Vedomosti
www.vedomosti.ru
- Now that the world economy is at the point of overcoming stagnation on the direct foreign investment market, Russia has a good opportunity to join the burgeoning rise. In its annual rating of investment attractive countries, consultants with global firm A.T.Kearney have moved Russia from the 11th to the 6th place. Due to growing consumption, Russia is becoming increasingly attractive for carmakers, retailers and telecommunications companies.
- Russia's social and economic welfare is facing a serious blow given that deaths among the working population from cardiovascular and oncologic diseases, road accidents and alcohol abuse have caused a 5.6% annual decline in the average household income since the late 1990s. Commentary by the World Bank Director for Russia Kristalina Georgiyeva and Patricio Marquez, a senior health expert with the World Bank's Europe and Central Asia department.
- The newspaper reports that the turnover of North European Gas Pipeline Company, the operator of the project to link Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea, may exceed 1.8 million euros after 2010.
Izvestia
www.izvestia.ru
- Although December 10 was the International Animal Rights Day, it is far from a popular topic in Moscow, where animals are often exploited if not treated downright cruelly, where the poshest shops sell endangered species' skins and forms of "entertainment" like crow-killing seem to have come into fashion in certain quarters.
Kommersant
www.kommersant.ru
- Russia will start forming six special economic zones next year. Eight billion rubles ($275 million) have been earmarked for this purpose from the federal budget. The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade is planning to create five technological parks that will need extra 2 billion rubles ($69 million). Head of the Federal Agency for Special Economic Zones Yury Zhdanov elaborates on the process to set up these technoparks.
- Russian aircraft-maker Tupolev is planning to resume a project to produce the Tu-414 short-range passenger airliner that lost out in a tender to Sukhoi's RJJ project in 2003. Region Aero USA has offered the Ministry of Industry and Energy investment worth $350 million in the project.
- A U.S. delegation of lawyers visited Moscow last week to discuss intellectual property rights. Joseph McDonough, head of the delegation and director of the Massachusetts Judges Conference, a non-partisan organization, says in an interview that Russia is failing to uphold global norms in this area.
- Russian law enforcement officials seized documents at the Moscow office of SOK Group, a major partner and supplier of components for Russia's largest carmaker, AvtoVAZ, after two criminal cases were opened after inspections at AvtoVAZ. The newspaper links the move to a desire by state structures, which are taking control over AvtoVAZ, to make SOK abandon a contract that tied them comprehensively.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta
www.ng.ru
- An interview with John Palmer, a prominent British political expert, on prospects for the further enlargement of the European Union, its relations with Russia, other post-Soviet states and Turkey.
- Turkish lessons. An alliance of Moscow and Ankara would facilitate their integration into the European Union. Commentary by Dmitry Suslov, deputy research director of the Foreign and Defense Policy Council.
- Defense Minister of South Ossetia Anatoly Barankevich speaks on the situation in the self-proclaimed republic in Georgia.
- Thousands of Russian experts and businessmen may fall victim to airstrikes on Iran by Israel's Air Forces if they are not evacuated, the British newspaper Sunday Times says, citing sources in the Israeli security agencies. Israel has long been concerned about Iran's nuclear facilities, which Russia is helping to build.
- Last week saw many events in the right wing of the political spectrum. Well-known politicians and experts speak on whether the right-wing movement can be restored by the current players or they should give way to newcomers.
- The volume of private deposits increased almost 25% over this year's nine months, which means that people's trust in banks is growing, despite high inflation rates and declining interest rates.
Novaya Gazeta
www.novayagazeta.ru
- A scandal around Federal Security Service officers suspected of murdering a well-known businessman continues. The newspaper obtained copies of protocols of the probe of the Adamovich brothers, questioned after the Kaliningrad regional prosecutor's office took the documents from the organized crime department.
- An interview with Andrei Polosin, a sports commentator, who says that doping will be legalized in sports within 10 years.
