Russian Press at a Glance, Thursday, December 29, 2011

POLITICS

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he was ready for dialogue with the opposition, including his rivals at the presidential polls
(Kommersant, Rossiskaya Gazeta)

Russia is once again criticizing the United States and its allies. Russian diplomats are speaking about the end of “reset” in relations between Moscow and Washington
(Vedomosti, Kommersant)

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a report on Wednesday on the human rights situation in foreign countries. The report includes criticism of the United States, France, Germany, Georgia and other countries
(Rossiskaya Gazeta)

Russia’s election authorities on Wednesday officially registered populist firebrand Vladimir Zhirinovsky and communist leader Gennady Zyuganov to run in the presidential election next March
(Rossiskaya Gazeta)

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

What developments are likely in the Russian economy in 2012?
(Vedomosti)

OIL & GAS

Turkey has given Russia a final permit to build the South Stream gas pipeline intended to carry Russian natural gas under the Black Sea to Europe
(Vedomosti, Kommersant)

WORLD

Hundreds of thousands paid their last respects to former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il as the reclusive country began a two-day funeral service on Wednesday for its deceased “dear leader.”
(Rossiskaya Gazeta)

Iran threatens to block the Strait of Hormuz if sanctions are imposed on Iran's oil exports. The strait accounts for one-third of the world's tanker-borne oil and 17 percent of all oil traded worldwide
(Nezavisimaya Gazeta)

DEFENSE

The testing of Russia’s Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is complete and the missile will now be put into operational service, President Dmitry Medvedev said
(Kommersant)

SOCIETY

What 2011 will represent for Russia - the start of something, the end of somebody - nobody knows. But it was a year when the curtain was slid aside and those behind the controls revealed. Or when people, who always knew of the men behind the curtain, decided to take notice
(The Moscow Times)

TECHNOLOGIES

It has been jokingly dubbed the "iPad uprising," but it is no exaggeration to say the past month's protests have been highly reliant on modern communications. Yet the phone networks activists rely on have let them down at recent rallies
(The Moscow Times)

REAL ESTATE

With deals worth tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars, real estate buyers have poured about $7.5 billion into the Russian market this year, a post-Soviet record. Analysts are forecasting that 2012 will also be a strong year
(The Moscow Times)

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