The Moscow Times Top Stories

LG in Pirated Software Probe

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Police have opened a software piracy investigation into the Russian branch of LG Electronics, in the first anti-piracy case against a major foreign company. The investigation could carry serious implications if expanded beyond the South Korean firm.

Jailing of Pregnant Mother of 4 Sparks Protest

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

A pregnant mother of four who was charged with embezzlement has become a cause celebre after a court sentenced her to three years. Champions for her cause include former Yukos lawyer Svetlana Bakhmina and children's ombudsman Pavel Astakhov.

Full Plate for Medvedev's Baku Visit

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

When President Dmitry Medvedev arrives in Azerbaijan Thursday for a two-day visit in yet another bid to strengthen the Kremlin's influence in the South Caucasus, he will face all the unsolved problems that have troubled the region since the Soviet breakup.

Well-Known Emigres Rally

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

The opposition's attempts to stage rallies in Moscow and St. Petersburg got an unexpected boost when Russian emigrants took to streets in London, Berlin, New York and Tel Aviv to express solidarity.

Coca-Cola Acquires Juice Maker Nidan Soki

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Coca-Cola, the world's largest soft-drink maker, said Wednesday that it had acquired one of Russia's biggest juice producers, Nidan Soki, as part of its plans to expand in the fast-growing market.

Aeroflot Sues Moscow for Traffic Jam

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Aeroflot has filed a lawsuit against the Moscow city government, seeking compensation for losses caused by a days-long traffic jam on a highway leading to Sheremetyevo Airport, court documents showed Wednesday.

Blair Disliked Yeltsin Hug

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair describes his discomfort at receiving a long bearhug from an "unpredictable" President Boris Yeltsin in a new book.

Foreign Ministry Urges Russians to Avoid Georgia

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

The Foreign Ministry has issued a recommendation to Russian citizens to avoid traveling to Georgia because local authorities prosecute foreigners who visit Abkhazia and South Ossetia, RIA-Novosti reported.

Germany Charges Austrian With Spying for Russia

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

German federal prosecutors have charged a 54-year-old Austrian man on suspicion of spying for Russia to obtain sensitive material on helicopter technology.

Silk's Dark Side: Uzbek Kids Made to Tend Silkworms

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

For one month a year, from morning to night, Dilorom Nishanova grows silkworms, a painstaking and exhausting job. Now 15, she has been doing this work since she was 8.

Knauf Wins Brand Piracy Case

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

A Moscow court awarded 5 million rubles, or $160,000, in damages to Knauf in a case against a counterfeiter, the German building materials manufacturer said Wednesday.

Court Expert Links Saudi Charities to Chechen War

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Islamic charities based in Saudi Arabia, including the one an Iranian-born tree surgeon is accused of smuggling money for, were regular conduits of funding to Islamist militants in Chechnya, an expert witness testified at a U.S. trial.

State Diamond Sale Can Wait, Kudrin Says

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

The government has no "pressing need" to sell diamonds it bought from Alrosa, the world's largest rough-diamond producer, during the global economic crisis, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said.

Survey: Russia Has Wealthiest Expats

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Russia, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are home to the wealthiest expats, with euro-zone countries falling behind when it comes to paying for foreign expertise, according to a survey of expats released Wednesday.

Manufacturing Rises at Fastest Rate in 2 Years

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Manufacturing expanded last month at the fastest pace since April 2008 as increasing domestic demand helped producers overcome record heat and the worst drought in half a century, HSBC Holdings said.

Music, Art, Lectures and More at MIGZ Festival

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

The third International Festival of Modern Music and Media Art, or MIGZ, provides a bumper feast of events Friday and Saturday at the former Krasny Oktyabr chocolate factory during the day and finishes off at night at a number of Moscow's trendy clubs.

Culture, No Food At Chinese Festival

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Get up close to China as a smorgasbord of Chinese culture takes over the Central House of Artists. The Chinese Culture Festival is set to begin Friday, although visitors can already see a dazzling display of Chinese lanterns lit up in front of the building.

Wanted: Lost Connections

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Reading some of the appeals on Doski.ru sometimes feels like intruding on a stranger's pain. Luckily, at other times you just intrude on wild, hopeless optimism.