The Moscow Times

4 Russian Bikers Detained in Iraq

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Four Russian bikers have been detained in Iraq, possibly on suspicion of spying, prompting a surge of concern at home.

Protest and Chaos Seen in Kudrin-Ordered Study

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Continued protests in Russia will likely lead to violence or chaotic change, according to a new study ordered by the former finance minister.

Chaika Creates Prosecutor for Business Rights

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

In line with a recent appeal by President Vladimir Putin, the General Prosecutor's Office has created a special division for upholding the rights of entrepreneurs.

Putin to Take First Foreign Trip to Belarus May 31

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

President Vladimir Putin will travel to Belarus on May 31 for his first foreign visit since taking office earlier this month, followed by a trip to Germany and France.

Initiative Brings Khamatova Joy and Frustration

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

The Soviet maxim "initiative is punishable" is only half true for actress Chulpan Khamatova.

Tensions Rise as Opposition Leaders are Freed

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Sergei Udaltsov and Alexei Navalny emerged from prison Thursday, while a dramatic standoff erupted at a State Duma hearing over a bill that would hike fines for illegal demonstrations.

More Public Figures Accused of Flouting Road Rules

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Following the president's order to cut the number of officials entitled to use flashing lights to skirt through traffic, several incidents of alleged abuse involving high-profile figures have come to light.

Red Square Flyboy Regrets Air Stunt

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

When Mathias Rust landed his white Cessna on Red Square on May 28, 1987, he had placed all his hopes for world peace in Mikhail Gorbachev.

Japanese Diplomat to Visit After Motorcycle Tourist Murdered in Siberia

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

A Japanese diplomat will travel to Chita on Thursday from the Khabarovsk consulate in response to the murder of a Japanese tourist who was traveling across Russia on a motorcycle.

Medvedev Divides the Burden Amongst His Deputies

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Prime Minister Medvedev on Thursday allocated responsibilities between his deputies, saying he couldn't solve all the issues on his own.

4 Russian Bikers Held as Spies in Iraq

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Four Russian bikers who refused to obtain Iraqi visas looked set to be freed after five days in custody late Thursday following frantic diplomatic talks.

Today in History

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Search engine Yandex announced the pricing of its NASDAQ initial public offering of 52 million shares at $25 per share Tuesday, higher than the earlier price guidance of $20 to $22 per share - and shot up more than 42 percent in the first half day of trading.

Tabloid: Superjet Downed by U.S. Industrial Sabotage

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

A tabloid claims that Russian intelligence agencies are investigating the possibility that the U.S. military may have brought down the Sukhoi Superjet that crashed in Indonesia.

Rotenberg Gets Road Contracts by Decree

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Before leaving the Kremlin, former president and current Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev gave Arkady Rotenberg's Mostotrest an extravagant gift of several tens of billions of rubles' worth of contracts for road construction in Moscow without competition.

Polar Bear Bites Off Fingers of Khabarovsk Zoo Visitor

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

A polar bear bit off two fingers of a woman attempting to feed it at a zoo in a suburb of the Far East city of Khabarovsk.

Luxury Hotels Compete to Raise Service

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

In 2007-10, the Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow (formerly the Hotel Ukraina) underwent a $300 million transformation from Soviet behemoth to internationally branded luxury hotel. Now the hotel is rebuilding its training system to bring customer service up to world-class levels, with a "Russian twist."

Mid-Level Ready to Take In Tourists

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Tourism industry website TripAdvisor recently ranked Moscow fourth on its list of "15 destinations on the rise," and the Moscow government will invest $11 million into developing tourism in the city this year. The capital is also undergoing a massive beautification project to increase the total area of city parks fivefold in the next five years.

Medvedev Chats With U.S. Cowboys

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev paid a visit Wednesday to a Bryansk region farm that has imported cattle from the U.S. and also some American cowboys to help the Russians develop their struggling meat industry.

U.S. Judge Sentences Man in Bout Case

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

A South African pilot who testified against a former associate, jailed Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, was sentenced Wednesday to five years in a federal prison.

Putin Order Gives Nod to Energy Assets Sale

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered the government to approve a plan to sell assets held by state energy holding company Rosneftegaz in 2013-15, paving the way for the sale of stakes in Gazprom and Rosneft.

Severstal Q1 Rises on Strong Ruble

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Severstal, the country's second-largest steel producer, said Thursday that its first-quarter net profit reached $427 million, thanks to the stronger ruble.

Stars Head to St. Petersburg for White Nights Fest

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Modest Mussorgsky's opera "Boris Godunov," which has arguably become the most popular operatic piece by a Russian composer on the international stage in the past decade, has been revamped by renowned British director Graham Vick. The production, which will be staged Friday, Saturday and June 26, opens the 20th International Stars of the White Nights festival, which runs through July 15.

In the Spotlight

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

This week, the Eurovision Song Contest is being held in Baku with all its usual deadly seriousness and an incongruous dose of Caspian glamour.

A Good Cause: A Flea Market With a Difference

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Check out a high-class flea market this Saturday and help others as Alive, a charity that helps adults pay for much-needed medical assistance, hosts Blagomarket.

Russia's New Propaganda Minister

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

After Monday's announcement that historian Vladimir Medinsky was appointed the culture minister, critics quickly labeled him the new propaganda minister. Medinsky's academic ethics and historical distortions may raise serious questions, but for the Kremlin, he has three important attributes that are much more important: He is a model United Russia leader, a firm Putin loyalist and a skilled sophist.

Asking for Trouble

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

One of my favorite new language toys is Google's Ngram Viewer, which lets you - in highly technical Googlese - "search lots of books" to find the frequency of a word or phrase. This is a helpful tool for translators who are trying to choose a word in English that matches, more or less, its Russian equivalent in frequency of usage.

Moscow Luxury Hotels

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Sberbank Nears Turkish Buy

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

3 Governors Confirmed

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Swiss Pass on Deripaska

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

Dzhioyeva Awarded Post

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400

For the Record

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0400