The Moscow Times Top Stories

Russia Today Courts Viewers With Controversy

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

In a rare interview, the editor of Russia Today explains that the growing channel thrives on controversy as its provides an alternative to mainstream media, and polishing Moscow's reputation is not one of its tasks.

Medvedev Warns Ministers to Obey Orders

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

President Dmitry Medvedev warned federal and regional officials on Tuesday that they could find themselves out on the street for not fulfilling his orders in a timely manner, in his latest initiative to raise his profile as the country's top politician.

Klepach: Economy May Grow 4.5% in '10

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

The economy may grow 4 percent to 4.5 percent this year, higher than the official forecast of 3 percent to 3.5 percent, Deputy Economic Development Minister Andrei Klepach said Tuesday.

Oil Deal Overshadows Putin Visit

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's energy talks with Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko were overshadowed Tuesday by a deal that could allow Belarus to reduce its Russian oil imports, potentially losing Moscow up to $1 billion in export duties a year.

Father Leads Police to Suspected Cop Killer

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Police on Tuesday arrested a Dagestani suspect wanted in connection with the weekend killing of a police officer in western Moscow after receiving a tip from his father.

Senator Associated With Graft Steps Down

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Andrei Vavilov, a scandal-prone former deputy finance minister, will step down as a Federation Council senator on Wednesday for another job, Interfax reported.

Kalinin, Architect of the Prison System, Is Fired

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Yury Kalinin, long-decried by human rights activists, served as chief of the Federal Prison Service from December 2004 until last August, when he was appointed deputy prime minister and put in charge of overseeing the penitentiary system.

Owners Returning to Elite Rental Market

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

With expectations that the rental market for elite housing is returning to life, owners are stepping back in and asking high prices, but demand has not yet recovered from its record fall last year.

Former Volgograd Deputy Arrested

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Police in the Volgograd region on Monday arrested a former local lawmaker on child sex abuse charges.

Policeman Shot Dead After Traffic Stop

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

A policeman was shot dead and another was wounded after they pulled over a car in western Moscow and one of the three men inside opened fire, investigators said Saturday.

Mercedes May Help Solve LUKoil Crash

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

The "black box" from a LUKoil executive's Mercedes involved in a fatal crash last month will be sent to Germany for analysis, a source close to the carmaker's Russian office said.

Russian Media Through an Editor's Eyes

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

When Margarita Simonyan was appointed Russia Today's editor in the summer of 2005, she was just 25.

Aluminum Magnate Turns to Property Development

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Lev Chernoi has turned to property development, with an investment in a 380 million euro ($522 million) apartment and hotel complex to be built on the site of the Mir hotel on Novy Arbat.

Drunken Pilot Blamed in 2008 Perm Air Disaster

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

The airplane captain, in an "unstable mental condition caused by alcohol," lost control of the Boeing 737 shortly before landing, the Investigative Committee said in its final report on the crash.

Russian Corruption 'May Force Western Firms to Quit'

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Extortion by corrupt officials in Russia has gotten so bad that some Western multinationals are considering pulling out altogether, the head of a U.S. anti-bribery group said in an interview.

Construction to Begin on Prokhorov's NJ Nets Stadium

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Officials broke ground Thursday on a much-delayed 9-hectare development project that will bring the NBA's New Jersey Nets, owned by billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, to Brooklyn.

St. Pete Businessmen Won't Sign Deal

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

St. Petersburg businessmen forced out of the city's Khasansky Market will refuse to sign a much-publicized agreement with City Hall, the market's council of business owners said this week.

Zenit St. Pete Budget Tops $99M

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Zenit, which finished third in Russia's Premier League last season, is trailed by LUKoil's Moscow club Spartak with a budget of $65 million and Dynamo Moscow at $64.7 million, financed by VTB Group and billionaire Alisher Usmanov's Metalloinvest.

Hundreds in Latvia Commemorate Waffen SS Units

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

About 1,000 people took part in a flower-laying ceremony Tuesday to commemorate Latvians who fought in two Waffen SS divisions on the side of Nazi Germany, while hundreds of police kept angry ethnic Russian protesters at bay.

Prokhorov Makes Comedy Debut

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov used his first appearance on a comedy show to make fun of Greece's budget woes, saying the country's rich history makes it an attractive acquisition target.

6,200 Cars a Week Sold Under Scrappage Scheme

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

The "cash-for-clunkers" program prompted the sale of more than 6,200 new vehicles a week after the government rolled out the program that boosted the car industry across Europe and the United States.

Shmatko: No Question of Nabucco and South Stream Merger

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

The government is not considering merging its South Stream gas pipeline to Europe with the rival European Union-backed Nabucco link, Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said Monday.

West Condemns Georgia War Spoof

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Western envoys on Monday condemned a fake news report in Georgia that Russian tanks had entered the capital, wading into a dispute that has exposed deep divisions over opposition attempts to mend ties with Moscow.

Russia Sees Progress in Poultry Negotiations

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

The chief of U.S. chicken producer Sanderson Farms remains neutral on whether Russia will soon lift a ban on U.S. poultry exports, even as Russia's point man on the issue cited "stunning" progress Monday in recent talks.

OPEC Not Threatened By Russian Shipments to Asia

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Russia's rising crude shipments to Asian markets via the Pacific Ocean pose no threat to Middle Eastern producers' position as the largest suppliers to the region, OPEC members including top exporter Saudi Arabia said Tuesday.

Ukraine to Send Officials for Gas Talks

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

New Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Tuesday that he would send a delegation to Russia next week for talks to change gas agreements between the two countries.

UN Criticizes Sochi Olympics Construction

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

The top UN environmental watchdog criticized Russia in a report released Tuesday for ignoring the effects that several construction projects for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi will have on the region's unique wildlife.

Russian Wheat Faces Slog to Satisfy Asian Tastes

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Russia's ambition to grab a slice of Asia's lucrative wheat business will take longer than the planned two or three years because transportation hurdles and consumer reluctance to adapt to new supplies will slow Moscow's campaign, traders and analysts said.

Ancient Icon, Modern Muse

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

A Greek-born artist draws from a 7th-century icon to portray contemporary struggle in paintings and videos.

What to Do If Your Russian Flight Is Delayed

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Lax penalties for airlines, and Russia's harsh weather conditions, make delays on domestic flights an all-too-frequent occurrence. But passengers do have some rights if they find themselves stuck in Departures.

Hermitage Opponents Hire 2 New Attorneys

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

Hermitage Capital's legal opponents have stepped up their efforts to eradicate evidence that may expose the people behind one of the country's largest tax frauds, the company said Monday.

Developers Resume Building as Industry Recovers

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0300

One by one, public developers are announcing strategy changes and unfreezing projects that were suspended because of the economic crisis.