POLITICS

Russia’s opposition Yabloko and Parnas parties are holding talks on possible cooperation at the October elections to regional parliaments.

(Kommersant)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has come under harsh international criticism, with governments, celebrities and even his supporters denouncing the jailing of three members of the Pussy Riot punk band.

(The Moscow Times)

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

The Russian cabinet plans to keep creating an innovative basis for the Russian economy while being guided by the fuel and energy sector. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev discussed innovations for the sector at a meeting in south Russia.

(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service has submitted to the government a package of tough amendments to laws designed to fight business operations that involve tax dodging. Businesses are expected to protest.

(Kommersant)

Russia’s antitrust watchdog has ordered a new tender for City Hall's $300 million tram contract, a move that could allow more foreign bidders to participate. Canada's Bombardier and Germany's Siemens are the potential contenders that didn't make it into the previous tender, which ultimately went wrong.

(The Moscow Times)

Norway’s Telenor may agree to the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service’s demand that Vimpelcom’s foreign and Russian investors should have equal stakes.

(Kommersant)

As the oil price touched three-month highs last week, Moscow’s stock markets were noticeable in their lukewarm response, highlighting an unprecedented breakdown in the symbiotic relationship between commodity prices and Russian equities.

(The Moscow Times)

SOCIETY

The Russian presidential human rights council is likely to invite more people loyal to the authorities, including former state officials, Public Chamber managers and Orthodox Christian activists, as well as new opposition figures.

(Vedomosti)

The Central Election Commission explained the discrepancy between the number of registered voters in Russian as of July 1 and the number of those put on voter lists for the March 4 presidential elections by the likelihood of an error during voter registration and denied that fake voters voted at the presidential polls.

(Kommersant)

RELIGION

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has wound up his first ever visit to Poland. His meeting with Catholic hierarchs was a breakthrough in the complicated relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

(Kommersant)

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