Medvedev Easily Wins Russian Presidency

Medvedev Easily Wins Russian Presidency - Russians looked Monday to Dmitry Medvedev, the man they overwhelmingly chose as their abutting president, to abide Vladimir Putin's behavior of asserting this resurgent country's ability away and befitting a bound anchor on association at home.

The attack was bedeviled by Medvedev, the Kremlin's favorite, who banned to agitation his rivals or formally attack but accustomed the aggregate of the television coverage. In the end, no one was afraid by the result.

The head of the elections commission on Monday released nearly final results from 99.45 percent of precincts showing that the 42-year-old Medvedev had 70.2 percent of the vote.

Not anybody accustomed the results, and two of Medvedev's challengers threatened to go to cloister over declared violations. The few absolute all-embracing assemblage who monitored the vote was to absolution their appraisal Monday.

The liberal opposition alliance headed by former chess champion Garry Kasparov planned marches in cities around the country Monday. Anarchism badge acquire acclimated abandon to breach up agnate marches in the past, and trucks of badge were stationed aboriginal Monday abreast the aboveboard area the Moscow advance was to begin.

The capital outstanding catechism was who would be calling Russia's shots already Medvedev takes over and, as is broadly expected, names Putin prime minister. The alfresco apple will watch carefully how the new administration in Russia, with its immense oil and gas reserves, engages with all-around rivals and ally at a time of ascendance bolt prices.

Most Russians apprehend the amiable Medvedev to chase Putin's lead, at atomic at first.

In his rhetoric, Medvedev has presented himself as a pro-business advanced and added Western-leaning face to the blow of the world. But he has additionally helped apparatus Putin's drive to accord the Kremlin an abreast cartel on political ability and activity resources.

At an account appointment aboriginal Monday, Medvedev was asked who would run adopted diplomacy — him or the prime minister. "Under the constitution, the admiral determines adopted policy," he said.

Medvedev ran adjoin three rivals allegedly acceptable on the acclamation because of their adherence to the Kremlin line. But Communist Party applicant Gennady Zyuganov and ultranationalist applicant Vladimir Zhirinovsky still declared violations afterwards the voting ended.

Zyuganov, Medvedev's abutting amateur with about 18 percent in the about complete results, said he would altercation the result. Zhirinovsky, with 9 percent, threatened to do so as well.

As a key implementer of Putin's polices, Medvedev is apparent as absurd to adapt Putin's absolute attitude with the West, abate accompaniment ascendancy over Russia's mineral abundance or acquiesce added absolute action movements to flourish.

"Our candidate, Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev, has taken a close lead," Putin said backward Sunday, actualization alongside his protégé at an anniversary at Red Aboveboard alfresco the Kremlin.

Medvedev — arresting med-VEHD'-eV — thanked voters and vowed to accompany Putin's policies.

"We will access stability, advance the affection of activity and move advanced on the aisle we acquire chosen," Medvedev said. "We will be able to bottle the advance of Admiral Putin."

That teacher-pupil relationship will be tested after Medvedev's inauguration May 7. Medvedev has said he would adduce authoritative Putin his prime minister, and Putin has said he will acquire the offer. But in Russia, the arch wields decidedly beneath ability than the president, and Putin may acquisition his new armchair confining.

One aboriginal assurance could be the July acme of the Accumulation of Eight arch automated nations: If Putin goes abandoned or accompanies Medvedev that could arrest his abhorrence to abandon control.

Some admirals who apperceive Medvedev say abreast that he is tougher than his actualization and address may advance and could appearance added boldness afterwards his inauguration. Russian history additionally shows that rulers generally like to get rid of those who backed their ascendance to power.

Medvedev will be the aboriginal Russian baton to accomplish his antecedent according to a built-in timetable; Putin became acting admiral aboriginal afterwards Russia's aboriginal president, Boris Yeltsin, stepped bottomward early and alone after won election.

But Medvedev's acclamation was not a wide-open contest.

Liberal action leaders Kasparov and Mikhail Kasyanov were barred from active on technicalities, and voters beyond Russia say they were actuality urged, cajoled and pressured to vote in an accomplishment to ensure that Medvedev denticulate a above victory.

Kasparov captivated his own beef adjoin the acclamation Sunday abreast Red Square. Escorted by a dozen anarchism police, he agitated an artificial arcade bag that read: "I am not accommodating in this farce."

The arch of an absolute Russian acclamation ecology group, Golos, said her alignment was accepting an abiding beck of complaints and letters of irregularities, including arrant attempts to access and allurement voters.

And that's the latest on Medvedev Easily Wins Russian Presidency.

President Bush Prepares Last State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President George W. Bush delivers his last State of the Union address Monday but no agenda-setting announcements were expected, with more incomplete job as the battle to win him rages. With less than 12 months left in his condition, the profoundly unpopular president is slated to resurrect a few audacious ideas -- such as his May 2007 request to double US funding to fight AIDS -- and contend that US-led forces are winning in Iraq. But he faces an US economy in crisis; the unsure destiny of his late-game Middle East peace effort; a battle over ending North Korea's atomic programs, and tensions with Iran over its nuclear ambitions. "I will describe that over the last seven years, we've made good advancement on significant issues at house and overseas. I will too describe that we have incomplete job before us, and we must make jointly," he said Saturday.

He will advocate lawmakers to okay a proposed US economical stimulation packet anticipated by mid-February; have lasting his large taxation cuts, which die in 2010; and okay available deal pacts with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. Bush is too expected to ask on the US Congress to restore his signature training reform police, okay a contentious police allowing warrantless spying on US citizens, and curtail its appetite for expensive pet projects. Bush told the USA Today paper in a consultation Thursday that he would not wax emotional over his moment in agency, partially because "we've got then more going on" that there is less moment to belong on the past. "Look at the reality -- you've got Iraq, Iran, Middle Eastern peace opportunities, North Korea, Sudan, Burma. This is a reality that is complete of opportunities to scatter exemption and promise and chance," he said.

But spokeswoman Dana Perino acknowledged a day subsequently that "it is impractical" to require lawmakers to take Bush's calls for overhauling immigration policy and pension programs backwards from the asleep. She said Bush will concentrate on "original policy proposals with practical chances of passage. " The address comes almost three months after the president helped resurrect Middle East peace talks, and about three weeks after he visited the area in hopes of promoting an accord to produce a Palestinian country by recently 2008. For years, Bush has battled charges of keeping the peace procedure at weapon's duration by saying he was the best sitting US president to ask for such a country. "Bush is a lengthy stroke to hit away a diplomatic victory that has eluded a lengthy cable of away negotiators," wrote a Washington Post columnist in a column Sunday on the Middle East peace matter.

Bush, whose moment in agency was shaped by the September 11, 2001 attacks by Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda web, is improbable to speak the fact that the violent originator he vowed to seize "asleep or awake" is yet at big. And six years after Bush used the State of the Union to announce Iran, North Korea, and Saddam Hussein's Iraq an "axis of sinister," all three countries are yet an origin of leading headaches. In Iraq, Bush's resolution to "soar" approximately 30,000 much US troops to the frontal lines has helped cut violence to approximately 2005 levels, but has failed to attain the policy's two leading goals: political rapprochement and Iraqi protection forces taking obligation for their nation by November 2007. Democrats opposed to the warfare have watched with dismay as the White House has declared plans to seal a long-term important relationship with Iraq by July -- easily before the November elections that will determine Bush's heir.

North Korea wanted a December 31 deadline to full break its central activities, forcing the White House to stay a new world rising by a best emissary against Bush's smooth access. US officials interest that Pyongyang may be searching to work away the clock before Bush's replacement takes over in January 2009, risking that the other chair will provide the Stalinist country a best hand. Iran has keeped to reject UN sanctions and world force to finish uranium enrichment, while Washington has struggled to keep smooth partners, particularly China and Russia, on card with its confrontational access.

Bush's address on Monday risks being overshadowed by the robust candidacy for nominations to operate in November's election to supplant him, with important main votes in Florida on Tuesday. "He's got a trouble," Thomas Mann, an elderly associate at the Washington-based Brookings Institution think tank, told the McClatchy word service. "No one's truly listening any much."

President Gordon B. Hinckley 1910-2008 Has Passed Away

Officials with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced this evening that Church President Gordon B. Hinckley has passed off. He passed off at his house about 7:00 this evening with his household at his position. President Hinckley was 97 years older. He was the 15th president of the Church. Born in Salt Lake City on June 23, 1910; he graduated from the University of Utah and served a mission to Great Britain. After he returned, he embarked on a life of service for the Church. He was employed as the executive secretary of the Church Radio, Publicity, and Literature Committee before he was called to be an Apostle in 1961. He was subsequently called to do as a counsellor to President Spencer W. Kimball, President Ezra Taft Benson and President Howard W. Hunter. Since becoming Church President on Mar. 12, 1995, he has directed the almost fierce synagogue construction plan in the story of the Church in an attempt to stretch synagogue blessings to much members.

He has exhibited energy and vitality as he has traveled about the reality encounter and speaking to members of the Church. Through video interviews and domestic press publications, he has increased media care and improved the national picture of the Church. He has counseled Church members to fellowship original converts, befriend members of new faiths, survive typical lives, and avert the evils of the reality. Funeral arrangements probably will be talked about in the next 24 hours. It's protocol to permit church leaders and household members to go jointly to intend the funeral. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are now leading the church. That system will select the next leader of the religion. By custom, it is the elderly member, and that is President Thomas S. Monson, who has been President Hinckley's First Counselor.

Obama takes heavy win in South Carolina

Sen. Barack Obama claimed a substantial triumph in South Carolina on Saturday, telling supporters "we are thirsty for difference. " The Illinois senator earned much than twice the voting that rival Sen. Hillary Clinton did, 55 percentage to 27 percentage, informal returns showed. Former Sen. John Edwards was expected to go in third in the country's Democratic primary, according to CNN projections. "Tonight, the cynics who believed that what began in the snows of Iowa was just a delusion were told a distinct tale by the better folk of South Carolina," Obama said to supporters Saturday. A gain in South Carolina was considered critical for Obama, who won Iowa but finished second to Clinton in New Hampshire and Nevada.

"I did not move around this country over the last year and view a light-colored South Carolina or a dark South Carolina. I saw South Carolina," he said. "The selection in this election is not between regions or religions or genders," Obama said. "It's not about wealthy versus impoverished; inexperienced versus older; and it is not about dark versus light-colored. "It's about the past versus the future. " With 99 percentage of precincts reporting, Obama had 55 percentage of the voting. Clinton was second with 27 percentage, followed by Edwards, with 18 percentage. Obama's triumph capped a hot competition in South Carolina, the best Democratic primary in the South and the best with a mostly African-American electorate.

Obama, who is hoping to get the the country's best African-American president, did easily with dark voters, who made upward about half of Saturday's electorate, according to departure polls. Black voters supported the Illinois senator by an edge of much than 4-to-1 over his nearest rival, departure polls suggest. Among light-colored voters, Obama took around a fourth of the voting, with Clinton and Edwards approximately splitting the rest, according to departure polls. Clinton congratulated Obama and said she was excited to go ahead to the Super Tuesday contests on February 5. "Millions and millions of Americans are going to get the opportunity to get their voices heard and their votes counted," she told supporters at Tennessee State University.

Edwards too looked forward to the next contests. "Now the three of us go on to February 5, where millions of Americans will put their voting and assistance influence the future of this company and assistance influence the future of America," he said. "Our effort from the very start has been about one key matter, and that is to offer sound to the millions of Americans who have utterly no sound in this democracy. " Clinton play Obama simply among older voters, according to departure polls. Among voters 65 and old, Clinton play Obama 40 to 32 percentage. But Obama conveniently defeated Clinton in every new bracket, and overall garnered 58 percentage of the voting among 18 to 64-year-olds while 23 percentage of those voters picked Clinton. And half of those polled said both candidates shared blame for the bitterness between the two camps. Of those who said one of the contenders was much to fault than the new, 21 percentage blamed Clinton, and 6 percentage said Obama.

Bill Clinton Falls Asleep During Martin Luther King Speech

Clinton, Obama Vow to Bury Race Debate

LAS VEGAS - Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama blamed aides and campaign surrogates Tuesday night for fueling a campaign controversy over race, jointly pledging on the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. to put the matter behind them.

At a debate in which the two sparred almost cordially, Obama suggested Clinton had taken a page from President Bush's political playbook with an earlier statement that the next president could expect to be tested quickly by terrorists.

"When Senator Clinton uses the specter of a terrorist attack with a new prime minister during a campaign, I think that is part and parcel with what we've seen, the use of the fear of terrorism in scoring political points, and I think that's a mistake," he said.

Asked by NBC's Tim Russert whether she had meant to say terrorists would test Obama more than her, she replied, "No, of course not," before adding, "it matters who's president."

Clinton, Obama and former Sen. John Edwards, the only white man among the candidates on stage, settled in for their debate as the former first lady won a meaningless Michigan presidential primary, a contest held in violation of party rules.

The debate also unfolded four days before the party-sanctioned Nevada caucuses, the next for-keeps contest in the wide-open race for the party's presidential nomination.

Race dominated the debate at the outset, after several days of back-and-forth that left many Democrats worried about an adverse impact on the party's prospects for the general election.

Obama said "not only in hindsight, but going forward," he regretted that his staff had prodded reporters to pursue the issue.

"Our supporters, our staff, get overzealous. They start saying things that I would not say," added the most viable black candidate in history.

"We both have exuberant and sometimes uncontrollable supporters," Clinton said in the opening moments of a two-hour, round-table debate televised on MSNBC. "We need to get this campaign where it should be," said the former first lady, seeking to become the first woman to occupy the White House.

She said comments by black businessman Robert Johnson over the weekend were inappropriate, but sidestepped when asked whether she would bar him from playing a role in her campaign. Johnson made an evident reference to Obama's youthful drug use — although he denied that was his intent.

Obama won the kickoff Iowa caucuses less than two weeks ago, and Clinton countered with an upset victory last Tuesday in the New Hampshire primary. Edwards is winless. After Nevada, the South Carolina Democratic primary is Jan. 26, then the campaign explodes with nearly two dozen contests on Feb. 5.

There was a political reason for the pleasantries, underscored when Edwards was asked whether he and Obama had teamed up to attack Clinton in a debate just before the New Hampshire primary.

"I don't think it was that way," he said. "My job as a candidate for president is to speak the truth as I see it."

Clinton won the primary in an upset three days after the debate, carried to victory over Obama by an unexpectedly large turnout by women voters.

At the same time, there were limits to the comraderie, and Clinton, in particular, took several opportunities to challenge her rivals.

Asked whether Edwards and Obama were prepared to sit in the White House, she said "that's what the voters have to decide."

Later, Clinton asked Obama to back her legislation to prevent Bush from unilaterally extending the United States' presence in Iraq beyond the end of his term next January.

"I think we can work on this, Hillary," he replied.

On an issue of particular interest in Nevada, the former first lady stressed her opposition to a plan to develop a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain in the state. She said Obama's campaign drew financial support from a company that favors the project, and in a rare campaign jab at Edwards, said he had twice voted for it.

Obama countered, saying that even though his home state of Illinois has more nuclear power plants than any other, his opposition to the controversial project was unequivocal.

Edwards said he had changed his mind on the issue, citing new scientific evidence about its risks.

Edwards, given a chance to question his rivals, pointed out the huge sums that Clinton and Obama have raised from drug and insurance companies. "Do you think these people expect something or are they just interested in good government?" he asked.

Obama quickly replied that he did not accept donations from federal lobbyists or political action committees, and Edwards just as quickly pointed out that applied to him as well.

All three also agreed they would not seek creation of a national gun registry, a shift in position for Clinton.

The Michigan primary was an election in name only, where Clinton was the only major candidate entered. She faced competition principally from the "uncommitted" line on the ballot, an option that some supporters of Edwards and Obama advocated to embarrass her.

Returns from 87 percent of the state's precincts showed her with 56 percent of the vote, and uncommitted gaining about 39 percent.

Pre-caucus polls in Nevada make it a close race among the three, an event spiced by a lawsuit filed by several Clinton supporters hoping to challenge the ground rules.

Their objective was to prevent several caucuses along the Las Vegas Strip, where thousands of Culinary Workers Union employees — many of them Hispanic or black — hold jobs.

The rules were approved in May, when Clinton was the overwhelming national front-runner in the race. But the union voted to endorse Obama last week, and the lawsuit followed.

Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich had hoped to have a seat at the table, but the Nevada Supreme Court ruled shortly before the debate began that MSNBC was legally entitled to prevent him from participating. It promptly did.

Source: Yahoo News

Pak Bread Soldiers are Stronger than US Chocolate Soldiers: President Musharraf

WASHINGTON: President Pervez Musharraf, in a US magazine interview, has said late PPP chairwoman Benazir Bhutto was very unpopular with the military.

In a wide-ranging interview with Newsweek published online, he said someone who the religious lobby thought was “an unreligious person” and who was seen as a US ally, could not have been the right person to fight terrorists.

‘Militants want to take over Pakistan’: He said Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism were working in case of the Taliban, and the country was now dealing with local extremists, mostly from South Punjab, and foreigners. Baitullah Mehsood was training suicide bombers targeting political leaders. The president said militants were turning against Pakistan because they were against him. “They are against anyone who is supporting me. So therefore, they want to weaken the government, they want to weaken me. [Perhaps] they think they can take over Pakistan.”

The president said tribal agreements did not solve the problem in FATA, but insisted that negotiations must continue.

‘Pakistani troops can do better in FATA’: He said if the US undertook a unilateral operation inside Pakistan, they would “curse the day they came here”.

“I know these areas, and I know American troops. I know our troops. This is not easy.”

He said Pakistani troops were tougher and could go on roti (bread) and water, while the US troops would need chocolate. “We are totally in cooperation on the intelligence side,” he said. “But we are totally against (a military operation). We will ask for assistance from outsiders. They won’t impose their will on us.”

‘Benazir’s body should be exhumed’: The president called for the body of late Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairwoman Benazir Bhutto to be exhumed, as he rejected charges that the government was complicit in her assassination.

“Yes, exhume it. A hundred percent. I would like it to be exhumed,” he said. “Because I know for sure there is no bullet wound other than on the right side.” But he ruled out ordering a post-mortem without the agreement of Bhutto’s family. “It would have very big political ramifications.”

He said Bhutto’s supporters had not agreed to a post-mortem “because they know it’s a fact there is nothing wrong.”

“Everybody is trying to gain political advantage; the entire opposition is trying to take political advantage,” he said. He said the superintendent of police who was in charge of her security was “her own handpicked”.

Bhutto was told about intelligence reports of a possible attack, he said.

UN probe: “There cannot be a UN investigation,” Musharraf told Newsweek. “There are not two or three countries involved. Why should there be a UN investigation? This is ridiculous.” The president said he was ready to work with the PPP if they won the February general elections. “I can work with anyone,” he said. (agencies)

Musharraf institutes Anti-hoarders body

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to overcome the unrelenting wheat-flour crisis in the country, President Pervez Musharraf has ordered the formation of a Federal Food Committee.

Headed by the Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority, Major-General (retired) Farooq Ahmad, the committee will be operational from today.

The committee will work in close coordination with the public and private sector for the import and export of wheat. It will keep a constant check on the commodity's demand-supply gap as well as its prices across the country.

The President also directed the law enforcement agencies to help the Food Committee function properly.

According to a statement issued by Presidential House, the committee has been directed to ensure the provision of the eatables including flour.

The committee will be responsible to maintain liaison between federation and the provinces and inspect the situation so that the same condition could be averted in future.

US incursion to be treated as "Invasion", warns President Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf warned that US troops would be regarded as invaders if they crossed into Pakistan to hunt the al-Qaeda militants and said he would resign if opposition parties tried to impeach him after the next month’s elections.

The president said this in an interview with Singapore’s The Straits Times published on Friday. Asked if a unilateral intervention would be seen as an invasion, Musharraf replied: “Certainly. If they come without our permission, that’s against the sovereignty of Pakistan.”

“But when you’re talking about Osama bin Laden, any action against him will be free, if we know where he is, if we have good intelligence,” he added. “The methodology will be discussed together and we’ll attack the target together.” But Musharraf said the US army would not do a better job.

“The United States seems to think that what our army cannot do, they can do, this is a very wrong perception,” Musharraf said. “I challenge anybody to come into our mountains. They would regret that day. It’s not easy there.”

Musharraf also criticised US Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton’s proposal to deploy a US, and possibly a British, team to safeguard Pakistan’s nuclear assets. Her statement, Musharraf said, was an “intrusion into our privacy, into our sensitivity ... She doesn’t seem to understand how well-guarded these assets are.”

Pakistan is under growing US pressure to crack down on militants in its tribal regions close to the Afghan border. The New York Times reported last week that Washington was considering expanding the authority of the Central Intelligence Agency and the US military to launch aggressive covert operations within the tribal regions. Several US presidential candidates have also hinted they would support unilateral action in the area.

The president said US troops would “certainly” be considered invaders if they set foot in the tribal regions. A full transcript of the interview was published on the paper’s website. “If they come without our permission, that’s against the sovereignty of Pakistan. I challenge anybody coming into our mountains. They would regret that day,” he said in the interview in Rawalpindi.

Musharraf is also under gathering domestic political pressure. “If that (impeachment) happens, let me assure that I’d be leaving office before they would do anything. If they won with this kind of majority and they formed a government that had the intention of doing this, I wouldn’t like to stick around,” he said. “I would like to quit the scene.

Musharraf Says He Will Resign/leave

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said any unilateral action by U.S.-led coalition forces against militants in the border region with Afghanistan will be regarded as an invasion, a newspaper reported on Friday.

Musharraf told Singapore's The Straits Times that Islamabad will resist any entry by coalition forces in the tribal areas to hunt down Islamic militants, regarding that as a breach of Pakistan's sovereignty.

"I challenge anybody coming into our mountains. They would regret the day," he told the newspaper in an interview conducted in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

Musharraf also told the newspaper he would resign if a government that emerged from elections, now scheduled for next month, sought his impeachment.

Pakistan has been under pressure from Washington to stamp out al Qaeda and pro-Taliban militants U.S. officials believe are hiding in remote regions along the border with Afghanistan and fomenting violence there.

The New York Times said earlier this month the U.S. government was considering expanding the authority of the CIA and the military to conduct aggressive covert operations in Pakistan.

Pakistan officials dismissed the report at the time and said Islamabad would not permit any such action.

Musharraf also criticized U.S. Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton's proposal to deploy a U.S., and possibly a British, team to safeguard Pakistan's nuclear assets.

Her statement, Musharraf said, was an "intrusion into our privacy, into our sensitivity ... She doesn't seem to understand how well-guarded these assets are."

International concern about the safety of Pakistan's nuclear weapons has been increasing, and earlier this week, Mohamed Elbaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, was quoted as saying he feared the nuclear arsenal could pass into the hands of extremists.

Musharraf is also under fire at home.

The Pakistan People's Party led by Benazir Bhutto until her assassination last month has been attacking him over her killing while Nawaz Sharif, another former premier, has demanded his immediate resignation and the formation of an all-party government to conduct free and fair elections.

"If impeachment were their intention and they don't want to go along in a harmonious manner, I would like to quit the scene," Musharraf said when asked what would happen if Bhutto's party emerged a winner in the elections and mounted a bid to oust him with the support of Sharif's party.

"If that happens, let me assure you that I would be leaving office before they would do anything."