Many will see that as a sign that it is Mr Putin, and not Mr Medvedev, who wields the real power in Russia, he adds.
Mr Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the session, which started at midday local time (0900 GMT), would “certainly last more than two hours” and focus on social issues and the financial crisis.
Some of the questions were published in advance on a government website. Most of them concentrated on the state of the economy.
One asks whether young families will get help with mortgages; another asks why petrol prices have fallen by so much less than oil prices.
However, our correspondent says there is no sign yet of the one question which many world leaders would presumably love to hear answered – whether Mr Putin plans to return to the presidency.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7764131.stm
PARIS — Armed robbers – some disguised as women – snatched euro85 million ($108 million) worth of diamond rings, necklaces and luxury watches from a Harry Winston boutique on a posh Paris avenue in one of the largest jewel heists in history, officials said Friday.
The gang of three or four robbers threatened about 15 employees with handguns and hit some on the head before taking the jewels from display cases from the store near the Champs-Elysees, said a police official, who was not authorized to be publicly named under agency policy. (Apparently the store is within 50 yards of a police station!)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1310ap_eu_france_jewel_robbery.html
Today the Jerusalem Post has reported that the Israeli Defense Force is readying to attack Iranian nuclear facilities without the support of the US. Israel is getting fed up with the Iranians and are willing to go it alone showing the seriousness of the matter. The Post did not specificy a time frame for attack and if one were even capable.
Later in the day though the same people told Times Online(UK) that if Israel were to go it alone the attack might not be completely succesful because there are so many targets.
Looks like Iran is going to get the bomb!
http://blogs.venturacountystar.com/propaganda/2008/12/israeli-attack-imminentor-is-i.html
(I heard today that Israel in stongly considering a hit upon Iran before O takes offices. This is because they, Israel, are viewing O as Bush Continued and negotiations will only extend out the time for Iran to further BS O and build their arsenal. Interestingly, Israel really does not go it alone because they absolutely have to have U.S. support to refuel across Iraq, use U.S. installations to assist in target acquisitions and to refuel going back to their base. We will know in advance of this attack and will in effect be giving the green light for them to launch. If this happens early, it will be more of ‘we can get that support over Iraq via Bush and won’t get it with O’. The clock is ticking. So, do we allow Israel to shoot the rogue elephant and wound it? What happens with a wounded, pissed off rogue elephant?)
