By Mikhail D. Gromov   Early in January 2019, East Africa and the world have cel­ebrated the 110th anniversary since the birth of Shaaban Robert (1909-1962) - an outstanding figure in modem East African history, cul­ture and literature, a great writer and the founder of modem literature in Swahili. Elena Zubkova-Bertoncini, a distinguished scholar of Swahili letters, in her seminal work “Out­line of Swahili literature” character­ized Shaaban Robert as a pioneer in the...

By Nicole Mayani   Following a refreshing year of improved relations between Russia and African coun­tries, there is a lot expectation in 2019, which brings the prospect of the first ever Russia-Africa sum­mit. The meeting has been planned for October this year, to acknowl­edge, according to President Vladi­mir Putin, the priority that Mos­cow gives to developing its rela­tions with Africa With new political and humani­tarian initiatives, as well as invest­ment and...

By Mary Ramadhani   Beautiful and exotic paintings were at a spectacle on Friday at the Russian Cen­tre for Science and Culture in Dar es Salaam (RCSC). A fresh painting of Kisutu Street done by Vasil Peshkun, few hours before the exhibi­tion was placed as a center­piece of the show. Themed ‘interesting par­allels’ the exhibition centered three artists including – Anna Silivonchik, Maria Peshkun and Vasil Peshkun. Silivon­chik stated that the paintings on display have...

UN, Tuesday   A press release document has opened a new page in the global discussion on international in­formation security, which was launched 20 years ago. The is­sue of international security was placed on the UN’s agenda in 1998 at Russia’s initiative. “It is notable that break­through decisions aimed at strengthening IIS have been adopted in the anniversary year of 2018. These decisions aim to protect the interests of all coun­tries in the sphere of cyber se­curity...

Bristle, Sunday   As the world approaches the end of the year 2018, the war to combat cybercrime in the world had received a major boost fol­lowing the recently adoption of two Russian-proposed resolu­tions, including a resolution on combating cybercrime, by the UN General Assembly. On December 17, the UN General Assembly adopted, by majority vote, the resolution on Countering the Use of Infor­mation and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes. The resolution was...

GENEVA TOP diplomats from Russia, Turkey and Iran have agreed to ensure that a 150-strong committee to draft a new Syrian constitu­tion will convene for the first time early next year as they wrapped up a meeting in Geneva on Tuesday. “We have agreed to take efforts aimed at convening the first session of the Syr­ian constitution committee early next year. These steps will lead to the launch of a vi­able and lasting Syrian-owned, Syrian-led, UN-facilitated political process,’’ ...

MOSCOW RUSSIA is not inter­ested in an arms race and only seeks keeping the balance of forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at his annual news conference yesterday. “Generally, this is sim­ply an element of contain­ing and balancing parities in the strategic balance. This is what it is. This means keep­ing the parity and nothing more than that,” the Russian leader said, speaking about the newest breakthrough mis­sile defense systems developed by Russia. “We do not...

By Mary Ramadhani   It was a thrilling moment as Angelic voices and laugh­ter of happily excited and highly spirited children filled the Russian Cultural Center venue in Dar es Salaam last weekend. And, their eager parents were beaming with pride on how far their precious babies have accomplished, while anxious but yet excited teach­ers did final arrangements, waiting for their pupils to give their best performance of children’s songs in Rus­sian language. Children of...

By Johan Burger   After decades of a bipolar world in which the US and the Soviet Union com­peted for global hegemony, we entered a unipolar era with the collapse of the USSR and the US imposing its will across the globe virtually unchallenged - until the rise of China. Now the geopolitical tectonic plates are shifting once more as the US loses ground and influence, the European Union shows signs of fractur­ing, and new players scramble to gain the high ground. Johan Burger’s...

The theater was filled with rounds of applause after two young artists transported enthusiastic and entertained audience adults and children alike, to another dimension through the harmonious melody produced by their instruments. This event happened at the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Dar es Salaam on Thursday evening.

By The Banker reporter   Tanzania’s uranium production may start in 2022 if global prices for the commodity appreciate due to rising demand thanks to Chinese and Indian growing economies. Rosatom’s Regional Vice-President for Central and Southern Africa Viktor Polikarpov said its local subsidiary, Uranium One and Mantra Resources have amicably agreed with authorities to put the project on hold pending better global prices for the commodity. “Demand is expected to firm up...

This September 9 was the 190th birthday of Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy, the famous Russian novelist and moral philosopher who wrote War and Peace (1865-69) and many other works of literature including Hadji- Murad (1912), Anna Karenina (1877-78), The Cossacks, Confession. It came and passed quietly as has often happened. Drawing from reports by various agencies and his own ‘reference library’, long-serving Tanzanian journalist Saidi Nguba reports: Leo Tolstoy was born on September...

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia CHINESE President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Pu­tin, on Tuesday called for promoting sub-national cooperation to cement bilateral relations and benefit the two peoples. The two heads of state made the re­marks while attending a roundtable meeting on regional cooperation be­tween the two countries on the side­lines of the fourth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), which is running from Tuesday to Thursday in Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East. ...

THE world always commem­orates various landmarks, be it wars, political; social and economic achievements, in­novations and even birthdays of people who made tremen­dous contribution towards social and economic develop­ment. The atomic bombing of the Japanese cities of Hiroshi­ma and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9 in 1945 respectively by US Armed Forces towards the last stages of World War II, resulting into mass killings and huge destruction, is being remembered annually. The ethical and...

MOSCOW and Tokyo will continue to work on the peace treaty in a constructive and friendly manner, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. He reiterated that earlier yesterday Russian Pres­ident Vladimir Putin presented the initiative to sign a peace treaty between Russia and Japan until the end of the year without any preliminary conditions. “It is planned to sign the peace treaty first, and then, proceeding from relations of peace, friend­ship and cooperation, reach...

Serikali za Shirikisho la Urusi na Jamhuri ya Kiislamu ya IRan zimekubaliana kwa kauli moja ya kuunga mkono kuchukuliwa hatua za kijeshi ili kukomboa jimbo la Idlib linaloshikiliwa na waasi nchini Syria.  Marais Hassan Rouhani wa Iran na mwenzake, Vladimir Putin wa Urusi, walitamka hayo kwenye mkutano uliofanyika mjini Tehran pamoja na wenzao Rais wa Uturuki, Recep Erdogan. Aidha, kwa upande wake, Rais Erdogan ameongeza kwa kutoa mwito wa kusimamisha mapambano yanayoendelea...

  Wakati vumbi linatuama baada ya Fainali za Kombe la Dunia Russia 2018, Ufaransa wametwaa ubingwa wake. Russia ilipata sifa kufanikisha fainali hizo kuanzia mpangilio wake, viwanja, usafiri, huduma na matokeo ya mashindano yenyewe. Lakini kwa kweli hapakuwa na vumbi Russia, bali ni hewa safi. Hii ni kinyume cha matarajio ya watu mbalimbali, hasa tangu kuteuliwa kwa Russia kuwa mwenyeji. Hizo ni fainali za kwanza kuchezwa Ulaya ya Mashariki na za 11 kwa Ulaya na...

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is the Hague-based enforcement body for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and has been operating since 1997. It has 193 UN states as members. Its mission is to oversee global compliance with the convention, which prohibits the use of chemical weapons (CW) and requires their destruction. The inspectors have the power to say whether chemical weapons have been used following a fact-finding visit. Until the watchdog’s...

By Jonathan Power, former foreign affairs columnist for the International Herald Tribune.   Two mistakes, committed on President Barack Obama’s watch, were the triggers for the end of the long post- Cold War period of good relations with Russia They were the attack on Libya by the US, France and the UK and the subsequent killing of its long-time dictator, Muammar Gadhafi. The second was the crisis in Ukraine. Russia was very angry about the first. Having been persuaded by...

By Poul Owere @TheCitizenTz powere@tz.nationmedia.com   Dar es Salaam. When US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin met in Helsinki four weeks ago, there was renewed hope from some quarters that relations between the two countries could improve. That hope lasted briefly, and by last week, tension had risen a notch higher. On Wednesday, Washington announced it would impose fresh sanctions on Russia accusing Moscow of using a nerve agent...