The supersonic Soviet-era TU-160 is Russia's largest strategic bomber.

On Saturday the Romanian foreign ministry asked Moscow to clarify whether Rogozin's comments represented "the Russian Federation's official position towards Romania as an EU and Nato member".

[Source: The Guardian, British daily on May 10, 2014]




罗戈津：若摩尔达维亚与欧盟建立联系国关系 俄与其关系或改变

Rogozin: If Moldavia and the EU establish relations of national significance, the relationship between Russia and them will probably change.

[Source: Voice of Russia (Chinese) 俄罗斯之声 on May 12, 2014]

..............................



The Art of War

孙子曰：兵者，国之大事，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察的。

Sunzi said:
War is a question of vital importance to the state, a matter of life and death, the road to survival or ruin. Hence, it is a subject which calls for careful study.

Results of Eastern Ukraine Referendum

Final Results of the Referendum in Favor of an Independent Development: - Donezk Region: 89.07% voted "yes" [74.87% participation in the vote] - Lugansk Region: 96.2% voted "yes" [75% participation in the vote]

"Do you support the act of independence for the People's Republic of Donezk?"

Following the referendum, officials of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic have not ruled out that in case the situation in the region deteriorates, they may have to request peacekeeping forces to be deployed.

“We will try to cope with it on our own; we don’t want this confrontation to increase, especially on our territory,” Denis Pushilin, co-chairman of the Donetsk People’s Republic, said. "If the situation deteriorates, we reserve the right to ask for a peacekeeping contingent,” he added.

Pushilin has also said that within hours the Donetsk People’s Republic may decide if it is going to stay with Ukraine or not. The republic has also decided not to take part in Ukraine’s presidential elections on May 25, according to media reports.

Moscow says it's not in a rush to respond to the Donetsk People's Republic’s plea of accession.

[Source: Russian state TV (RT) on their website on May 12, 2014]

All data quoted from the Russian source RT are consistent with those from other foreign media and from previous evaluations.

..............................



克里米亚美女检察官被列入欧盟制裁名单

The public prosecutor of Crimea, a beautiful woman, has been added to a name list of those to be sanctioned by the European Alliance.

[Source: CaiJing Wang 财经网, a Chinese news center for finance and economics on May 13, 2014]

Maybe Natalya doesn't need expensive cosmetics from Western Europe .....

Eastern Ukraine - Hours Before the Referendum

Latest News on May 11/12, 2014: First voters in the Donezk region. بدء الاستفتاء على الانفصال بشرقي أوكرانيا The Referendum for a Separation of Eastern Ukraine has Begun. بدأ الانفصاليون الموالون لروسيا صباح اليوم الأحد التصويت في إقليم دونباس الذي يشمل مقاطعتي دونيتسك ولوغانسك شرقي أوكرانيا باستفتاء للانفصال عن أوكرانيا، فيما أعلنت واشنطن رفضها لنتائج التصويت، وهددت برفقة حلفائها بتوسيع دائرة العقوبات على روسيا في حال استمرت خطوات إقرار انفصال مناطق شرقي أوكرانيا.ـ On Sunday morning, pro-Russian separatists have begun a vote in the Donbass region and which is comprising [...] Donezk and Lugansk in Eastern Ukraine in a referendum on the separation from Ukraine. Washington meanwhile announced its rejection of the voting results and threatened, [in correspondence with] its allies, to extend the scope of sanctions against Russia in case further steps would be taken [towards a declaration that should establish] the separation of eastern regions from Ukraine. [Source: Al Jazeera الجزيرة on May 11, 2014] .............................. 乌克兰 “地区公投” 难解乱局 Ukraine - "Regional Referendum" - Difficult to Find Disorder In the Donezk and Lugansk area 7,3 million voters were to cast their ballots within eight hours. According to latest information from the election committee and that reached People's Daily on May 11, about 70% of entitled voters in Donezk and 80% in Lugansk participated in the referendum. After the counting of votes, first results will be published on May 12. [Source: People's Network / People's Daily 人民网—人民日报 on May 12, 2014] .............................. "Do you support the act of independence for the People's Republic of Donezk?" Los Angeles Times Expecting Huge Support of Referendum However for Different Reasons Some residents of [Mariúpol in Donezk region] voted for independence Sunday in expectation of soon having their region annexed by Russia. Others cast "yes" votes as what they considered a first step toward demanding more regional autonomy while remaining part of Ukraine. Still others, frustrated by rising prices and a withered national currency, voted in favor of the vaguely worded referendum out of conviction that they can depend on neither Kiev nor Moscow to resolve their political and security problems. Only those supportive — or at least tolerant — of the interim national leadership in Kiev opposed the referendum, and rather than vote "no," many simply stayed away from the polls. Selected opinion from among "yes" voters: "We want to decide our own affairs. We don't want America or Europe coming here, and I don't think we can count on Russia's help." [Source: Los Angeles Times on May 11, 2014]

UPDATE added below on "Germany's Role as a Peacemaker"

Only hours before pro-Russian insurgents will start their referendum for independence from Ukraine, Russia celebrates its victory over Nazi Germany in Moscow and Crimea with its president Putin appearing in both places. As to the referendum he publicly suggested its postponement, thus leaving it to the pro-Russian forces in Slavyansk and Donezk to establish a separate state without giving any evidence that Moscow might be involved in the local uprise.




Headlines from Russia on May 9, 2014

Праздничные салюты в честь Дня Победы прошли в Москве и Севастополе
Holiday salutes honouring the Day of Victory have passed in Moscow and Sevastopol. [Anniversary of Russia's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II]

Украинские силовики устроили стрельбу в центре Мариуполя
Ukrainian [mercenaries] have arranged a shooting in the center of Mariúpol.

Медицинскому самолёту отказано в посадке в Мариуполе для эвакуации тяжелораненого видеожурналиста RT
[On the difficulty] to evacuate a critically wounded videojournalist, working for RT, out of Mariúpol. [Medical aid personnell is not allowed to land in Mariúpol.]

..............................

Local videos related to the situation in Eastern Ukraine. Please note that situations shown here cannot always be verified by independent sources:

May 09:
Video from Slaviansk showing tanks captured by a pro-Russian militia. Militiamen are surrounded by local people chanting "Slava Donbass", thus showing their support of the separation movement:



Mai 06:
"Обстановка в окрестностях Славянска" - "Conditions in the vicinity of Slavyansk." A Russian language video showing the proceedings at a Ukrainian checkpoint out of Slavyansk.



Mai 03:
South-East Ukraine: "Crisis Diary (Unique Documentary Shot by Ordinary People)" - Published by Russia's state TV (RT)



..............................

Germany as a Peacemaker ?



Germany's Peacemaker "Count Baltar":
And sure he is an honourable man .....



"The Black Channel": Even Pinochet was a Nice Guy
Schröder and Putin - A Painful Reality

A "strategic partner" the Kremlin should be - such was the idea of the Social Democratic Party. Some kind of self-deception. Gerhard Schröder's chumminess with Vladimir Putin leads his "comrades" to painfully face the failure of their policy towards Russia. [Der Spiegel, German magazine, online edition from April 29, 2014 => original text]

Ukraine - Increasing Chaos

News UPDATE for May 5: - Heavy fighting reported from Slovyansk, Ukraine Slovyansk woman killed by sniper-fire on her balcony. - NATO’s record 6,000-strong drills: 'Spring Storm' kicks off in Estonia “This year's Spring Storm brings together a record number of allied troops – infantry from the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, soldiers from Latvia, soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team of the US army, as well as soldiers from Lithuania,” the Estonian Defense Ministry said in a statement. Britain, France, and the US have been deploying troops to the Baltic region since April 29, a week ahead of the drills in Estonia. A day earlier, around 150 personnel of the US airborne division arrived in a military transport aircraft to Amari airbase. Upon completion of the maneuvers, the US Marines will remain in Estonia at least until the end of 2014. In addition, Poland has sent three of its Sukhoi Su-22 attack aircraft and a division of missile defense system unit SA-8, which will be tasked with protecting an air base near Tallinn and the surrounding airspace. Amid rising tensions in Ukraine, the UK and France deployed eight fighter jets to Lithuania and Poland to strengthen NATO air defense over the Baltic regions. On May 2, a group of NATO ships arrived in the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda to “ensure regional security.” Russia considers the increase of NATO forces so close to its border a provocation, and believes it is counter-productive in the struggle to de-escalate tensions in Ukraine. [Source: Russia's state TV (RT) on May 5, 2014]

Armed Confrontations in Eastern Ukraine
as reported by Russia's RT-TV on May 3:


Lavrov pide a OSCE y EEUU influir
en Kiev para que cese uso de fuerza.

Lavrov demanding, both, OSCE and U.S.A. to use
their influence on Kiev for an ending of the violence.

Heavy fighting has been reported from the center of Mariúpol seaport. Concentration of Ukrainian troops and clashes with pro-Russian militias are taking place in Kramatorsk, Konstantínovka and the Donetsk region. Local militias in Kramatorsk reported six dead and five wounded activists while Konstantínovka experienced an increase of Ukrainian troops and armoured vehicles.




Subtitle: "Ukrainian army offensive leaves 6 dead and several wounded."

After the fire disaster in Odessa on May 2 and which had been allegedly caused by right-wing extremists, a death toll of 40 was counted. 30 casualties are directly related to the fire. Local authorities ordered a three days period of mourning.




Subtitle: "Politicians are using the tragedy for their electoral campaign."

[Source: Russian state TV (RT), Spanish program, late night news on May 3,2014]

Gerhard Schröder - Happy Birthday Graf Baltar

I almost forgot to remind the 70th birthday of "my favorite dislike" among Germany's politicians: Ex-Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (* 7.4.1944 - ?). When he left the political stage, he had replaced the traditional system of social support for the unemployed by another system that was described as "poverty by law" by one of his more prominent critics and which did not help much to restore decently paid jobs, but, on the contrary, "froze" much individual activity and creativity on the side of the unemployed. For that, he was much applauded by a certain kind of German employers and by Germany's foreign competitors on the global market.

However, it was not that kind of social-democratic policy he was expected to practice when being elected by his followers, even though some kind of social reform seemed to be necessary. No wonder that more and more voices from among the ordinary people could be heard calling him a "liar". This was enhanced by a default of additional measures to be taken in order to stabilize the economy.

I remember the advertisement of some economic circle showing him on a photo while smoking a big cigar. The photo's subtitle read: "Nothing but smoke rises from the chancellor". In the original text, they were using the German expression of "blauer Dunst" instead of "smoke" which is a synonym for "nothing worth to spend a dime for".




"Count Baltar" receives congratulations from the "Imperious Leader"
(as perceived from Battlestar Galactica)

What makes the ex-chancellor even more questionable is his personal friendship with Russia's president Putin which seems to be even deeper rooted than his relations to old "comrades" within his own political party.

Furthermore, he and his young wife decided to adopt two Russian children and live temporarily in Russia where Schröder became the director of a company subordinate to Putin's state-run enterprise GAZPROM. Some years later, Schröder was caught again in public spotlight when his oil and gas company was mentioned in the frame of huge environmental damages it should have caused in Northern Siberia. However, this is a remote area where nobody is too seriously looking. Therefore, the incident fell into oblivion.

As to his friendship with Vladimir Putin, an ex-KGB agent and liaison officer to the East-German state security (Stasi), I still have my second thoughts. For the time Putin was performing in East Berlin, there are hints that he sometimes appeared in the Western part of the city. Being known for his unusual ability to recruit East German citizens for the KGB, he might have made contacts in Westberlin as well.

Let me just mention a strange encounter I had in the old diplomatic quarters of the town that could have fit some of those Hollywood productions at the time. In a small street where some foreign consulates from neutral states were located and where there was usually no traffic at all, I noticed a car, registered in Westberlin, and which passed that street more than once. When it passed for the second or third time, some diplomatic car with an East Berlin registration number appeared and both cars stopped in the middle of the street. Some papers were handed over from the German to the diplomatic driver, and for a moment I could look at the "diplomat". He was a young man with thin blond hair and with a round head, very much looking like many Russians. However, I would not dare to draw any conclusions on his identity. Only to mention that this meeting had been observed by somebody else: A young lady was waiting at a temporary bus-stop. When I passed by, she grinned and greeted me, probably holding me for some colleague from another company. I should have added, there was no bus running at all in that street. The temporary bus-stop had appeared some days before and disappeared again some days later.

That private story only to lead back to ex-chancellor Schröder who once received president Putin in the same town, however long after the German reunification. At the time of Putin's official visit, I asked myself who would show the sights to whom. I am still convinced that Schröder, who originally came from Hannover, did not know much about Berlin, while Putin might have been the right candidate to show the chancellor his own capital.




GAZPROM Schröder on a visit to Iran's former president Ahmadi Nejad
after being utterly prepared with latest German intelligence on Iran and
to which he was entitled as a former chancellor of the Federal Republic.

A Short History of Socialism (German Version) Lenin, Stalin, Honegger, Putin and his social-democratic friend Schröder are travelling together on a Russian train. Suddenly, the train stops as there are no trails ahead any longer. They have been stolen. Now, the following happens: - Lenin orders to take the trails from behind and add them in front, such that the journey might continue. - Stalin orders to shoot the engineer. - Honegger retires to his compartment, draws the curtains in front of the window and declares: "We are travelling at full speed." - Putin promotes Schröder as a director of the line. - Schröder, finally, starts his program "Rent an Unemployed for 1 € an Hour" and orders the long-term unemployed from Germany to Siberia for railway reconstruction work. Short remark for my visitors from abroad: Honegger was the guy who lead the rotten German Democratic Republic (GDR) into its total decay in 1989.

..............................

Dead Man Walking !
Visitors to "blueprint news": Reminding the 3rd anniversary of
Bin Laden being killed by U.S. special forces on May 2, 2011