beatdown - Ukrainian Parliamentary Procedure

They do things just a little bit different there.

Photo: REUTERS/Tatyana Bondarenko Vice speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, Adam Martynyuk, on the right, throttles deputy Oleg Lyashko during a session in the chamber of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev on Wednesday, May 18, 2011. According to reports, Lyashko had just asked Martynyuk to let him make a speech, which Martinyuk refused to do on procedural grounds. Lyashko then apparently called his interlocutor a Pharisee, at which point it was on. Martynyuk's impassive, heartbeat-at-60 professionalism is to be admired. Vulcan nerve pinch and ninja movie pressure point manueover? Just imagine the world of hurt Lyashko would have been in if Martynyuk had three hands.

KGB trained no doubt. The guy doing the choking doesn't even drop his pen.

And here's some video of the beatdown...

THE RUSSIAN THREAT IN CRIMEA

"Tensions are growing over the Black Sea Fleet base and with the Ukraine trying to free itself from Russian dominance by seeking EU and NATO membership, the question is, could this be the next European war?

Although Crimea was given to Ukraine in 1954, Russian is still the main language spoken here and taught in schools. But Ukraines ambitions to enhance their own identity have stirred up emoti More..ons and problems. Learning Ukranian is now mandatory and is often the only official language. The threat of ending Russia's naval base lease in 2017 means there is the lingering threat of Georgian style conflicts. Sergej Normanskij says that all this instability puts nervous imprints on the situation, so people are afraid of that date."

SOMALI PIRATES SHOOT ONE ANOTHER

Worst pirates ever!

THREE Somali pirates were shot dead in an apparent argument with their mates aboard a hijacked Ukrainian cargo ship carrying military tanks.

None of the 20 crew being held hostage on the freighter Faina were injured in the exchange of fire stemming from an alleged dispute between the pirates, the Itar-Tass news agency reported yesterday.

The cargo ship remained anchored near the island of Hobyo off the Somali coast. There was no damage reported to the vessel’s cargo, including depleted uranium anti-tank shells, armoured personnel carriers, and 33 T-72 tanks.

Three US Navy warships and helicopters are monitoring the operation.

The pirates have demanded a ransom of R164.7 million (20m) to release the cargo ship and its crew.

Seventeen Ukrainians, two Russians, and one Latvian national were known to be held hostage aboard the Faina.