POLITICS
The recent WikiLeaks revelations were among the most discussed topics in the Russian media. Thousands of classified documents may affect U.S. ties with all major players on the international arena
(Vremya Novostei, Vedomosti, Kommersant, Nezavisimaya Gazeta)
The OSCE summit will begin on Wednesday in Astana
(The Moscow Times, Vremya Novostei, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
Moldova's Communist party won the parliamentary elections with 40.98% of the vote, according to preliminary results. However, the party's expected 44 seats in the 101-seat parliament are not enough to elect a president and end the long-term political crisis in the country
(The Moscow Times, Vremya Novostei, Kommersant, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev proposed tax breaks for individuals who invest in innovation companies and asked for improvements to immigration rules to ease mobility for foreigners
(The Moscow Times)
ECONOMY
EU finance ministers have agreed on an 85-billion-euro financial aid package to Ireland and agreed on a new mechanism to overcome debt crises
(Vedomosti)
METALS & MINING
Norimet Ltd., the subsidiary of Russia's largest nickel producer Norilsk Nickel, plans to sell off its controlling stake (51.3%) in Stillwater Mining Company, the only U.S. platinum producer
(Vremya Novostei, Vedomosti, Kommersant)
OIL & GAS
Russian gas giant Gazprom, Ukraine's national energy company Naftogaz and Swiss-registered RosUkrEnergo have signed a package of agreements on the return of 12.1 billion cubic meters of gas to the Swiss trader. A statement by Gazprom and Naftogaz says RUE would return its $810-million debt to Gazprom and $1.7-billion debt to Naftogaz
(Vremya Novostei, Kommersant)
TELECOMS & IT
More than one-third of Russian Internet users spend most of their time on social networking sites, the ARMI-Marketing research company said. Most of them consider the Twitter microblogging service "the funniest and coolest." Odnoklassniki and Moi Mir social networking sites were named as "most user-friendly."
(Kommersant)
SOCIETY
A presidential administration official, Andrei Voronin, was arrested on suspicion of assistance in extorting money from medical equipment companies who were seeking to participate in state contracts
(Vedomosti, Kommersant, Nezavisimaya Gazeta)
Mikhail Lysenko, the head of a prosperous district in Russia's Volga Area, was detained ahead of local elections on suspicion of ordering a murder, though a local lawmaker said the move may be an attempt to oust him from the race. Investigators think Lysenko was the ringleader of a mafia group, established in the 1990s.
(The Moscow Times, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
SPORT
Russia's chances to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup seem quite solid, but the costly sports projects may put too much strain on Russia's economy
(Nezavisimaya Gazeta)
For more details on all the news in Russia today, visit our website at http://en.rian.ru.
