The presidents of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Kazakhstan have been invited to the meeting to discuss possibilities for transporting oil from the Central Asian region to West European pipelines without going through Russia. Kazakhstan's Nazarbaev opted out of the Polish summit to attend the talks in Ashgabat.»

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Majority of Poles Oppose Removal of Red Army Memorials- May 11, Earth Times article

Excerpt:

«'They were simple people, not political commissioners,' one Warsaw resident was quoted as saying. Opposition lawmaker Tadeusz Iwinski of the Democratic Left (SLD) party meanwhile said the poll results proved that the Polish people were set against the 'instrumentalization' of history.»

A much more sensible attitude, when contrasted with the recent action taken by the Estonian government.

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Magna,based in Aurora, Ont., has received a$1.54-billion US investment from Russian Machines, a company controlled byOleg Deripaska.»

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Stronach's Russian Partner- May 11, Toronto Star article

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Central Bank to Sell 10 Bln. Rubles on May 17- May 11, Interfax dispatch

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Kaluga Region Plans to Sign Agreement with Volvo- May 11, BBJ dispatch

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Yukos Headquarters up for Auction- May 11, BBC article

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Jihad in New Jersey- May 10, Antiwar.com article

Excerpt:

«It is now known that of thesix suspects, three were in the US illegally. One was Jordanian, another Turkish, and four were Albanians. But not just any Albanians — ethnic Albanians from Kosovo, commonly referred to as 'Kosovars' when the mainstream media spins a tale of their suffering at the hands of evil, genocidal Serbs, or makes a case for secession of that Serbian province, occupied by NATO since 1999.

They were not 'Kosovars' this week, though; instead, the four Fort Dix suspects were 'Yugoslavs' or 'from former Yugoslavia,' and even now are described as 'Albanians,' as if someone, somewhere decided that under no circumstances would their connection to Kosovo be allowed to emerge.»

Excerpt:

«For years, the Empire has insisted that Balkans Muslims — be they Bosnian, Albanian or some other kind — absolutely loved America and were the living proof of Imperial fairness, having been 'rescued from genocide' at the hands of the evil Serbs. All attempts to present a growing body of factual evidence about terrorist camps, smuggling routes, recruitment efforts and support in 'multiethnic' Bosnia and 'liberated' Kosovo weredismissed as 'Serb propaganda.' But Florin Krasniqi was not Serbian propaganda. Neither were the photos of KLA terrorists holdingsevered Serb heads, or the Pristina café owner whoposes as Hitler, or the militant imams and Saudi mosques all over the region, or the four men who plotted to go Kelmendi on Fort Dix. To no avail. All this belongs firmly in the'reality based community'. The Empire cannot be bothered with the facts; it is too busy making up its own.»

In addition to the above article, this news item and how American mass media covers it, is the topic of two lead articles at Chronicles Magazine.

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Serbia Chairs Rights Body- May 11, BBC article

The article references newly appointed Serb parliament speaker Tomislav Nikolic asa «hard line nationalist»and «burden». Just how hard line is he? As for him being a burden, can it be said that Western policies have helped nurture his rise? Note how Holbrooke, Lantos, Clark and other like minded folks caution against going against Albanian nationalists, for fear ofescalating Albanian nationalist violence in Kosovo; and perhaps some other Balkan areas. In comparison,howdo Nikolicand his supporters behavein recent memory?Kosovo remains an ethnic tinderbox, with the anti-Serb Spring '04 pogrom being one of several violent incidents in that province. The rest of Serbia (a multi-ethnic area) is noticeably calmer.

This morning's aired in New York BBC (aired at 6:00 AM, NY time) reports that the Serb president (Boris Tadic) and prime minister (Vojislav Kostunica) have reached an agreement to form a coalition government which if true, will limit the influence of Nikolic's Radical Party.

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Russian Air Force Commander Fired- May 11, Kommersant dispatch

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Russia's Riot Police Show Their Fluffy Side- May 11, Telegraph article

Public relations.

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Siberia Closes For Good- May 10, Village Voice dispatch

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Be a Sport in Russia- May 11, Moscow News article

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Russia Faces Finland in IIHF Semifinal- May 11, RIA Novosti dispatch

Canada and Sweden is the other semi.

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Russia Rejects NHL Deal- May 11, Reuters article

Excerpt:

«Russia's refusal to get on board is sure to escalate tensions among the Russian federation, NHL and the IIHF.

Without an agreement the NHL could try to block Russian players under contract to league teams from competing in international competitions, including the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and future World Championships.

'There are human rights and after an NHL team is out of playoffs the player is free of his obligation and can do what he wants,' offered a defiant Tretiak. '[Ilya] Kovalchuk [of the Atlanta Thrashers] has said if someone is threatening me I will come anyway.'

The lack of an agreement has already resulted in several court cases on both sides of the Atlantic and is sure to spark more.

Russian teams brought lawsuits in U.S. courts in an unsuccessful attempt to block Malkin, Ovechkin and his Washington Capitals teammate Alexander Semin from playing in the NHL.»

Just how is the NHL going to succeed in blacking Russian players from playing in the Olympics and World Championships? Those tournaments (especially the Olympics) benefit the NHL. Such competitions would lose great interest witheither a talent depleted or totally excluded Russian team.

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Senators Stick it to Sabres in Game 1- May 10, CBC article

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Leafs Ink Ponikarovsky to 3 Year Extension- May 10, CBC article

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Sharapova Sochi Ambassador- May 11, AP article

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Denisova Faces Two Year Doping Ban- May 11, AP article

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