Russian-speaking freelancer Khramtsov was commissioned by a St. Petersburg channel to produce a report on a new law passing through the Latvian parliament that bans people from exhibiting either Soviet or Nazi symbols in public.The law, which parliament initially tried to rush through ahead of 9 May commemorations (the day when Germany surrendered to the USSR at the end of World War II) has attracted controversy, particularly among the ethnic Russian minority, which constitutes more than a quarter of the population. Soviet-era symbols, such as Red Army uniforms and crimson flags, have been a staple of the celebrations, even after the secession of Latvia from the USSR.The date is highly politicized in the country, with the authorities refusing to celebrate it as Victory Day, since independent Latvia was invaded by the USSR in 1940, then by Nazi Germany the following year, before reverting to Soviet control at the end of the war.Khramtsov told RT that he arranged to meet several ethnic Russian Communist sympathizers in a town square on May 7, to discuss whether they would obey the law once it is passed. The small group of men arrived with Soviet flags, but Khramtsov says they refused to be filmed, afraid of future police prosecution. After an informal discussion, Khramtsov claims the group dispersed peacefully.The following day Khramtsov was called up to a police station, where he was charged with organizing mass disorder and staging a provocation, with a video of the previous day’s meeting, filmed from a nearby police car, cited as evidence.Khramtsov says he was not encouraging the men to break the law, but merely doing his job. It is also notable that the law went through its second reading on May 16, and faces one more, before it comes into force, making it difficult to ascertain what Khramtsov’s exact misdemeanor might have been“What has happened gives me a horrible feeling. I don’t know if it is someone just trying to earn a promotion at my expense, or if, more unfortunately, authorities in what is supposedly a free country and an EU member are trying to silence the media,” the journalist told RT in a phone interview.Anda Rozuklane, the chief of the Latvian Journalists Association has spoken out in defense of Khramtsov.“If there is evidence that the journalist was doing anything other than compiling a story, it should be made public, but it does not seem to exist. We think this is a disproportionate action, intended to intimidate Khramtsov,” she told Russia’s Interfax news agency.Khramtsov has been a persistent thorn in the side of the authorities in recent times.Three years ago he filmed an expose, showing how easy it would be for terrorists to target Riga’s landmarks. His report showed him making a bomb from easily obtained ingredients, before smuggling a mockup of an explosive device into public spaces. He won a local award “for contributing to press freedom”, but authorities charged him with keeping and transporting explosives.The case was thrown out of court earlier this year.“I think the police are angry with me for that last incident – and are trying to exact their revenge”Khramtsov says subtle pressure and discouragement are commonplace weapons against all journalists whose views diverge from those of dominant politicians, and particularly those who challenge the nationalist anti-Soviet narrative adopted in Latvia since independence in 1991.“I think this constitutes bullying by the authorities. They have no evidence against me, but they are wasting my time, even though the case will never get to court.”In the most recent World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters without Borders Latvia was ranked 39th, below the other Baltic states, but ahead of the other former Soviet republics. It was ranked as high as 13th in previous years, but a string of high-profile incidents have dented Latvia’s reputation. … Read More
No sensation, only standing contracts – Lavrov on Russia’s weapons supplies to Syria
“I don’t understand why mass media are trying to make a sensation out of the fact. We do not conceal it that we supply weapons to Syria according to signed contracts, violating neither any international agreements, nor our own weapon export control legislation, one of the strictest in the world,” Lavrov said at a press conference on Friday. He stressed all of the weapons supplied are in fact air defense systems, and thus cannot impact the existing power balance between the Assad forces and the rebels. Lavrov’s remark comes in response to the recent uproar in the media, concerning Russia’s allegedly sending Yakhont anti-ship cruise missiles to Syria and earlier reports on supplies of S-300 anti-missile systems, which are capable of intercepting ballistic targets. Russia has underlined on numerous occasions any supplies to Syria are according to old contracts, many of which are Soviet-era, the supplied weapons are missile-defense ones and after completing these contracts no new deals are planned.Lavrov and Ban talk Syrian deadlock as more evidence of rebels atrocities emergeThe Russian FM commented on Russia’s weapons supplies at a press-conference following his talks with the UN chief. The Syrian crisis dominated the agenda of the meeting, which is part of a recent flurry of diplomatic efforts to end the violence in the country, preceded by Vladimir Putin holding similar talks with worlds’ top officials, including the US secretary of state and the British and Israeli leaders. Eventually, a joint initiative was authored by Moscow and Washington to hold peace conference on Syria, planned for June. Before the conference happens though, both the US and Russia have several stumbling blocks to overcome, such as divisions inside the Syrian opposition, making it unclear who exactly can represent it at the conference, and harsh preconditions set by the rebels. “In contrast to the Syrian government, which has responded quite positively to the Russian-American initiative, the opposition’s answer was quite vague. They said that they welcome any initiatives that will help to stop the violence, but before that Assad must go – reiterating their stance, which has been the cause of the deadlock for many months,” said Lavrov on Thursday in an interview to Al Mayadeen. As for the US it is expected to object to Iran’s participation, on which Moscow insists.Another thing is that when Western leaders are talking to Russia they seem to be on the same page with Moscow’s position, agreeing on the need for negotiating peace, but as soon as they leave, they are once again calling for Assad to step down and promise increasing support to the rebels.The UK and France have become increasingly vocal in their calls to supply the insurgent groups with arms. British and French efforts at lifting the EU embargo on Syria are however strongly opposed by Austria, showing a divide on the issue in Europe.What could be a mind changer for them though is a recent series of reports on atrocities performed by the rebels. The freshest example is a shocking video of three men from government troops being publicly executed by rebels in a square in the northern city of Raqqa. The killings have been confirmed by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.Earlier, another YouTube video was posted showing fighters of the Al Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front in Syria executing 11 government soldiers. Still earlier this week another shocking video was released featuring a Syrian rebel eating a lung of a slain government soldier in what the insurgent described as an act of revenge.Growing evidence of atrocities committed by rebel groups, however did not prevent the UN from voting for a resolution condemning Assad and praising the opposition. Russia voted against the document, describing it as one-sided.Russia still urges all of the sides to resolve the crisis by negotiations, something Lavrov reiterated on Friday, saying a peace conference should be held “the sooner the better.”He was echoed by Ban Ki-moon’s call to “not lose the momentum.” … Read More
United States – Recommendations for a federal law protecting journalists’ sources
The U.S. Department of Justice’s seizure of Associated Press phone records has highlighted the urgency of the need for a shield law guaranteeing the protection of journalists’ sources at the federal level in the United States, a need that Reporters Without Borders has been emphasizing for years. Following reports that the White House is supporting the reintroduction of a proposed federal shield law in the Senate, Reporters Without Borders has drafted detailed recommendations for such a law. (…) … Read More
Historic Kepler Telescope crippled by malfunction
NASA’s Kepler telescope is currently operating without its stabilizing control wheel, which is necessary to point the device in the right direction. This being the second wheel to be lost, combined with Kepler’s location 40 million miles away from Earth, indicates the search for another large celestial body could be over. Since Kepler was launched in 2009 it has found 132 confirmed planets and 2,700 “candidate” planets that need to be studied further, according to USA Today. Among the findings were three “Super-Earth” planets that, because of the star formation orbiting the bodies, could support life.“Kepler’s not in a place where I can go up and fix it, or any other astronaut,” John Grunsfield, the head of science at NASA who previously traveled through space to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, told the Washington Post. “We do need three reactions wheels. I wouldn’t say Kepler is down and out just yet.” The telescope cost $600 million to build and operate but is now without two of its four wheels, making it impossible for engineers to control completely. Scientists still have two years’ worth of data to examine, though, and the fourth, still unfound Super-Earth, could simply be hiding in Kepler’s uninspected data. “I don’t think I’d be a pessimist here,” said William Borucki, Kepler’s lead scientist and chief proponent of the initial project. “The mission has been phenomenally successful and I really wouldn’t write it off at this point. It operated for four years…I’m just elated with what we’ve accomplished.” … Read More
Rand Paul accuses Obama of plotting with ‘anti-American globalists’ to grab guns
Paul, a long-time Second Amendment supporter and strong opponent of gun control legislation, addressed subscribers of the National Association on Gun Rights’ email list on Saturday to demand they speak up about an alleged attempt to disarm Americans by way of a United Nations treaty supported by the US.The UN Arms Trade Treaty was proposed with the intent of curbing mass acts of violence in parts of the world ravaged by uprisings and civil war. According to Paul, however, it is being endorsed by US President Barack Obama and his administration because it would be the beginning of the end for gun ownership in the States.“But after the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut — and anti-gun hysteria in the national media reaching a fever pitch — there’s no doubt President Obama and his anti-gun pals believe the timing has never been better to ram through the UN’s global gun control crown jewel,” wrote Paul.“I don’t know about you, but watching anti-American globalists plot against our Constitution makes me sick.”The UN did approve the Arms Trade Treaty last month when the US and 153 other nations signed on to support the measure, “Yet because the Constitution requires that two-thirds of the Senate give its advice and consent to any treaty, Second Amendment supporters still have a political route to stop the administration,” the Wall Street Journal acknowledged at the time.Sixty-seven of the 100 US senators would need to approve the treaty before the country can adopt the measure, but 53 of the lawmakers said as recently as this March that they would vote against the effort — essentially leaving the treaty unlikely to be accepted by the US at any time in the near future. But even if the likelihood of the US adopting the treaty seems grim, efforts in across the country have been underway for some time to ensure the president isn’t presented the opportunity to sign on.“If you sign it, and if the US Senate ratifies the treaty, Texas will lead the charge to have the treaty overturned in court as a violation of the US Constitution,” Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, a Republican, wrote President Obama earlier this year.“I am deeply disappointed with the Obama administration’s vote today in support of forcing the ominous Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) through the UN General Assembly,” added Sen. Mike Kelly (R-Pennsylvania). “For the sake of our national interests and Constitutional freedom, I strongly urge President Obama to reject the ATT.”Sen. Paul has now become the latest high-ranking Republican to issue a call to arms. His email sent out on Saturday was addressed to “Dear fellow Patriot” and insisted that “Gun-grabbers around the globe believe they have it made.”“So far, the gun-grabbers have successfully kept many of their schemes under wraps. But looking at previous attempts by the UN to pass global gun control, you and I can get a good idea of what’s likely in the works,” Paul wrote.“You can bet the UN is working to FORCE the US to implement every single one of these anti-gun policies,” he added, only to claim the treaty will enact tougher licensing requirements, “making law-abiding Americans cut through even more bureaucratic red tape just to own a firearm legally.”Additionally, said Paul, the treaty would lend to the confiscation and destruction of all “unauthorized” civil firearms, as well as “ban the trade, sale and private ownership of all semi-automatic weapons.”“Ever since its founding 65 years ago, the United Nations has been hell-bent on bringing the United States to its knees,” he wrote. “To the petty dictators and one-world socialists who control the UN, the United States of America isn’t a ‘shining city on a hill’ — it’s an affront to their grand designs for the globe.”“These anti-gun globalists know that as long as Americans remain free to make our own decisions without being bossed around by big government bureaucrats, they’ll NEVER be able to seize the worldwide power they crave,” said Paul.Others, however, say he has things all wrong. “The treaty adopted today will establish a common international standard for the national regulation of the international trade in conventional arms and require all states to develop and implement the kind of systems that the United States already has in place,” US Secretary of State John Kerry said last month. “It will help reduce the risk that international transfers of conventional arms will be used to carry out the world’s worst crimes, including terrorism, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.”“By its own terms, this treaty applies only to international trade, and reaffirms the sovereign right of any State to regulate arms within its territory. As the United States has required from the outset of these negotiations, nothing in this treaty could ever infringe on the rights of American citizens under our domestic law or the Constitution, including the Second Amendment,” said Kerry. … Read More
Midlife suicides on rise in baby boomer population: Chronic illness and depression plague America
They are supposed to be in the “Golden Years” of their lives, but sadly, for an increasing number of baby boomers, chronic illness capped with depression have led many to suicide. … Read More
United Nations Agency to Discuss Internet Governance Again
Remember that international debate about government control of the Internet? It’s back. … Read More
