Russian Press at a Glance, Friday, November 12, 2010

POLITICS

President Dmitry Medvedev will hold an online question-and-answer session with the public on November 16 in what analysts called a show of his commitment to modernization and his wish to run for president in 2012, the Moscow Times said. Meanwhile, Nezavisimaya Gazeta says the president’s address to Russia’s bicameral legislature, the Federal Assembly, tentatively planned for November 17, may be delayed until November 22
(The Moscow Times, Nezavisimaya Gazeta)

Only three parties - pro-Kremlin United Russia and A Just Russia parties, as well as the Communists - would manage to clear the seven-percent threshold in the December 2011 parliamentary elections, according to the All-Russia Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM)
(Komersant, Vedomosti)

EX-SOVIET STATES

This year’s presidential elections in Belarus may set the country’s record for the number of candidates. At least ten potential candidates managed to gather 100,000 signatures in their support required for registration. The final announcement is expected in late November. Meanwhile, opposition leader Vladimir Neklyaev, widely seen as incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko’s main rival, may be denied registration as his political movement was closed on Thursday.
(Vremya Novostei, Kommersant)

METALS & MINING

Russian natural resources ministry seeks to speed up prospecting natural resources in Russia. One possible variant is to let companies choose areas for prospecting and allow several companies to prospect minerals in the same area
(Vedomosti)

TELECOMS & IT

The body overseeing the Cyrillic Internet domain said 184,352 addresses were registered as registration was opened to the general public on Thursday. More than 36,000 domain names were registered in the first hour alone, the Coordination Center for the National Internet Domain said on its website
(The Moscow Times)

BANKING & FINANCE

G20 leaders have little chance to agree on currency issues during the summit in Seoul, but it plays no major role for Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Kudrin said
(Vedomosti)

CONSUMER

Russian Standard, a major Russian vodka producer, has agreed to buy one of Ukraine’s largest alcohol producers Nemiroff
(Vedomosti)

RELIGION
The Russian Orthodox Church is set to boost its missionary work, citing the necessity to conduct “the second Christianization” of Russians
(Vremya Novostei)

CRIME

Police disclosed the names of four suspects detained in connection with the terrifying mass murder of 12 people in South Russia. The suspects, aged 17 to 23, possibly killed eight adults and four minors in order to be accepted into a local gang
(Vremya Novostei, Kommersant, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

The Investigative Committee reopened a criminal case into the 2008 attack on journalist Mikhail Beketov, who lost his leg and the ability to speak in the attack.
(The Moscow Times, Kommersant, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

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