News From Moscow…

In recent years, Russians have gained a reputation for picking up luxury properties in cities like London , attracted by the safe-haven status they offer. But the prime real estate market in Russia’s capital offers great returns – for those willing to take the risks, analysts say. Demand for prime real estate market in Moscow [...]

AKSAKOVO, June 18 (RAPSI) – Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service plans to separate smokers and non-smokers in prisons and other detention facilities, an official said on Tuesday. “We will certainly separate smoking and non-smoking suspects, defendants and convicts,” said Valery Trofimov, who heads the service’s department for social, psychological and educational work with inmates. “There will [...]

The Moscow Exchange (MOEX) is joining with Bank of New York Mellon Corp., the world’s largest custody bank, to ease conversion between Russian stocks and depositary receipts as it changes rules to lure foreigners to domestic equities. The bourse is trying to overcome foreign investors’ preference for equities traded outside Russia, which has left the [...]

LOUGH ERNE, June 18 (RIA Novosti) – Russia will issue a separate statement on the use of chemical weapons in Syria as an attachment to the G8 joint declaration, underscoring the divergence of opinions on the issue among the participants of the summit, a senior Russian diplomat said Tuesday. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said [...]

by Stuart WILLIAMS MOSCOW, June 17, 2013 (AFP) – Two centuries after the birth of Richard Wagner, audiences in Russia are beginning to overcome decades of suspicion shadowed by the horror of World War II and embrace the music of the great German composer. The Novaya Opera (New Opera) in the Russian capital scored a [...]

MOSCOW, June 17 (RIA Novosti) – There would have been few technical difficulties for US spies wanting to listen to the secret communications of then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during the 2009 G20 summit in London, a former head of Russia’s security services said Monday. A report detailing the surveillance of Medvedev by British and US [...]

MOSCOW, June 16 (R-Sport) – Russia pulled off a commanding 29-12 Cup win over France at the women’s rugby sevens Grand Prix Series in Marbella, Spain, on Sunday. The Russians went undefeated in seven matches at the two-day tournament, which is widely seen as a brush-up for the World Cup in Moscow later this month. [...]

MOSCOW, June 16 (RIA Novosti) – French actor and new Russian national Gerard Depardieu said he wants to gain citizenship of seven countries and is now applying to get an Algerian passport, Le Journal du Dimanche has reported. “I am a citizen of the world. I am a free person. I am a French-Russian actor,” [...]

Text size Comments (0) It’s late at night when I arrive in Moscow, and my Israeli-expat driver greets me with a Hebrew sign and a disapproving “Nu, you’re late.” One look at his almost-familiar face, at his scribbled Hebrew letters, and calm washes over me: perhaps this place won’t kill me, all these lurking Baba [...]

MOSCOW, June 16 (RIA Novosti) – The victory of reformist candidate Hassan Rouhani in Iran’s presidential election will make it harder for the United States to opt for a military action against Tehran, a senior Russian lawmaker said Sunday. “Rouhani’s victory in Iran will greatly hinder the US military scenario for Iran. How can one [...]

Russian President Vladimir Putin has largely defeated the opposition that rose against him during the attempted “Snow Revolution” of 2011 and 2012. Now a mayoral election is giving him the opportunity to retake Moscow, the city that led the revolt. The Moscow election, scheduled for September 8, is crucial for several reasons. The capital was [...]

MOSCOW, June 16 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Hassan Rouhani with his election as Iran’s new president and confirmed Russia’s readiness to develop bilateral cooperation, the Kremlin press office reported on Sunday. Moderate cleric Rouhani gained more than 50 percent of the votes in the country’s presidential elections held on Friday. Rouhani, [...]

MOSCOW, June 15 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Foreign Ministry has described a resolution on Syria passed by the United Nations Human Rights Council as “biased” and said that it is an attempt to legitimize one particular Syrian opposition group. “The resolution is biased and counterproductive,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement published [...]