5 December, 2010
Week of Russian Cinema in New York.
A variety of award-winning Russian films are being screened in New York, with the Week of Russian Cinema in full swing in the Big Apple.
Among the highlights of the far-reaching film fair are the hit of the Berlin and London film festivals, 'How I Ended This Summer', and 'My Joy', screened at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year as well as 'The Golden Mean' by Sergey Debizhev
Nikita Mikhalkov's WWII epic drama, 'Burnt by the Sun 2' will also have to stand the test of appraisal in New York. It is the sequel to the 1994 drama 'Burnt by the Sun' which, back in 1994, won an Oscar, as well as the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.
More: RT.com
26 November, 2010
Russian royal family's letters to be auctioned.
GENEVA – Some 2,000 letters, postcards and photographs sent by the last Russian czar's siblings to their private tutor will go under the hammer in Geneva next month.
The collection includes the correspondence from Czar Nicholas II's younger brothers George and Mikhail and their sisters Xenia and Olga to their Swiss tutor Ferdinand Thormeyer covering the period from 1881 to 1959. The total estimated value of it is $70,000 to $100,000.
More: Yahoo News
23 November, 2010
Russia leads way in saving tiger from jaws of extinction.
Representatives from 13 countries with remaining tiger populations and other countries campaigning to save the animal from extinction are gathering in Russia for a four-day summit.
Over the last 100 years the number of tigers in the wild has dropped from 100,000 to around 3200. Deforestation and poaching are the main reasons for the sharp decline. The summit hopes to double the number of tigers in the wild within 12 years.
There has already been some progress in boosting Russia's tiger population, through a simple, yet effective strategy of setting aside protected areas, a ban on hunting and stepping up efforts to fight poaching. As a result, over the last 60 years the number of tigers in Russia has risen from 50 to up to 500. The Russian Far East is the world's biggest tiger habitat, accounting for about 11 per cent of the planet's tiger population.
Gelendzhik Safari park in Southern Russia is one of the places trying to save the animal. It is home to 11 tigers. It provides the animals with medical treatment, fresh food and lots of space.
More: rt.com
21 November, 2010
Russian pair Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov Win Cup of Russia .
Russian pair Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov skate their free program to win the gold at the Cup of Russia figure skating ISU Grand Prix event in - Saturday November 20, 03:52 PM
More: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
20 November, 2010
Russia celebrates 100 years since death of Tolstoy.
It is one hundred years since the world lost one of its most-influential writers and thinkers. Leo Tolstoy's historic legacy, with works such as "War and Peace" still resonates today.
Russians are proud of Tolstoy, but more as a brand than a favorite author. According to polls, only 11 per cent re-read Tolstoy's books after finishing high school.
More: rt.com
15 November, 2010
Russian starts open registration of domain name in Russian language.
MOSCOW, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- The open registration of the first ever Russian language domain name . has kicked off on Thursday. From now on every Russian can register the domain in Russian language for 500-600 rubles (about 17-20 U.S. dollars).
The first Internet domains using Cyrillic script were launched in May 2010 after Russia was officially assigned the .ðô, or .rf, for "Russian Federation," domain by the global Internet governing body. The domain name may become more popular than .ru, the head of the Coordination Center of Internet National Domain, Andrei Kolesnikov predicted, adding that some 100,000 Russian domains could be registered by the end of this year.
More: english.cntv.cn
14 November, 2010
Nutcracker cracks Hollywood.
A $90 million fantasy from Tango&Cash director, Andrey Konchalovsky - The Nutcracker in 3D – has just had its world premiere at Hollywood's landmark Grove cinemas in Los Angeles.
The 3-D extravaganza will be released around Christmas this year, on up to a thousand screens in Russia alone. Set in the 1920s in Vienna and based on E.T.A. Hoffmann's famous novel, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, it revolves around a little curious girl and her truly special doll, coming to life and facing the dangerous Rat King.
More: RT.com
11 November, 2010
World Health Organization: Russians Smoke the Most.
MOSCOW — More adults smoke in Russia than in any other heavy-smoking country, and their average life expectancy is one of the shortest among former Soviet countries, according to two separate but thematically linked reports released Tuesday.
With 44 million adults, or almost 40 percent of the population, Russia has the biggest percentage of adult smokers among the 14 countries surveyed by the World Health Organization in a poll presented at a Moscow conference Tuesday. More than 60 percent of Russian men and almost 22 percent of Russian women smoke, according to the WHO’s Global Adult Tobacco Survey.
More: The St-Petersburg Times
8 November, 2010
Russian film opens the International festival 'Woman and Cinema' in Florence.
The Russian film entitled 'Veronica Is Not Coming Any More' opened the programme of the International festival 'Woman and Cinema' being held in Florence, Italy from the 6th to the 11th of November. This is the first time for a Russian film to be shown at this 30-year-old festival.
The film 'Veronica Is Not Coming Any More' directed by Elina Suni is ideal for a festival, showing a whole range of women's lives described by women. The main heroine is described as having a really Russian personality - reckless, passionate, sometimes with irresponsible steps followed by late remorse. She is a broad and mysterious nature, a devil-may-care attitude in love that is very typical of Russian people according to Elina Suni, that is also a script writer.
More: The voice of Russia
28 October, 2010
Russian film about isolation wins London festival.
LONDON (Reuters) – Russian movie "How I Ended This Summer" won the top award at the London film festival on Wednesday, impressing judges with its elemental portrayal of isolation and rivalry set against a bleak backdrop.
Directed by Alexei Popogrebsky, this intense psychological drama has been a critical hit on the festival circuit since arriving in Berlin in February, where it picked up multiple awards.
More: Yahoo News
26 October, 2010
Solzhenitsyn's "Gulag" mandatory in Russian schools.
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin welcomed on Tuesday the publication of a school version of Soviet-era dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn's "The Gulag Archipelago," calling it essential reading.
Solzhenitsyn's monumental chronicle of suffering in the Gulag labor camps under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin was banned in the Soviet Union after its 1973 publication in the West.
Solzhenitsyn's widow Natalya has created an abridged version for Russian school children which is a quarter the length of the multi-tomed original. State media said it would be mandatory to teach it to 16 and 17 year-olds.
More: Yahoo News
24 October, 2010
Russian lit festival ends in Vienna
The 3rd international Festival of Russian-Language Literature finished in Vienna on Saturday.
The forum organized by Vienna's Russian-speaking community with the support of the Russian World Foundation gathered almost 90 participants from 19 countries of Europe, Asia and North America.
The goal of the festival is to join efforts of the Russian speaking writers living in different countries and to provide support to the study of the Russian language and culture all over the world.
More: The Voice of Russia
18 October, 2010
Moscow hosts Kremlin Cup.
Moscow is hosting the Kremlin Cup tennis tournament.
The $1,000,000 event will last till 24th of October to feature the world’s most successful tennis players, including a former top seed among juniors, the 19-year-old Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, as well as Mikhail Yuzhny and a three-time Kremlin Cup winner, Nikolai Davydenko.
More: The Voice of Russia
15 October, 2010
Lomonosov exposition sparks public interest in Copenhagen.
An exposition dedicated to the Russian scientist and writer Mikhail Lomonosov has attracted crowds of visitors in Copenhagen.
The exhibition, timed for Lomonosov’s 300th birth anniversary, unveils the scientist’s contribution to world science.
Mikhail Lomonosov never visited Denmark but was interested in its history. He drew up a map of the Arctic Ocean and urged the world community to explore the Arctic Sea Route. After Copenhagen the Lomonosov exposition will travel to other countries.
More: The voice of Russia
14 October, 2010
Formula One finally comes to Russia.
History is being made in Russia - a deal is about to be signed to give the country its first-ever Formula One race.
On Thursday, F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is signing a deal to put 2014 Winter Olympics capital Sochi, on the racing calendar.
More: rt.com
14 October, 2010
Exhibition dedicated to 150 anniversary of Isaac Levitan opened at the Tretyakov Gallery.
One of the most ambitious projects of the season is on Thursday - the State Tretyakov Gallery opens a grand exhibition of the 150 th anniversary of the great Russian artist Isaak Levitan. The date itself has fallen by 30 August, but then not all masterpieces were willing to make to show their viewers. Worked on many paintings conservators, restoring them to pristine shape. Levitan Last monographic exhibition held at the Tretyakov Gallery 50 years ago. And now, after half a century, viewers will enjoy the unique exhibition including some 300 works from 17 museums in Russia and other countries.
More: The State Tretyakov Gallery website
11 October, 2010
Russian Orthodox Church opens channel on YouTube.
The Russian Orthodox Church officially opened its channel on the YouTube video content service at a presentation on Monday
The channel will offer the Church's opinion on urgent issues, cover the patriarch's services and inform the viewers of the key events in church life.
Russian Church representatives have repeatedly said that the Church should use Internet to bring its ideas to the general public.
Source: Ria Novosti
10 October, 2010
Two Russians in line for Astrid Lindgren award.
Two Russians have been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award this year. The complete list of those in the running for the prize of about $750,000 totals 175 nominees from around the globe.
Illustrator Evgeny Antonenkov and writer Ekaterina Murashova are the Russian applicants for the international award. Evgeny Antonenkov is known for creating illustrations to books by Gianni Rodari, Ekaterina Murashova is a member of the St. Petersburg Union of Writers. In 2005 and 2008, she won the 'Treasured Dream' award for children's literature.
Source: rt.com
9 October, 2010
'Day of silence' before voting in Russia.
Saturday is a "day of silence" before voting day. This campaign has already been acknowledged record-breaking in modern Russian history.
On Sunday, 77 regions of the country will be conducting about 8000 elections at various levels.
Vying for votes of 30 million voters will be about one hundred thousand candidates. The day before the election a ban becomes effective on any campaigning - to allow voters to make their own, independent choice.
Source: The Voice of Russia
6 October, 2010
Russia to Launch Anti-Smoking Policies.
Soon Russians will be able to light up in fewer places as the country moves to ban smoking in public places within five years, Bloomberg reports. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said that smoking is a national health 'calamity'.
As high as 80 percent of Russian men and nearly half of Russian women smoke in some regions. Smoking rates for youth and women rose three-fold during the past five years. The report also pointed to tobacco as being the cause of as many as a half million deaths annually.
The government plans to ban tobacco ads and smoking in public by 2015.
Another strategy the government will use to reduce smoking is a gradual increase to the tobacco excise tax to be more in line with European rates in five years. This year, Russians may see a 44 percent jump in cigarette taxes.
Source: NacsOnline
25 September, 2010
Serge Diaghilev festival is held in London.
A festival dedicated to one of the key figures in the world of ballet in the 20th Century, Sergey Diaghilev, founder of the legendary Ballets Russes, kicks off in London on Friday.
Over the course of nine days, the Hampstead & Highgate Festival offers a chance to attend over 40 events of different kinds, from classical concerts to jazz gigs, as well as films, exhibitions, discussions and performances, inspired by the “poetry of ballet”, with a Russian twist.
Among them, are a large-scale exhibition entitled "Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes" which opens at the Victoria and Albert Museum on September 25 and photographic exhibition reviving Diaghilev’s epoch held at the Ivy House, the former residence of the renowned Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, one of the leading dancers of the Ballet Russes Company.
Source: Russia Today
23 September, 2010
Napoleon and Louvre exhibition in Moscow.
The Napoleon and Louvre exhibition opens in the Moscow State Historical Museum on Monday in a unique event that comes amid the Cultural Year of Russia and France.
On display will be an array of artifacts and masterpieces from the Louvre, as well as 11 other France-based major museums.
Among them, Jacque Louis David’s Bonaparte Crossing the St.Bernard Pass, plus a 3-meter-high sculpture of Napoleon.
Source: The Voice of Russia
More about Napoleon invasion in Russia and Russian history
20 September, 2010
Russia hosts its first rhythmic gymnasts world championships.
Russian rhythmic gymnasts have been a dominating force on the global arena since the turn of the century, but it's only now that the country has been given its first-ever world championships.
A spectacular opening ceremony was in order at the Olympijsky arena on Monday
56 countries are taking part in the tournament, which is being held for the 30th time
Source: rt.com
13 September, 2010
Russian programmers celebrate their professional day.
All Russian programmers celebrate their professional holiday on September 13. In fact, this date, marked on the 256th day of the year, they chose themselves. This number is not accidental: it equals 2 8. This is the number of values that can be held by one eight-bit byte.
Programmers were and still are unusual and mysterious individuals. They are the favorite characters of funny stories and can be compared to American Polish jokes.
It is believed that programmers are reserved, unsociable, afraid of women and think only about computers. However, not all of these rumors are true. Many of them are just a myth...
Source: Ria Novosti
10 September, 2010
In Venice, Russian, film favoured for Golden Lion.
Russian director Aleksei Fedorchenko's "Silent Souls" was one of the favourites to win the Venice film festival's Golden Lion on Friday, 10 September.
Fedorchenko's sombre story involving Russia's minority Merya culture.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com
9 September, 2010
Russia chooses its Oscar nominee.
Russia will nominate a new film by Alexei Uchitel called "Krai" (The Edge) for the Oscar Film Award.
The action of "the Edge" film set in Siberia soon after the Second World war.
The leading role is played by a well known Russian actor Vladimir Mashkov. Along with Vladimir Mashkov, who played the lead, the film features well-known Russian actress Kseniya Rappoport and actors Sergei Garmash, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, and Aleksandr Bashirov.
Source: http://english.ruvr.ru
2 September, 2010
Russians invited to design Sochi 2014 Olympics mascot.
The Olympic Committee of Russia has launched a contest for the future mascot of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
All citizens of Russia are invited to send in their drafts of a mascot that will represent the first-ever Winter Olympic games to be hosted by Russia, the Sochi 2014 organizing committee announced.
The gallery of submitted works is available on the contest’s website, where online voting has already begun.
Source: http://rt.com
31 August, 2010
Russians ride sex dolls in race.
The 450 competitors were taking part in the eighth annual installment of the bizarre but popular "Bubble Baba Challenge."
The game racers spent three minutes hurtling down the rapids on the Vuokso River.
Men and women both took part in the challenge - with a separate heat for women-only racers.
The race was won by St. Petersburg man Vladislav Pavlenko who rode his doll, dubbed "Vanilla Pelotki," to the finish in two minutes and 47 seconds.
See the photos on: www.thesun.co.uk
23 August, 2010
Russian Days on French Riviera.
The 13th Russian Culture Festival in Cannes, scheduled for 23-27 August, is expected to be one of the most remarkable events held as part of the Year of Russia in France cultural exchange.
This time, the Russian Culture Festival in Cannes features remarkable performances from Saint Petersburg: Boris Eifman`s ballet and “Monsieur Peugeot`s Wandering Puppets” troupe; concerts featuring young soloists of the Mariinsky Theatre and the army song and dance ensemble. The French audience will also see an exhibition prepared by the world-famous museum in Pavlovsk (outside Saint Petersburg), as well as a new collection, Journey from Saint Petersburg to Moscow, by fashion designer Valentin Yudashkin.
Read more on: The voice of Russia
22 August, 2010
Unisex mask revealed.
A scary face mask that has survived nearly one thousand years has been discovered at one of Russia’s most ancient cities– Veliky Novgorod, which is often described as "the birthplace of Russia".
Resembling a bandit mask with holes for the eyes and mouth, the great find was likely to have been made from a leather boot. The mask was supposedly used for conducting profane rites which were held in Russia still long after Christianity was embraced, experts believe.
Over twenty such masks have been unearthed by archeologists in Veliky Novgorod, a city rich in history and valuable period pieces.
Source: http://rt.com
20 August, 2010
Russia to Return Back to Gorbachev's Dry Law?
The Moscow government considers an opportunity to ban the sales of alcohol beverages, including beer, at night time. It has already been decided to ban the sales of beverages stronger than 15% already from September 1 (from 10:00 p.m. will 10:00 a.m. of the next day).
There were two politicians in Russia and the USSR, who became known for their initiative to introduce the dry law: Mikhail Gorbachev and Tsar Nicholas II. The general consumption of vodka during Perestroyka decreased in the country, but such a measure resulted in the growth of incidents of severe alcohol poisonings, because people were forced to buy surrogate drinks instead. Journalists fear the history may repeat itself and consider ban to be a surrogate measure that won't help reduce high rate consumption of alcohol beverages in Russia.
Source: http://english.pravda.ru
19 August, 2010
Russian swoops "math Nobel".
Russian mathematician Stanislav Smirnov has become one the four laureates of the prestigious Fields Medal, the world’s highest prize in mathematical sciences.
Smirnov, who works in Geneva University, received the prize for devising a way to apply a mathematical approach to the field of statistical physics, which deals with triangular lattices.
19 August, 2010
Young Russian Art Festival opens at Cannes.
Young Russian art meets young talents from Cannes through traditional and classical music and painting. Under the high patronage of Mrs Svetlana Medvedeva, First Lady of the Russian Federation.
The program will start on 19 August with the performance Gnessin Academy Folk Ensemble of Moscow in Notre-Dame de Bon Voyage church.
The Fields Metal is awarded every four years. Russians Grigory Perelman and Andrey Okunkov received the prize in 2006. However, Perelman – renown for his reclusive behavior – refused the award.
The 2010 ceremony took place in Hyderabad, India.
Source: http://rt.com
16 August, 2010
Russia to boast state-of-the-art weather forecasting service.
Shocked by extensive losses caused by heat and fires in 2010, the government plans to reform the country's entire weather forecasting system.
Excessive heat, which hit the country this summer, resulted in nineteen temperature records being broken, along with deadly drought and wildfire.Ministry of Natural Resources has proposed a plan to expand the existing system of forecasting that will include increasing the number of weather stations, updating their equipment and inifying the weather data and all forecasting instruments.
Source: http://rt.com
11 August, 2010
Tropical fruit grows in “hothouse” Central Russia.
Russia's extreme heat has not brought only misery; it is bearing fruit as well - literally. In the central Russian city of Ufa, south-east of Moscow, the locals are enjoying an unprecedented harvest of tropical fruits.
Staff in the city’s greenhouses say its the first time banana trees have actually produced crops in this part of the world.Locals, more used to potatoes and tomatoes, are picking figs and lemons right from the tree.
Source: http://rt.com
10 August, 2010
Bolshoi in London Royal Opera House proves it high status.
The name Bolshoi never fails to conjure up visions of spectacular ballets in the minds of balletomanes around the world. During a history spanning more than 225 years, the Bolshoi Ballet's vast, continually expanding repertoire has been linked to a roster of celebrated choreographers and dazzling dancers who, from generation to generation, have remained custodians of their great heritage.
Again this summer together with the celebrated Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre, the Bolshoi Ballet proved its high status of one of the best companies in the world.The Bolshoi Ballet opened this eagerly awaited season on 19 July with the spectacular staging of Spartacus by Yuri Grigorovich. Ivan Vasiliev, often called the second Rudolf Nuriev, was performing the leading part. The season was closed on 8 August by the Alexei Fadeyechev's stunning production of Don Quixote.
9 August, 2010
Wildfires rage on shrouding Moscow in blanket of smog.
The thick blanket of acrid smog caused by relentless wildfires which has settled across the Russian capital has shown no sign of dispersing.
Forest and peat blazes continue to devastate large swathes of Central Russia, with a record-breaking heat wave forecast to go on until at least next week.Smog forces Moscow embassy evacuation and delays flights.
More http://rt.com
8 August, 2010
Heat makes Pushkin Fine Arts Museum close halls.
The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow had to close part of its halls due to abnormal heat, the Museum's director Irina Antonova told the Ekho Moskvy radio station.
She added that the smoke has not affected the exhibits of the museum and the experts are watching the state of the paintings and sculptures.
She also said that adjustment of the air temperature inside the building is not possible due to the old construction of the museum.
Source: http://english.ruvr.ru
7 August, 2010
Planets go on parade.
On Friday night barring clouds and smoke in Moscow, it was possible to observe a rare phenomenon, a parade of planets.
Venus, Mars, Saturn and Mercury was visible to the naked eye: the first three – in the constellation Virgo, and the fourth – in the constellation Leo.Photo http://english.ruvr.ru
4 August, 2010
Russia Bans Wheat Exports Amid Drought Crisis.
Russia is banning grain exports until the end of the year because a drought has destroyed 20% of its wheat crop.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the ban was needed to prevent a rise in domestic food prices, feed Russia's cattle and build up grain reserves
The country is one of the world's top wheat exporters and was earlier this week forced to slash its grain harvest forecast.
European wheat prices soared on news of the export ban, which comes into force on August 15.
More details on http://uk.news.yahoo.com
3 August, 2010
Wildfires ravage Central Russia.
Intense temperatures and the worst dry spell for generations continue to pound parts of Russia, with 40 lives now claimed by fires, over 300 injured, and thousands left homeless.
Seven of the hardest-hit regions are now in a state of emergency. One of them is the greater Moscow area, where the air is thick with smoke. The smog is so dense that it resembles fog and makes it difficult to breathe.
President Dmitry Medvedev has assured that the government is doing everything within its powers to extinguish the fires. More than 250,000 people are involved in the effort of extinguishing fires, including fire brigades, Emergency ministry specialists, the military and volunteers who have stepped in.
More details on http://rt.com
See the photos of the catastrophic events in Central Russia
2 August, 2010
Russia wins European Athletics Championship in overall standings.
The Russian national team has won the European Athletics Championship in Barcelona in overall standings with a total of 24 medals, including 10 gold, 6 silver and eight bronze. France is second and Britain is third.
The Women’s 4x400 relay team won gold in 3:21:26. Anastasiya Kapachinskaya, Antonina Krivoshapka, Kseniya Ustalova and Tatyana Firova won the medal, ahead of Germany and Great Britain.
In the Men’s 4x400 metres relay, the Gold medallists were Maksim Dyldin, Aleksei Aksenov, Pavel Trenikhin and Vladimir Krasnov
More detail on Pravda.ru
28 July, 2010
New clue to Russian captain’s mysterious disappearance.
Explorers have unearthed a clue to one of Russian literature's big unsolved mysteries.
They have found the bones of a crew-member of Captain Georgiy Brusilov's famous expedition to the Arctic Sea in 1912.
The captain disappeared without explanation during the trip.
This incident became the basis for the best-selling adventure novel, "Two Captains” – and later for a movie.
Brusilov's ship left St. Petersburg at the beginning of last century. It was the first Russian expedition to sail the Northern Marine Way.
However, only two crew members made it back alive.
27 July, 2010
Russian dancing is the essence of being Russian.
Russia's dance of choice seems to be folk dancing The traditional jumps and spins are as popular today as in Soviet times and remain instantly recognizable.
Colourful and emotional, Russian folk dancing traditions go deep into history - yet remain a well-kept secret for many foreigners. The Russian clapper, the fidget, the squatting dance, the cord, the merry-go-round…
Dancing in Russia is much more than simply having fun. Russian dancing traditions goes deep into history and the spirit of dance seems to run in every Russian's blood and the- from top politicians to the people in the street. Nowadays Russian dancing has become a brand proudly shown off worldwide and promoted at home.
RT unravels the mystery of Russian folk dance
25 July, 2010
Russia celebrates Navy Day.
Ports across Russia are marking Navy Day – a major celebration which is held on the last Sunday of July every year.
The display of nautical clout is also big in Ukraine, where Russia's huge Black Sea Fleet is based, as nearly 15,000 have gathered to watch the parade.
They were treated with a parade of battleships sailing by, along with fireworks and demonstrations of rescue and military attack operations.
More on http://rt.com
Video of the Russian Naval parade in Sevastopol, Ukraine
23 July, 2010
Russia pays tribute to Vladimir Vysotsky on the eve of 30th anniversary of his death.
International festival of guitar song in honor of Vladimir Vysotsky takes a start in Volgograd, Russia
Around 100 bards from various cities of Russia, as well as other CIS countries, India, Germany and the US got together in Volgograd to take part in annual quitar gong festival in honor of Vladimir Vysotsky. Thousands of citizens and guests of the city will get together on Vladimir Vysotsky embankment on 25 July to watch gala concert of the festival winners.
The memorable events in Volgograd will take place to pay tribute to Vysotsky on the 30th anniversary of his death. Vladimir Vysotsky was an iconic Soviet and Russian singer, songwriter, poet, and actor, whose career had an immense and enduring effect on Russian culture
A museum devoted to the legendary Russian actor and songwriter Vladimir Vysotsky is opening in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, where he was a frequent guest. The exposition showcases his autographs, photos and personal belongings.
20 July, 2010
Okroshka feast is to be held in Yekaterinburg.
The Russians cope with extreme heat wave with traditional Russian meals. Cold soups have drive out hot first meals. Traditional Okroshka with Kvass remains the leader in the menu and inspires citizens of Yekaterinburg to arrange the Okroshka festival.
The actor appeared in more than 70 movies but his most famous role is Sherlock Holmes. Six screen versions of The celebration is to take place on 24 July and will include traditional Russian entertainments like fights on the log. The participants will be tested to know all traditional ingredients and types of Okroshka, which counts a great variety of recipes and quite many ingredients. And of course the citizens of Yekaterinburg and guests will be treated with this original and delicious Russian cold meal.
19 July, 2010
Best Russian Sherlock Holmes turns 75.
Russian actor Vasily Livanov, whose Sherlock Holmes was acknowledged even by British critics as the best screen image of the famous detective, marked his 75th birthday on 19 July.
The actor appeared in more than 70 movies but his most famous role is Sherlock Holmes. Six screen versions of Arthur Conan Doyle's novels about the world-famous fictional sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson have been made in Russia since 1979. In 2006, Livanov received the Order of the British Empire for his portrayal of the detective
When casting actors for the first movie in 1979, film director Igor Maslennikov was guided by the drawings by Sidney Paget, a friend of Conan Doyle and the first illustrator of the book The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Livanov's candidacy for the role was prompted by cameraman Yuri Veksler. Some time later Vitaly Solomin was cast as Doctor Watson.
Speaking about the film's success, Livanov said, "We did not play anything, we are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson."
Source: Ria Novisti
18 July, 2010
Spanish sensual ballet in honor of Anton Chekhov.
Performances by Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato will crown the 9th Chekhov International Theatre Festival, this year devoted to the great Russian writer’s 150th anniversary.
Nacho Duato's “Infinite Garden” is a dedication to Chekhov, especially composed for the anniversary of a great Russian writer. None of Checkov’s works make up the basis of this production – it’s totally abstract and is based on the music by Alfred Schnittke and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. In "Infinite Garden" Duato pays tribute to the Russian language. Random Russian words and phrases from Chekhov’s diaries are heard in the performance accompanying the music.
The performance will be staged at Moscow Mossovet Theatre from July 19 through July 23. Moscow audiences will get a chance to see the second performance on the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theatre from July 26 till July 30th.
Source: http://rt.com
14 July, 2010
Russia to mark second Victory Day.
The country’s senators have decided to add one more holiday to the calendar.
Now, in addition to Victory Day on May 9, Russia will also commemorate the capitulation of Japan in 1945 and the official end of World War II – on September 2.
September 2 is marked as Victory Day by many countries that took part in the World War II.
Source: http://rt.com
13 July, 2010
Russian Winnie the Pooh celebrates his 50-th anniversary.
Young Russian readers could fist read the stories about Winnie the Pooh, translated into Russian by Boris Zakhoder right 50 years ago.
The writer's wife, Galina Zakhoder told in the interview that the writer had first seen a book about Winnie the Pooh by Alan Miln in 1958. He liked it so much and decided to make it known to Russian readers. On July 13 1960 Boris Zakhoder published a book about Winnie the Pooh. 9 years later a favorite Soviet cartoon series by director Feodor Khitrook were created.
The director made Winnie merry and carefree, whereas it was a thoughtful ad dreamy character according to the book. Even though Zakhoder considered that Feodor Khitrook misrepresented the main hero, he admitted it was the best cartoon interpretation.
12 July, 2010
Kvas – Russia’s answer to cola.
Largely referred to as “Russian cola,” kvas has been the country's summer drink of choice for many years.
After vodka, the drink closest to Russian hearts, kvas is made from fermented black or rye bread and comes in somewhere between a soft drink and a beer.
Even though kvas is the basis of a multi-billion dollar industry, Russian women are eager to make kvas at home, and still know how to use kvas to cook the traditional Russian cold soup called okroshka.
In June 2010, soft drink giant Coca Cola launched sales of kvas in the US, under the brand name Krushka & Bochka.
Source: http://rt.com
9 July, 2010
Russian robotic nanny nabs Microsoft prize.
A student team from Moscow has won second place at the Microsoft-sponsored computer science and engineering competition Imagine Cup. Their project was a semi-automatic robot meant to entertain and educate children.
"Robonanny” is mounted on a wheeled platform, can move its hands and has a built-in camera for feedback. It can communicate with the operator remotely via Wi-Fi and has a dozen scenarios, like performing morning fitness exercises with children.
The only team to beat the Russians was from Taiwan. The young Taiwanese engineers had developed a system for monitoring power consumption by home appliances. Third place was awarded to a French-designed smart floor, which can detect when a body falls and subsequently call ambulance services.
In addition to embedded development, where the Russian team succeeded, participants also competed for prizes in software design, game design, digital media and IT challenge programs. More than a hundred teams worldwide submitted their projects and several dozen went on to the finals in Warsaw.
Source: http://rt.com
6 July, 2010
Russians to go on holidays even against their will.
Russia has signed up to an international convention turning an employee’s right to rest into an obligation to rest.
According to the new regulation, people working in the country – expats and Russians alike – are obligated to take a 14-day vacation at one time. After that, remaining vacation time may be split in any way, but it must be used within the next 18 months.
Employers predictably are not particularly happy about the change, as losing their employees for two weeks is sure to be quite inconvenient.
At the same time, the point concerning the expiration of vacation days will be beneficial for employers, as when an employee is fired or leaves work, any unused vacation time has to be paid. Given the fact that the period of vacation expiration is now shorter, the companies will lose less money.
Read more on: http://rt.com
6 July, 2010
Klitschko and Povetkin to fight on September 11.
The IBF heavyweight championship bout between title holder Wladimir Klitschko and mandatory challenger Aleksandr Povetkin of Russia will take place on September 11 in the German city of Frankfurt am Main.
Previously, it was announced the Ukrainian and Russian boxers would enter the ring a week later on September 18. Hryunov also said that his client’s preparations for the biggest bout of his career are going to plan.
As IBF mandatory challenger, Aleksandr Povetkin was to appear in the ring against Wladimir Klitschko on December 2008, but back then the fight was cancelled due to the Russian boxer injuring himself prior to the match.
IBF and WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko last appeared in the ring on March 20. The 34-year-old boxer knocked out US rival Eddie Chambers in a bout held in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Read more on: http://rt.com
5 July, 2010
Sochi Olympic builders secure share of luck for Russian team.
Putting a giant gold-plated hockey puck into cement, Sochi’s construction workers have left a message for future generations – and a good-luck charm for the Russian Olympic team.
When Sochi began its bid to host the Winter Olympics back in 2007, there were many skeptics in Russia and abroad.
It took an enormous effort by athletes, sports fans, and politicians, including Vladimir Putin, to convince the International Olympic Committee that Russia would be capable of staging the event.
Now, with the city of Sochi having Olympic status, the outlines of the future Olympic park can already be seen.
Read more on: http://rt.com
4 July, 2010
Zvonareva gives Wimbledon crown away to Serena .
Russia’s Vera Zvonareva didn’t have what it takes to become the Wimbledon champion, losing to favorite Serena Williams in the final on Saturday.
The outcome of the first set was decided by the only break made by Williams when she was 4:3 up. The American herself was perfect on her serve, putting in one ace after another and giving Zvonareva no chance to take the opponent’s serve.
In the second, Serena wasted no time in grabbing the Russian’s serve and finished the game off with her third break of the night in the fifth game.
However, Zvonareva's Wimbledon performance (she also played in the doubles final) gave a boost to Russian women's tennis. Going into the tournament, Elena Dementieva was the only Russian in the WTA's top 10 .
Source: http://rt.com
2 July, 2010
Putting children of 'Russian spies' into care is 'last resort' - Russian official.
Russia's Children's Ombudsman said on Thursday that putting the children of the 11 U.S. spy suspects under state care is an extreme measure.
Ten people were arrested by U.S. law enforcement on Sunday on suspicion of being part of an espionage ring spying for Russia.
Among the accused, are four married couples with children. The Washington Post on Thursday reported that child protection agencies in several U.S. states are deciding if they can allow relatives of the suspects to care for the children during the investigation.
"By law, priority is given to close relatives and friends in situations like this. But if this is impossible, the children are placed under state care as a last resort. I hope...the interests of the children will be taken into account when the court makes its decision," Astakhov said.
Source: http://en.rian.ru
1 July, 2010
Russia’s math whiz snubs $1 million in the name of fairness.
Grigory Perelman has officially declined his one million dollar prize for proving the famous Poincare Conjecture.
Perelman thinks it is unfair to give him the prize because US math scholar Richard Hamilton contributed equally to the proof.
In 2006, Perelman was awarded the Fields Medal – the Nobel Prize of the math world – for his contributions to geometry, but he declined the medal and the money then, too.
Source: http://rt.com
30 June, 2010
Anna Chapman: a Russian Spy or an ordinary Russian young woman ?
Anna Chapman, age 28, was arrested in New York City on June 28. She is charged with being "an unregistered agent of a foreign government," reports CBS. Anna is believed to be an alleged spy for Russia. Ms. Chapman is in jail, held without bail.
Anna has been accused of holding weekly meetings with someone from the Russian government to pass top secret information to Russia. The two exchanged the documents via "secret wireless networks" according to the Observer. They would be at the same location, but not interact, just send files from one computer to the other.
America has always had a bit of infatuation with the concept of "Russian spies." I wonder if all Russian people who have come here to start new lives feel a bit uncomfortable with the stereotype that if you are from Russia you may be a spy?
Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com
27 June, 2010
Russian Films Take Prizes of Italian Festival of New Cinema.
The Russian films Oxygen by Ivan Vyrypayev, Captive by Aleksei Uchitel and How I Ended This Summer by Aleksei Popogrebsky have become prize-winners of the Mostra Internazionale del Nuovo Cinema, or Pesaro Film Festival at the Adriatic coast.
Ivan Vyrypayev’s second feature film about love of a young man and a red-haired girl, which won recognition on the domestic theatrical stage, participated in the basic competitive program of the festival and was awarded the prize of youth jury for "innovative narration".
The work directed by the eminent master Aleksei Uchitel and based on Vladimir Makanin’s story "Caucasian captured" about an episode of the Chechen war, has won the prize "Emnisti Italy". This award is traditionally given to films that touch upon the theme of human rights.
The winner of the Silver Bear of the Berlin Film Festival - How I Ended This Summer by director Aleksei Popogrebsky - appealed to audience most of all and was repeatedly demonstrated in the open-air screen at the closing of the festival.
The main prize of the jury, which involved the Russian actress Kseniya Rappoport, went to the South-Korean film Eighteen about the first love at the age of 18.
Source: http://www.russia-ic.com
26 June, 2010
One of the most intersting islands in the world is near Kostroma, Russia.
Russia slapped "smoking kills" warnings on cigarette packages from Saturday in an effort to crack down on an addiction kills up to 500,000 people a year and is on the rise
The island near Kostroma Russia is rated to be one of the 10 most appealing islands in the worlds according to Forbes Russia. 148 acres island, located in Kostroma reservoir is now is a private property and is up for sale. The island has no official name and is called Khmelniki by the locals. The island is known for its unique nature and vast spawning grounds around.
Kostroma is a historic city in central Russia a part of the Golden ring, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Volga and Kostroma.
26 June, 2010
Russia adopts "smoking kills" cigarette warnings.
Russia slapped "smoking kills" warnings on cigarette packages from Saturday in an effort to crack down on an addiction kills up to 500,000 people a year and is on the rise
According to World Health Organization statistics, 60 percent of Russian men smoke and the number of smokers, particularly among young women, has been growing since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Source: http://rt.com
25 June, 2010
Daredevil bikers take Red Square to bricks.
Two-wheeled monsters from all over the world are flying over the spires of St. Basil’s Cathedral as the X-Fighters 2010 International Motocross Competition jumpstarts in the Russian capital.
All weekend long, Red Square will be overrun by motorbikes, as part of a freestyle motocross competition taking place right next to the walls of the Kremlin. This is the first time an international event of this sort is happening in Russia.
As many as 350,000 to half a million of Russians die each year of smoking-related causes, clouding the country's already gloomy demographic. The United Nations warns that the population may shrink from to 116 million by 2050 from 142 million now.
Adopting standards similar to those in the European Union, the Ministry of Health and Social Development requires the anti-smoking message to cover no less than 30 percent of the front of a package and another warning takes half of the back. The messages range from warnings of lung cancer through wrinkles to impotence and will also come with information on the amount of nicotine and resins.
President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin condemned smoking -- and alcoholism -- calling it a big tragedy of the nation.
24 June, 2010
Ancient underground city is found in Kiev.
Kiev underground is discovered to have hidden ancient man-made city compared to Paris or Rome catacombs. The extended network of secret underground tunnels, man-made caves, death-traps and fortification has been existed under the modern city for centuries. The experts suppose the cave city, was erected in Eneolithic Period and existed for 900 years almost intact. The abandoned monastery fond in the cave city is estimated to be older then Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The entrance to the cave city was surprisingly found in the backyard of one of the apartments block.
Zverinetskie caves are the unique sample of ancient architecture, besides, an underground church, build in Old Russian period with famous Zverinetskiy cross was found there.
22 June, 2010
Russia might raise the retirement age in the future.
The issue of raise of retirement age in Russia is the topic of hot discussion among the population of the country.
The authorities report that Russia's retirement age may be raised in the next few years as part of sweeping reforms to the pensions system. There are currently twice as many pensioners as there are workers, so pensions are paid from the payroll tax.
Current retirement age is 60 for men, 55 for women, which are much lower than in other European countries. Miners, lumberjacks, pilots, cosmonauts as well as a dozen other specialists are entitled to retire still earlier. Many retirees work beyond that to supplement their pensions.
Some want the age raised but others say with Russia's high mortality rates it doesn't make sense. The Russian government has no plans to raise the retirement age in the near future, Minister of Health and Social Development Tatyana Golikova said. At the same time, she did not rule out that this issue could begin to be discussed after 2015-2020.
President Dmitry Medvedev's top economic aide Arkady Dvorkovich said there has not yet been any discussion on the question and that it would be agreed upon when the number of employed pensioners outnumbers the number of unemployed. Currently, only a third of Russia's pensioners are employed. He also admits that "it is impossible to increase the retirement age as long as the lifespan is unchanged. It is premature to discuss the possible time of enlargement of the retirement age. Such decisions cannot be made unless they gain support of the majority of citizens,"
21 June, 2010
"Mail order bride" scam is spotted in Yoshkar-Ola
10 criminals of the internet scam group operating in international mail order bride business were convicted in Yoshkar-Ola, Russia.
The members of the group were illegally accepting money under the pretence of Russian brides from men seeking a wife overseas. The total number of scammed foreigners, mainly citizens of the USA is 412.
The members of the group are reported to have operated from 2004 to 2007 and kept 14 apartments with all the necessary equipment to carry out the communication with foreign citizens. The police also report the students of local university to be involved in correspondence with foreign citizens which increases the number of the group members up to 60 persons.
Foreign citizens were motivated to make money transfers to so-called brides. The total loss is estimated to be 9 million rubles.
Be safe, get to know more about the scamhttp://scam.russian-women.net/>
18 June, 2010
Moscow Film Festival kicks off on Thursday night
The Pushkinsky cinema hall in the centre of Moscow is ready to host the red carpet ceremony of the 32nd International Moscow Film Festival which opens on Thursday night.
Among the festival's foreign guests who have already arrived in Moscow are the cult French filmmakers Luc Besson and Claude Leloush. The new film by Claude Leloush "A Woman and Men" is to open the festival and the new movie by Luc Besson "The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Dry-White" will close it. Besson is also to chair the jury of the festival.
The festival's main contest program includes 15 films from European and Asian countries, as well as North and South America. According to film critics, the theme which unites the modern cinematography today is "parting with the past".
From June 17 till June 26 more than 200 films from the whole world will be shown at the Moscow film festival.
Source:http://english.ruvr.ru
More on the topic on http://rt.com
13 June, 2010
WCF Cat Show in Sevastopol.
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WCF Cat Show that takes place in Sevastopol on 12-13 July is dedicated to the Hero-City Day.
More photos on http://cat-show.russian-women.net
12 June, 2010
Russia celebrates its 20th birthday.
June 12 is the Day of Russia, the country’s national holiday. On this day, exactly 20 years ago, the Soviet leadership signed the Declaration on State Sovereignty of Russia, which marked the start of democratic reforms.
As part of the celebrations, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has presented state awards to scientists and artists for their achievements in 2009.
A whole bunch of festive events – which can serve almost every taste – are being held throughout the country. In the evening, Russian pop and rock stars will greet the crowd with a spectacular concert show at the very center of the capital – Red Square, which will be turned into a huge stage.
More: http://rt.com
8 June, 2010
Visa-free agreement between Russia and Brazil comes into force.
The visa-free agreement signed by Russia and Brazil in 2008, has come into force; starting today Russians and Brazilians can visit each other without the usual hassling connected with obtaining an entry visa. The Russian and Brazilian Presidents, Dmitry Medvedev and Lula da Silva announced at a joint press conference on May 14th this year, the date for the cancellation of an entry visa to visit each other, one more step toward the strengthening of the global influence of BRIC- Brazil, Russia, India and China, the acronym that has become a house-hold word in the world.
The agreement comes into action on 7 June 2010.
More: Voice of Russia.
7 June, 2010
Major Russian film fest kicks off in Sochi.
The annual Russian movie festival Kinotavr has opened in the southern city of Sochi with a romantic comedy “Moscow, I love you”.
As in the previously released “Paris, I Love You” and “New York, I Love You”, the picture is a series of short stories set in the Russian capital. Each story is a mini-tale of love unfolding against Moscow scenery.
Unlike its foreign counterparts, which had international teams of directors, "Moscow, I Love You" is a fully Russian product.
A total of 14 movies are on display as part of the festival, most of them are debuts of young Russian directors. This year, the Russian video portal Ru-tube is among the partners of the festival. Thus, those who log-in will have a chance to see the latest news about the festival, interviews with movie personalities and trailers of new Russian films
Source: http://rt.com
4 June, 2010
Russian cartoonists up for awards
Ten Russian cartoons will take part in one of the oldest and biggest events in the animated film industry – The Annecy International Animation Festival.
They will be competing against productions from America, Japan, the UK and France, among others from June 7-12.
Among the main highlights of the festival are Russian TV series “Masha and the Bear: Tracks of Unknown Animals". The latest episode of the 3D masterpiece from cartoonist Oleg Uzhinov revolves around a curious little girl and her friend Bear, who teaches Masha to recognize different footprints in the snow.
The Russian presence at the French festival this year is as big as ever, with another three Russian-made animated cartoons also featured in the short film category, where they will be competing against 36 productions from around the world.
More - http://rt.com
1 June, 2010
World Children’s Day is celebrated in Russia.
A set of charity events and festivals to mark World Children’s Day have been held across Russia to remind adults about their responsibilities to children and focus on burning issues.
Traditionally on June 1, Russia celebrates not only the first smile of summer, but also its 30 million youngest citizens, drawing attention to the importance of child welfare and the need to protect children’s future.
In order to emphasize the important role children play in the nation’s future, a whole range of special events throughout the country have been organized.
Russian News Archive