Free Republic

RBC, 28.02.2006, Moscow 19:11:41.Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the federal law amending the Russian Tax Code in so far as it concerns the application of a zero VAT rate and VAT refund, the President's press service reported. The State Duma passed the law on February 15, 2006, overriding the Federation Council's veto of February 8, 2006. After this the law was sent to the President for signing, bypassing the upper chamber.

Iran-Georgia-Gas Iran is scheduled to export 30 million cubic meters of gas to the Republic of Georgia wihin a period of 30 days, an oil official said Monday. Upon the request of the government of Georgia, Iranian and Georgian officials signed an agreement last week for Iranian gas to be supplied to Geogia, which is facing a gas shortage due to a disruption in supplies from Russia, Iranian Deputy Oil inister for International Affairs Mohammad-Hadi Nejad-Hosseinian told IRNA. He said that the total value of Iranian gas to be supplied to Georgia would amount to USD seven million with the...

<p>Being someone of a liberal persuasion, it might come as a surprise that I not only sympathize with neoconservatives, I genuinely agree with much of what they have to say. Unlike traditional conservatism, neoconservative philosophy amounts to more than just “Leave us alone.” It inherently rejects both “Fortress America” isolationism and Kissingerian realism in favor of an activist foreign policy of promoting human rights and propagating democracy.</p>

That Gut Feeling : Scientists at St Georges hospital in London are claiming there is a link between Crohns disease - a debilitating digestive problem that affects more than 40,000 people in the UK - and drinking milk. Professor John Hermon-Taylor, a surgeon, and his team have reported finding minute traces of an organism known as myco-bacterium paratubercolosis in two thirds of the intestinal tissue removed from Crohns patients after surgery and although the National Dairy Council has disputed such claims on the basis of its own studies, the hospital researchers say they have also found the organism in supplies...

On February 8, 2006, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the 2005 Article IV consultation with Swaziland.1 Background Economic growth in Swaziland has weakened over the past decade. More recently, real GDP growth decelerated to 2.1 percent in 2004 and an estimated 1.8 percent in 2005. A prolonged drought affected agricultural output, particularly maize, the main staple crop, and cotton. The real effective appreciation of the exchange rate of 24 percent in 2002-04 and high oil import prices hurt Swaziland's main exports (sugar, wood pulp, and garments) and manufacturing activities. In addition, the removal of textile...

MOSCOW, February 27 (Itar-Tass) - - Russia and Turkey will conduct a joint naval exercise in the south-western part of the Black Sea on February 27-28, head of the press-service of the Black Sea Fleet Igor Dygalo told Itar-Tass on Monday. The Russian Guard’s missile cruiser Moskva, as well as two frigates and two missile motor boats of Turkey will take part in the exercise. According to Dygalo, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Vladimir Masorin, who concluded his visit to Turkey on Monday, will stay on board the cruiser Moskva to watch the manoeuvres. After the exercise the ships Moskva...

KIEV, February 27 (Itar-Tass) -- The leadership of the Ukrainian office of the prosecutor general will meet on Monday to discuss withdrawing oil and gas production licenses issued in the autumn of 2004 during a standoff between the Orange revolution supporters and their Blue-White opponents. On Saturday Prime Minister Yuri Yekhanurov called to stop issuing licenses to insiders and provide for “a transparent and fair license issue system”. He called to name the private owners of oil and gas wells, who received the licenses unlawfully. “I can only spit at all those names whether they are of orange or white-blue...

POLAND Several violent antisemitic incidents were recorded in 2003/4 and the trend of violence against Jewish institutions in Wroclaw continued. Widespread disillusionment with the Social Democratic government was exploited by extreme right and nationalistic parties. the jewish community There are some 5,000–10,000 Jews in Poland out of a total population of close to 40 million. The majority live in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Krakow and Lodz, but there are smaller communities in several other cities. There are virtually no Jews in the eastern part of Poland where once large, important communities existed, such as those of Lublin and Bialystok. The Union of...

The Skinhead movement has found adherents in Poland where their violence has become deadly and their political extremism has escalated since the fall of Communism. The Polish Skinheads' anger and energy have been given direction by far-right nationalist forces. Violent behavior is a hallmark of the Polish Skinheads. They seek out victims at mass gatherings, such as soccer matches and rock concerts. Smaller groups also single out individuals for assault. The Skinheads tend to avoid provoking the police, but have fought them on occasion when the police have tried to quell their disturbances. After an initial perception of spotty law...

Prosecution has finished investigation of armed assault on people of the Moscow synagogue in January 11. The accused, Alexander Koptsev, confessed in the crime, so case will be transferred to the court in near future, stated Moscow Prosecutor Anatoly Zuyev. The crime has been investigated for around three weeks. During the investigation, one discovered the circumstances of the attack and reasons of Koptsev’s actions. The investigators questioned his relatives, classmates, teachers, and found “nothing abnormal”. The investigation also found that Koptsev had no accomplices, and that he was sane in the moment of the attack disregarding his present schizophrenic disorder,...

As Baku newspaper “Real Azerbaijan” informs, Mayor of Baku Hajibala Abutalibov decided to destroy the old Christian cemetery in the center of the city, near Montino. The territory will be used for construction of elite residencies. Newspaper called it “barbarity” and “Abu-Fascism.” When angered Russian resident came to Baku, Abutalibov said that the destruction is ordered by the President Ilham Aliyev, who decided to construct a new highway here.

There has been no negotiation with any country, including the US, about the use of Georgian bases and airports for military operation against Iran,” Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Valery Chechelashvili told the press. He called “fantasies” all reports of Israeli mass media about intention of Georgian government to render its bases in use to US is it attacks Iran. As REGNUM already informed, earlier, The Jerusalem Post citing anonymous source in the Georgian government informed, that Washington unofficially addressed Tbilisi with a request to use bases on Georgian territory in case of attack against Iran.

Iosif Diskin: “The Yushchenko-Saakashvili meeting will result in the opposition's victory in the elections into Ukraine’s Supreme Rada” The co-chairman of the National Strategy Council Iosif Diskin comments to REGNUM Feb 22 on the situation over the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s statement that it is ready to keep peace in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone and over the forthcoming relevant meeting of Yushchenko and Saakashvili: “Thereby Saakashvili is trying to keep tensions high over the Georgian-Ossetian conflict — for his rating is very low and constant national mobilization against some foreign threat is the only way for him to keep his elite...

On February 24, Estonia celebrated 88th anniversary of its Declaration on Independence. A military parade was held in Tallin, the capital of Estonia. The parade was received by Estonian President Arnold Ruutel, Commander of the Defense Forces Tarmo Kouts ran the parade, Chief Chaplain of the Defense Forces Col. Tonis Nõmmik held a public worship. On the photo published by REGNUM one of the parade participators, a member of people's volunteer corps is pictured. According to REGNUM information, officials have given no commentaries, whether a swastika-shaped earring is an obligatory part of the Estonian volunteer corps uniform.

Turkmenistan has taken two steps in quick succession that pose severe problems for Ukraine's gas supplies. Ashgabat will raise the gas price in line with international market trends, and is demanding prompt payment of Ukraine's arrears for past deliveries of Turkmen gas. Missteps by Ukrainian officials in charge of gas policy are aggravating these problems. On February 11, Ashgabat announced its intention to raise the price of its gas sold to Russia from $65 per one thousand cubic meters at present to $100 by September or October 2006. This spells the end of the "free lunch" that Moscow has promised...

OUTSIDE the Russia House, headquarters for the country's Olympic delegation in Turin, a horde of people gathered at the entryway, looking frozen and distraught. "Please, I am Russian," one woman in heavy mascara and skintight jeans pleaded to a security guard late last Tuesday night. But the guard, in his red Russian team jacket, did not budge. The red rope keeping the woman from the hottest party spot at the Turin Games did not fall away. "Sorry, but everybody says they are Russian," the security guard said before looking the other way. For decades, Russian and Soviet Union athletes represented...

The commercial will be broadcast on cable channels By SAMANTHA LEVINE Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - Another day, another Tom DeLay ad, another rejection. After four Houston TV stations initially refused last month to show an ad criticizing the Republican House member from Sugar Land, at least one local station is refusing to run a new spot that promotes the lawmaker and attacks a prominent supporter of the Democrats. "We have chosen not to take the spot in its current form," said D'Artagnan Bebel, vice president and general manager of the local Fox affiliate, KRIV (Channel 26)....

Calvina Fay of the Drug Free America Foundation has pulled out as a speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which begins in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, because a "mini-debate" she was scheduled to appear in had been stacked against her. As it now stands, the event will feature two advocates of drug legalization, both of them funded by leftist billionaire and anti-Bush activist George Soros. Having put most of the left-wing political movement and many liberal Democrats on his payroll, it is apparent that Soros is now working to manipulate the conservative movement. It is surprising that CPAC...

Victor Yanukovich wants to have TV duel with the President of Ukraine. He stated it at the meeting with the workers of Makeyevka Metallurgical Plant. “I’d like to hold TV debates with Victor Yushchenko. It is my dream,” said Yanukovich. He also mentioned he would rather to have it (TV duel) with PM of Ukraine Yuri Yekhanurov but added that he wants no one else except these two persons. Concluding the discussion, Yanukovich asked the journalist to deliver his invitation to the President of Ukraine.

Mr Kinakh thus commented on his own statements, which he made during his latest visit to Poland about Ukraine contemplating options for leasing its underground gas depots. Mr Kinakh refuted reports alleging that Ukrainian underground gas holders were long ago leased to a foreign company. Ukraine's underground gasholders are and will remain Ukraine's property, the NSDC Secretary reassured. Mr Kinakh also confirmed Ukraine's readiness to cooperate with relevant nations and organisations, which are interested in storaging their national resources in Ukrainian gas holders "on transparent market terms."