Earlier this month in Russia during an afternoon news bulletin on the privately run REN TV channel, Tatyana Limanova, a senior newsreader at the channel, can be seen reading out an item about how Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has just assumed the rotating chairmanship of the Asia Pacific Cooperation organisation.

She then says the chairmanship post "has previously been held by Barack Obama" just before she raises her left arm and shows the camera her raised middle finger in an offensive gesture that is sometimes known as "flipping the bird."

Our President is held in high esteem in Russia, it seems.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUgE67QB7Co[/ame]