Whisper it quietly, but Russians might be defecting from vodka. Peddlers of the popular firewater say they have seen a slow but perceptible shift in tastes — away from the traditional vodka and toward the gently sipped smoky aromas of Scotch whisky.
Legendary perestroika mouthpiece Moskovskiye Novosti relaunched for the second time in its history Monday, though its editor acknowledged that it would not be as critical of the authorities as it was in its heyday.
Russia's population is shrinking, women still outnumber men by millions, and villagers are abandoning their homesteads to move to urban areas, according to preliminary census results.
Vladimir Churov, the incumbent head of the Central Elections Commission who has steadfastly stood by vote results condemned by the opposition and independent monitors as unfair, was re-elected to a five-year term in a one-horse race.
The Moscow Times
The transfer of government officials' flights to Sheremetyevo Airport while runway repairs are under way at Vnukovo is having a negative impact on real estate near Leningradskoye Shosse, real estate analysts said.
President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday backed tougher checks on the income declarations of government officials, called for stronger anti-corruption measures in state procurements, and introduced new rules for implementing his orders.
Reuters
An aide to the judge who sentenced former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky to six more years in prison stepped down Monday, weeks after saying the verdict was dictated by higher-level members of the judiciary.
The Associated Press
Opposition leaders claimed on Monday that corruption has worsened under Vladimir Putin's rule, and his friends and relatives have abused their positions for personal gain.
The Moscow Times
South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group is again considering building an amusement park in Moscow, after meetings with Mayor Sergei Sobyanin during his visit to Seoul last month, Kommersant reported.