Exclusive from the BEING HAD Times

The Best school anywhere in Belarus:

An interview with Israel Abramovits Karolinski, director of the Beis Aharon Boarding School in Pinsk.

I spoke with Israel Abramovoch in his office for about an hour on the morning of September 21st and he was engaging to the last. Though obviously he was faithful to his position and most adherent to the schools association with the Republic of Belarus, he was quite open and candid. My impression was that any potential student would be blessed with the opportunity to be able to come here.

How many Jewish schools are there in Belarus?
At the moment there is only one. There was a school in Minsk, but they have closed. Though there are classes in Jewish studies that can be taken in Minsk at State school 132 in Hebrew language and culture, but as far as actual schools are concerned, we are the only one.
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Today's News From the Top


Alexander Lukashenko Confers with Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky



On September 21, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met with Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky to receive his regular report.

The Head of State was informed on cereals harvesting work in progress in the fields of our country. As of today, 6 million 400 thousand metric tons of grain have been gathered; the harvesting of maize, millet and other cereals continues. The Head of the Council of Ministers is convinced that in total the cereal crop yield will exceed 7 million tons this year.

The Belarusian leader was informed on fulfilling his assignment regarding the state purchase order. At present, the state reserves have more than one million tons of grain, thus making it possible to fully supply the needs of this country during 2005-2006, until the next harvest.

The state purchase order for flax to the tune of 40 thousand tons has also been fulfilled.
More from the office of the president

From BELARUSIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY

21.09.2005 17:14:07
Alexander Lukashenko and chief of Lukoil discuss Russian oil deliveries to Belarus

On September 21 head of state Alexander Lukashenko met with president of the Oil Company Lukoil Vagit Alekperov.

The Russian businessman informed the president of Belarus of the company’s activity in this country and voiced the intention to expand Lukoil presence on the Belarusian market.

Lukoil ranks first in the Russian Federation in terms of oil extraction and oil refining. The company’s share in terms of the world oil reserves is 1,5 per cent and about 2,1 per cent - in worldwide oil extraction.

Lukoil came to the Belarusian market in 1992. Today there are 39 filling stations in Belarus. Lukoil accounts for 11 per cent of Belarus’ oil imports. In the eight months this year the subsidiary Lukoil-Belarus delivered 1,3 million tons of oil to this country.

As BelTA has been told in the Belarusian president’s press service, various aspects of Belarus’ petrochemical industry functioning were discussed during the meeting. The sides reached an agreement to set up Belarusian-Russian group of experts to analyze the current situation and to discuss cooperation development with Lukoil, including some certain projects.

The interaction prospects on ensuring Belarusian oil refineries in Mozyr and Novopolotsk with feedstock were discussed as well. Vagit Alekperov assured the president that Lukoil will not reduce the current volume of oil deliveries to Belarus.

From Kommersant
Belarus Sugar Threatened with Duty
Russian Economic Development and Trade Ministry announced yesterday, September 15, 2005, it starts probing into increased import of Belarus sugar to Russia. For Belarus sugar, the investigation may result in duty of $149 a ton, while the sugar market of Russia may see the 10-percent increase in prices.

The size of Russia’s market of sugar is between 5 million tons and 5.5 million tons on year (around $3 billion). Of that amount, sugar beet accounted for 2.25 million tons in 2004, import of raw sugar – 2.6 million tons. The remaining 623,000 tons of sugar were delivered as ready-made product, including 80 percent from Belarus.
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From Belarus Today

Belarus Still “Locked out" of the EU

The European Union has extended for a year their lock on some the high-ranking officials of Belarus. The block had been originally made on the bases of a decision of the Parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe (PASS) from April, 28th, 2004. Pass had originally decided at that time that Certain key figures in the hierarchy of Belarusian government (including Alaksander Lukashenka) had been involved in the “disappearances” of the former Minister of Internal Affairs Jury Zaharenko, former vice-premier, the ex-head of the Central Electoral Commission Victor Gonchara, businessman Anatoly Krasovsky and journalist Dmitry Zavadsky in 1999 and 2000.

Interior Minister of Belarus Uladzimir Navumau, former Interior Minister Yury Sivakou and SWAT commander Dzmitry Paulichenka are suspected of implication in people’s abductions.

The decision was made in regards to people suspected of participation in disappearance of people and/or the subsequent concealment of the facts. The decision includes transit into or through any territories of the European Union.
ITAR-TASS has reported that pass’ decision to extend the September, 2004 ban was accepted without discussion.
Translation: BHTIMES

History

Yalta at 60: Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill grandsons to meet

From USA Today

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — The grandsons of World War II leaders Josef Stalin, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill will debate global politics 60 years after their grandfathers' historic meeting at the Yalta Conference.

In the photo, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin, left to right, meet in Yalta in 1945.

The debate is set for Oct. 1 to mark the opening of a graduate studies program in governance at the University of Maastricht, organizers said Wednesday.

At the Yalta Conference, held in the resort town of then-Soviet Ukraine in February 1945, the three leaders carved up Europe into its postwar spheres of influence for the western powers and the communist bloc.

The discussion in Maastricht, a southern Dutch city on the German and Belgian borders will focus on "global politics and the state of Europe six decades later," said event spokesman Stephan Glerum.

Curtis Roosevelt, Winston S. Churchill and Yevgeny Dzhugashvili have not met before, Glerum said.

Churchill, 65, is an author and British politician. Roosevelt, 75, worked as an educator and held various posts at the United Nations. Dzhugashvili, 69, is a retired Russian colonel and military historian. Stalin's original surname was Dzhugashvili.

Jewish News

From Jewish week.


‘The Absence Of People, The Silence’
New Orleans’ Jewish officials, in first glimpse of community, express relief and rescue Torahs, but millions seen needed for repairs
Gabrielle Birkner - Staff Writer

New Orleans
Eric Stillman carefully maneuvered his way around the giant oak tree uprooted on his front lawn and the black roof shingles that littered his yard.

On Saturday he unlocked his front door and found his modest brick home just as he had left it two weeks ago: the neatly made beds, the family photographs on bookshelves, the colored pencils spread across the coffee table.
It was the first time since Hurricane Katrina that Stillman, 40, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, had returned to his home in suburban Metairie, La.
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Chess

Selection process for world chess championships invalid - Karpov

BUENOS AIRES, September 21 (RIA Novosti, Yury Nikolayev) - The selection of participants for the upcoming world chess championship, scheduled for September 27-October 16 in St. Louis, Argentina, violated sports regulations, former world champion Anatoly Karpov said Wednesday.

"This can hardly be called a world championship, as the rules of sports were not observed," he said. "There was no [proper] selection. Of course, each of the eight candidates deserves respect, but others had no chance to have their say."

Karpov also said that he is ready to face Bobby Fischer, the Russian chess grandmaster told RIA Novosti Wednesday.

"Fischer is hardly predictable. It depends on him, and of course, on the sponsors. Fischer is always interesting, but he wants to play his chess. That's no problem - we can play his chess."

Karpov, who is currently the guest of honor at a chess festival in Argentina, said "Fischer's chess" envisioned the initial position of the chess pieces defined by a computer. The pawns remain in their places, and a computer determines the other chess pieces' positions.