POLITICS
Ahead of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's inauguration, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the clampdown on post-election protests in Minsk and calling for immediate sanctions. In retaliation, Lukashenko instructed the government to prepare measures targeting EU countries
(Vedomosti, Kommersant, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
The State Duma's security committee on Thursday considered amendments to a bill on police reform. During discussions, the committee decided to drop a controversial provision to declare any police actions legal unless proved otherwise
(Vedomosti, Kommersant, The Moscow Times, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
Talks between the U.S. and Chinese leaders, Barack Obama and Hu Jintao, eased tensions between the two powers but failed to resolve a number of disputed issues (Kommersant, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
ECONOMY
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told the government that Russia's development strategy until 2020 should be reviewed to take the post-crisis period into account
(Vedomosti, Kommersant)
Russia's Supreme Court upheld an acquittal verdict for former top managers of the Russian cell phone retailer Euroset, who were charged with the abduction of the company's shipping agent in 2003. Russian businessmen told Vedomosti this was "a good sign" but still not enough to change the business climate in Russia
(Vedomosti, Kommersant, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
OIL & GAS
The Russian and Belarusian prime ministers failed to agree on the resumption of Russian oil supplies at their meeting on Thursday
(Vedomosti, The Moscow Times, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
VEHICLES & ENGINEERING
The Russian industry ministry and western experts estimated growth in Russian car sales at around 39 percent in 2010. The quick recovery is mainly due to foreign brands and growth is unlikely to spread to domestic brands, experts warn
(Vedomosti, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
POWER GENERATION
An apolitical power vertical is emerging as state-controlled electricity company Inter RAO on Thursday unveiled details of an aggressive expansion plan that will include consolidation of disparate assets under a single umbrella firm
(The Moscow Times, Vedomosti)
TELECOMS & IT
Major Russian-language internet portal, Rambler, will scrap its own search engine. It may be replaced by Russia's largest search engine Yandex, but Google is seen as the more likely candidate
(Vedomosti)
SOCIETY
On the eve of the 87th anniversary of Vladimir Lenin's death, Russia's ruling United Russia party has yet again raised the issue of burying the leader of the 1917 October Revolution. Experts see the move as Dmitry Medvedev's "image project," similar to the historic reunification of Russian Orthodox churches under his predecessor Vladimir Putin
(Vedomosti, Kommersant, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
President Dmitry Medvedev criticized the Russian judicial system and pledged to continue reforms in the sector. As a first step, Russian judges may be partially stripped of their immunity against criminal charges
(Vedomosti, Kommersant)
Austria will not grant former Mayor Yury Luzhkov a residency permit because the country's government does not want to jeopardize relations with the Kremlin by favoring the embattled official
(The Moscow Times)
ENVIRONMENT
The summer 2010 wildfire disaster is likely to repeat itself this year in the Moscow Region and neighboring areas, Greenpeace warns. Experts say that 17 percent of the forested area around Moscow is at maximum risk of peat bog fires as soon as the snow melts. Even now, peat bog fires continue southeast of Moscow, where dozens of hotspots were detected under the snow
(Vedomosti)
For more details on all the news in Russia today, visit our website at http://en.rian.ru.
