MOSCOW (AP) — Russia will deploy new missiles aimed at U.S. missile defense sites in Europe if Washington goes ahead with the planned shield despite Russia's concerns, President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday.
Russia will station missiles in its westernmost Kaliningrad region and other areas if Russia and NATO fail to reach a deal on the U.S.-led missile defense plans, he said in a tough statement that seemed to be aimed at rallying domestic support. Russia considers the plans for missile shields in Europe, including in Romania and Poland, to be a threat to its nuclear forces, but the Obama administration insists they are meant to fend off a potential threat from Iran.
Moscow has agreed to consider NATO's proposal last fall to cooperate on the missile shield, but the talks have been deadlocked over how the system should operate. Russia has insisted that the system should be run jointly, which NATO has rejected. Medvedev also warned that Moscow may opt out of the New START arms control deal with the United States and halt other arms control talks if the U.S. proceeds. The Americans had hoped that the treaty would stimulate progress further ambitious arms control efforts, but such talks have stalled over tension on the missile plans. "The United States and its NATO partners as of now aren't going to take our concerns about the European missile defense into account," a stern Medvedev said, adding that if the alliance continues to "stonewall" Russia it will take retaliatory action. The U.S. plan calls for placing land- and sea-based radars and interceptors in European locations over the next decade and upgrading them over time.
Medvedev warned that Russia will deploy short-range Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad, a Baltic Sea exclave bordering Poland, and place weapons in other areas in Russia's west and south to target U.S. missile defense sites.
Medvedev added that prospective Russian strategic nuclear missiles will be fitted with systems that would allow them to penetrate prospective missile defenses. He and other Russian leaders have made similar threats in the past, and the latest statement appears to be aimed at domestic audience ahead of Dec. 4 parliamentary elections.
Medvedev, who is set to step down to allow Prime Minister Vladimir Putin reclaim the presidency in March's elections, leads the ruling United Russia party list in the parliamentary vote.
A sterm warning to the U.S. and NATO issued by Medvedev seems to be directed at rallying nationalist votes in the polls.
LAS VEGAS – When the final bell rang, 12 rounds of furious fighting complete, Juan Manuel Marquez lifted his right fist high into the air, turned to the ringside crowd and offered a knowing wink through an eye nearly swollen shut.
Standing in front of him at that very moment, his opponent, Manny Pacquiao, let his head sag as he turned to walk to his corner. Seconds later Marquez was carried around the ring on the shoulders of two of his corner men. Pacquiao was on his knees in prayer.
Somehow, someway, Pacquiao wound up with the majority decision, 116-112, 115-113, 114-114, Saturday night at the MGM Grand, a result that will be doubted and debated forever.
What Pacquiao lost was clearer – his cloak of invincibility, his reputation for destruction, even, in some ways, a measure of his credibility.
Marquez was able to frustrate, counterpunch and deliver direct hits that Pacquiao hadn’t felt in years. Pacquiao ended up with 28 post-fight stitches above one eye (inadvertent head butt). All courtesy of the 38-year-old Marquez, whom Floyd Mayweather Jr. had completely dominated in 2009.
Worse is that fans around the world immediately believed the decision came courtesy of the power of Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, and the potential $100 million-plus superfight with Mayweather that would have been jeopardized by a Pacquiao loss.
No fighter, let alone one of Pacquiao’s caliber, wants to be seen as needing political protection.
“All the Mexicans [were] booing me, ‘You stole the fight, you stole the fight,’ ” Arum said afterward. “Like I had anything to do with it.”
This is where everything changes for Pacquiao. Only Arum could claim surprise at fan outrage in a sport with a not-so-illustrious history of crooked deals and foul play. In his typically ridiculous fashion, Arum claimed the only people who saw it that way on Twitter have Spanish names.
“Everybody knows what happened,” Marquez said. “I won this fight. Only three people there didn’t see the same thing. … It was a robbery. They robbed me.”
It isn’t that simple, of course. Compubox stats favored Pacquiao. Most of the rounds weren’t decisive. Many rounds were extremely close in a fight that was full of daring, thrilling, back-and-forth action. Still, how could one judge believe Marquez won only four rounds?
“This is part of the game,” Pacquiao said. “The fight is close, but it is very clear I won the fight.”
It isn’t very clear he won the fight. The frustrations and backlash aren’t going away. Pacquiao had enjoyed, if not universal support, than at least respect during this recent stretch of success.
He controlled everything, including his future against Mayweather, who has taken considerable backlash for supposedly ducking the Filipino congressman.
Gone now are the visions of dominance, Pacquiao sending another overwhelmed opponent to the hospital.
Instead Manny dropped his head at fight’s end, looking uncertain in the moments before the decision was announced.
There he stood, next to announcer Max Kellerman, unable to conduct his postfight interview because the boos from the pro-Marquez crowd were deafening. There he was, surrounded by security, being hustled out of the ring as insults and popcorn boxes rained down on him.
There was Manny, face bludgeoned afterward, trying to claim victory as Arum pushed him through an abbreviated news conference, a far cry from his usual marathon media sessions.
Arum offered up talk of another rematch – Pacquiao-Marquez IV – in May. Considering the hellacious battle that had taken place, he won’t lack for pay-per-view buys. Debate over the decision aside, this was a brilliant night of fighting.
It is also, of course, a leverage play against Mayweather, who has already claimed May 5, 2012, as a night he will fight, preferably in the “biggest fight possible,” i.e. Pacquiao.
If Mayweather ever hesitated to take on Pacquiao before, this performance may quickly change that. Marquez’s counterpunching style and ability to match Pacquiao’s hand speed made this fight. Two years ago though, Marquez was overwhelmed by Mayweather’s speed, losing all 12 rounds on at least one scorecard.
“I think [Marquez] has Manny’s number,” said Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach. “He knows how to fight Manny. Mayweather is a bit of a counterpuncher also; he can give us trouble. We need to learn to deal with these counterpunchers better.”
[Related: Angry Juan Manuel Marquez says he might retire after ‘robbery’]
It all becomes so much more intriguing. This is Pacquiao in a new light. This is Pacquiao physically challenged. This is Pacquiao without that smiling, carefree attitude.
This is Pacquiao, surrounded by questions, dogged by doubt, heckled and running from cries of fixed judging. This is everything the proud fighter doesn’t want.
There’s only one way to change that, only one way to bring it all back. Go right back at Marquez – “It was a fight I kind of don’t want to do again, but we have to,” Roach said.
Or better yet go right at Mayweather, make the superfight happen even if it requires conceding to some of Mayweather’s silly demands.
Next time it won’t just be a belt or a pile of money on the line. It’ll be something bigger: Manny Pacquiao’s reputation.
Angry Marquez says he might retire after ‘robbery’
LAS VEGAS – Juan Manuel Marquez furiously insisted his controversial defeat to Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night was a “robbery” and accused two members of the judging panel of conspiring against him.
A dejected Marquez, 38, said it might have been his last fight.
“Maybe I will retire,” he said. “It is difficult after this. I also don’t want to throw away everything we have worked for but I just don’t know.”
Pacquiao’s victory keeps alive the prospect of a superfight against Floyd Mayweather, possibly as soon as May 5, 2012. Yet there will also be calls for another rematch with Marquez, and the controversial decision would ensure that Pacquiao-Marquez IV would attract huge attention.
“I think there is now a viable possibility that they should do it again,” said Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum. “It was so close, there were so many close rounds and it was a great fight.”
[Related: Pacquiao beats Marquez by controversial decision]
In their third meeting Saturday, Marquez lost a majority decision at the MGM Grand Garden Arena with judge Robert Hoyle scoring it 114-114 and Glenn Trowbridge and Dave Moretti giving it to Pacquiao by 116-112 and 115-113, respectively.
Marquez felt cheated, so much so that a rematch was the furthest thing from his mind.
“It is a robbery and of the two robberies I have had against him, this one is the more terrible,” Marquez said in his locker room moments after storming from the ring in anger. “I was the one with the clearer punches and I won again. The audience protested because they knew that I won again. It is difficult to fight against a fighter and two judges as well.”
Pacquiao was roundly booed by the crowd with most fans believing Marquez was a clear victor. The Filipino champion was pelted with beer and popcorn as he left the arena. Marquez also felt he had won the second fight of the trilogy in 2008, only to lose on the scorecards.
Heading into the closing rounds of the fight, Marquez was informed by trainer Nacho Beristain that he was clearly ahead.
“I always thought the judges and the commission in Nevada were the fairest,” Beristain said. “But this has been a robbery of the utmost.”
Promoter ready to set up Pacquiao-Marquez IV
LAS VEGAS – Only seconds after Manny Pacquiao squeezed out a majority decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, prompting angry fans to pelt the ringside area with drinks, promoter Bob Arum said he’s going to do a fourth fight between the men.
Pacquiao retained his World Boxing Organization welterweight belt by defeating Marquez by the closest of margins. Judge Glenn Trowbridge had it 116-112. Dave Moretti saw it 115-113 and Robert Hoyle had it 114-114.
As he made his way through an angry crowd that shouted obscenities at him, Arum told Yahoo! Sports, “It was a great, great fight. I had Manny, but it was close, so why not bring them together again in May? It makes a lot of sense to do that.”
The fighters fought to a split draw in 2004 in a featherweight fight. Pacquiao won a split decision in a super featherweight title fight in 2008.
Representatives of Floyd Mayweather Jr. had reserved the MGM Grand for May 5, ostensibly to make a fight with Pacquiao. On Friday, Golden Boy’s Oscar De La Hoya said the fight was closer than ever, but with Arum’s announcement, the richest fight in history will be on hold for a while longer.
Some of the following creatures are known to have dated back further than the Middle Ages making great grandparents seem like youngsters. From the youngest to the immortal, check out our round-up of nine animal species that hold records for their freakishly long life spans.
Jeanne Louise Calment: 122-years-old
The first spot on the list belongs to the world’s longest living person ever. Born on 21 February 1875 and passing away on August 4, 1997, this French woman holds the longest confirmed lifespan in
George the lobster: 140-years-old
A New York restaurant was lucky enough to offer the most mature crustacean ever caught on their menu. At a massive 20lbs and born in 1869 - the same year as leading men, such as British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French painter Henri Matisse, giant lobster George was picked up from the icy waters of the Atlantic. Manager of City Crab and Seafood restaurant, who bought George for $100 (£68) said that a lobster’s age can be estimated by weight, with weight increasing by around a pound for every seven to ten years of life. Fortunately for George, after animal rights organisation PETA received a tip-off from punters about the tiny tank it had to live in, PETA managed to persuade the Park Avenue eatery to release George back into the wild.
Geoduck: 160-years-old
Recognised as a large edible saltwater clam with a six-inch-long shell and a neck that extends up to about four feet, geoducks (pronounced ‘gooey’ ducks) are a native species of the Pacific Northwest of the US and coastal areas of British Columbia, Canada. The geoduck market is predominantly based in Asia with an expanding one in the US as the American sushi industry has sparked a rise in domestic demand for the odd-looking seafood delicacy. Burrowed in deep muddy waters, the oldest living geoduck was recorded to be 160-years-old, but on average they live between 140 and 160 when not hunted by predators or eaten by humans. According to scientists, a geoduck's longevity is the result of low wear and tear as they don’t have to do much in order to survive.
Bowhead whale: 211-years-old
Dubbed, the ‘old men of the sea’ by a US reporter, bowhead whales are the oldest mammals on Earth living on average between 100-200 years. One individual whale is documented to have lived to the ripe old age of 211. By tracking changes in amino acids in the lenses of their eyes, scientists are able to determine the approximate ages of bowheads. Biologist Craig George found the key to their long existence. He said: “The bowhead's tough environment - cold water without abundant food available forces it to maintain a great body mass, an effective system for fat storage and an efficient mechanism to keep warm. The stress of living in arctic waters may nurture the whale's pattern of slow growth and long life.” In the past, bowheads have been hunted to near extinction.
Koi fish: 226-years-old
Koi are a domesticated kind of the common carp kept for decoration in artificial rock pools and ponds, there are types which are known to age to more than 200 years. One of the longest living vertebrate ever recorded, ‘Hanako’ translated into English as ‘Flower Maid’ is proof that women do live longer than men. The 15lb female fish from Japan died at the age of 226 in 1977. Born in 1751, 25 years before American independence, her old age could be accounted for by removing one of her scales and examining it extensively, similar to counting rings of a tree.
Tortoises: 255-years-old
A tortoise’s long life span has been linked to the reptile’s slow metabolic rate. Experts reckon as a general rule, animals with a high metabolic rate die early, and those that burn energy more slowly can live on for decades. Reports in the media are frequently claiming that the world’s oldest tortoise has died – take Harriet and Tu’I Malila for example, who died at 175 and 188-years-old respectively.
But, Addwaita, a tortoise that lived in Bengal is estimated to have been around 255 when it died, making it just a toddler around the time of the American Revolution. Its age was verified by a technique called carbon dating, confirming Addwaita as one of the oldest creatures of modern times. His long life ended when his shell cracked and a wound developed some months before his death from liver failure in March five-years-ago.
Quahog: 410-years-old
Another seafood delicacy sets a record in the animal kingdom. In 2007, a specimen of clam was plucked off the coast of Iceland. By drilling through its cockle shell and counting each ring, the Arctica Islandica was claimed to be the longest-living animal species ever recorded by researchers at Bangor University. Nicknamed ‘Ming’ after the Chinese dynasty that ruled when the clam was born and its Siamese-like appearance, the clam was estimated to be aged between 405 and 410-years-old. Unfortunately, poor Ming died as it was being assessed by researchers.
Antarctic sponge: 1550-years-old
One specimen of this slow-growing Antarctic Ocean dweller is estimated to be over 1550-years-old. To put it in perspective, the specimen could have been living in 461AD – the same year that on March 17th St Patrick died. Though it may look more like a plant as it is immobile, scientists do class this sponge as a living creature with its lack of exertion and extremely slow growth contributing to its scarily long life span.
Turriptosis Nutricula: Immortal
This remarkable jellyfish-like creature tops our list as the world’s oldest living creature in terms of having no natural limit to its life span. The unique species is considered to be the world’s only biologically immortal animal, according to marine biologists at the Smithsonian Tropical Marine Institute in Florida.
A native to the warm salt waters of the Caribbean seas, the animal has been spotted far from its home in Spain, Italy, Japan, and the Atlantic side of Panama in recent times as it is thought they are silently invading the oceans by attaching themselves to ballast water tanks of ships. So what is its secret to anti-aging? The tiny transparent sea creature, which is about the size of a fingernail, can regenerate its entire body over and over again through a process called ‘transdifferentiation’ as it is able to turn one type of cell into another.
There have been some tremendous misses this season -- the kind that are almost impressive in how shockingly wrong a "sure thing" can go -- and now, Bayern Munich's Miroslav Klose adds one to the collection.
With just one goal in 19 Bundesliga appearances this season, it hasn't been the greatest season for Klose, who, along with Gerd Muller, is the World Cup's second all-time leading scorer (behind Ronaldo). At 32 years old, he's fallen behind the likes of Thomas Muller and Mario Gomez at Bayern, but he got the start in their last game of the season against Stuttgart on Saturday. And it wasn't long before Arjen Robben made a nice run and set up Klose with a golden opportunity to tap in a goal from right in front of an empty net. Instead, his body ended up in the back of the net while the ball soared over the crossbar.
Bayern president Uli Hoeness looked around in disbelief from his executive box, though this was a perfectly fitting occurrence for the final match of a disappointing third-place season for the club. Luckily, Bayern still won the match 2-1 to end the season on a good note.
Anyway, these things happen. Even to the World Cup's second all-time leading scorer.
Alain James Retuya is an SEO specialist from the Philippines. He is an inbound internet marketing enthusiast and values visitor satisfaction on every website he managed.
