The ten least peaceful countries in the world are Zimbabwe, Russia, Pakistan, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Israel, Somalia, Afghanistan and, in last place, Iraq. Russia ranked 136th on the 2009 index, compared to 131 in 2008, and 118 in 2007. The most peaceful country in the world is New Zealand, followed by Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Austria, Sweden, Japan, Canada, Finland, and Slovenia.

Russia ranked badly on such indicators as perceptions of criminality in society and the level of distrust in other citizens, deemed 4 on a scale of 1-5. Respect for human rights is also very low in Russia, with imprisonment for political activity, unlimited detention, with or without trial, for political views, politically-motivated executions or political murders, disappearances, and torture being commonplace.

In a qualitative assessment of the level of political instability, Russia ranked 2.75 on a scale of 1-5. The indicator addresses the degree to which political institutions are sufficiently stable to support the needs of its citizens, businesses, and foreign investors. The functioning of government was ranked 2.86 out of 10, indicating that Russia's system of checks and balances on government is severely lacking.

Read more:

http://www.visionofhumanity.org/gpi/home.php

"Finland had no difficulty [in joining the Schengen Agreement], given that the Nordic countries had abolished the need for passports in cross-border travel back in 1952. The free movement of people is an integral part of the vision of the future that Finland strives towards as a member of the European Union," Mr Stubb wrote. "The question of simplified procedures for border crossing with Russia, our biggest neighbour, is especially important for Finland. [...] Finland wants a visa-free regime between the EU and Russia. We will do our utmost to reach this goal."

http://www.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/article/2010/03/09/227483

Three people who plunged to their deaths from a multi-storey flat in Glasgow were a Russian family seeking asylum in the UK, the BBC reports. The father, mother and son had been granted asylum in Canada but left after a dispute with the authorities there.

The apparent triple suicide happened on Sunday at the Red Road flats complex in the city's Springburn area. A source familiar with the case said the family had been told that they had to leave their flat in Springburn after their application to stay was refused.

No removal order had been issued, however, and they were advised to seek help from the Scottish Refugee Council to find alternative accommodation. The bodies were discovered by the concierge at the tower block after they had fallen from the 15th floor.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8554849.stm

A recent week in Moscow left one clear impression: The Putin model of crony state capitalism is dead. For years, the structure that Vladimir Putin crafted looked invincible, with its steady, high growth rates and effective, mild repression. But the system only distributed ample oil rents to the elites and the ordinary people, creating neither moral nor economic value", says Anders Åslund in a column in The Washington Post.

There are, however, positive signs of a thaw, he concludes: "Russians are becoming less afraid than in recent years and are even ashamed of their prior cowardice. Those jumping on the bandwagon include the respected finance minister, Alexei Kudrin, who publicly criticized Putin's United Russia party, and Sergei Mironov, the Putin loyalist who chairs the Russian Federation Council.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/25/AR2010022504848.html

Markku Lehmuskallion ja Anastasia Lapsuin uusimman elokuvan Sukunsa viimeinen Suomen ensi-ilta on perjantaina 26.02.2010 Helsingin Kinopalatsissa. Ensi-iltaviikolla 26.02.–04.03.2010 elokuvan näytösten yhteydessä järjestetään lukuisia erikoistapahtumia, joissa asiantuntijavieraat eri aloilta avaavat elokuvan teemoja eri näkökulmista.

Elokuvanäytöksissä keskustellaan Helsingissä joka päivä 26.02.–04.03.2010 ja Turussa 03.03.2010. Tilaisuudet järjestää elokuvan tuotantoyhtiö Illume ja levittäjä Pirkanmaan elokuvakeskus. Ensi-illan vieraana Jamalin historian ja nykyisyyden tunteva vapaa toimittaja ja tietokirjailja Ville Ropponen, haastattelijana Voima-lehden Tuomas Rantanen.

Torstaina 04.03.2010 keskustelun aiheena on nenetsien kieli ja kulttuuri. Sukunsa viimeisen kuvaaman alkuperäiskansan nenetsien kulttuurista ja suomen sukulaiskieliin kuuluvasta nenetsin kielestä saapuvat näytökseen kertomaan alan asiantuntijat. Vieraana mm. tutkija Karina Lukin ja elokuvan ohjaajat Markku Lehmuskallio ja Anastasia Lapsui.

Keskustelutilaisuudet alkavat elokuvateatterisalissa itse elokuvan päätyttyä ja kestävät noin tunnin ajan. Katso näytösten koko aikataulu elokuvalehti Elitistin verkkosivustolta. Liput erikoisnäytöksiin Finnkinon normaalien lipunhintojen mukaan arkisin 6,80 euroa ja viikonloppuisin 11,50 euroa. Myös sarjaliput kelpaavat. Lippuja voi ostaa Finnkinosta.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=327621053630

A Union of Political Emigrants from Russia has been established in Ukraine. The head of the new organisation is Russian opposition activist Olga Kudrina, who has received asylum in Ukraine. The organisation held a press conference on 23 February 2010 in Kiev. Denis Bilunov, chairman of the executive committee of Russia's opposition Solidarity coalition, explained why an increasing number of journalists, human rights defenders, civic activists, and others have been forced to leave Russia and seek asylum abroad.

The number of activists forced to leave Russia because of political harassment is on the increase. Political activists face fabricated criminal cases, partial judges, and extrajudicial reprisals. Ukraine is one the countries which has granted asylum to Russian citizens persecuted by their own government. The new wave of political emigration has, however, failed to gain the attention it deserves in society. The Union of Political Emigrants strives to bring the problem of political emigration from Russia into the public limelight.

"In Russia today, people who openly voice opinions that differ from those of the government, who voice criticism of the ruling regime, or who find themselves simply in the way of the authorities, are often subjected to harassment and repression. There are no signs of any improvements in the human rights situation in Russia. We established the Union of Political Emigrants to help people who have fled Russia and applied for asylum to overcome the difficulties they will face in their new situation," Olga Kudrina explained.

The Union of Political Emigrants was established by Russian political refugees to unite citizens of the Russian Federation who have been forced to leave their country because of harassment by the authorities, and to help them claim their rights. The organisation distributes information about the problem of political emigration and its reasons, provides legal and publicity support to political emigrants from Russia, and promotes the integration of political emigrants in the countries where they have received asylum.

http://politemigrant.org/index.php/news/256-spe23022010

http://newtimes.ru/articles/detail/15933