RELIGION

Argentina’s Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, was elected new Pope Wednesday, a cardinal announced from the Sistine Chapel’s balcony.

(Vedomosti, Kommersant, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, Nezavisimaya Gazeta)

POLITICS

Cyprus may become less economically attractive for Russian businessmen if it brings in plans to hike income tax for companies from today's 10 percent to 12.5 percent.

(Vedomosti)

Senior government officials on Wednesday rejected as pure fantasy a leaked report that cast doubt on the ruling United Russia party's victory in the 2011 State Duma elections, saying its author should seek psychiatric help.

(The Moscow Times, Kommersant)

Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, on Wednesday adopted in the first reading a bill to toughen penalties for drunk driving.

(Kommersant)

The Russian and British foreign and defense ministers discussed the situation in Syria in a “2+2” format in London.

(Kommersant)

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Nabiullina is likely to pursue dovish policy, and yield to political pressure. Asked to end speculation about the identity of the next chairman of Russia's Central Bank, President Vladimir Putin promised an "unexpected" candidate who would be well received.

(The Moscow Times)

WORLD

Georgian government officials have been hit with a 12 percent pay cut.

(Kommersant)

When a 57-year-old arbitration court judge from the Belgorod region was shot in the arm and face in Syria earlier this year, observers asked the obvious question: What was he doing there?

(The Moscow Times)

SOCIETY

Russia’s chief public health official Gennady Onishchenko on Wednesday advised Russians not to eat snow or too many pancakes.

(Kommersant)

The snowstorm that paralyzed Europe days ago has reached Moscow, prompting the city's authorities to urge drivers to use public transportation in order to avoid accidents caused by black ice and low visibility.

(The Moscow Times)

IT

Russia's special services are now able to listen to private Skype chats and track users' locations.

(Vedomosti)

CRIME

Estonia is ready to extradite a former Russian banker to Moscow, where he is wanted on charges of stealing 350 million rubles.

(Kommersant)

CULTURE

Russia’s political elite commemorated on Wednesday the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sergei Mikhalkov, a poet and author of both the Soviet and Russian national anthems, with President Vladimir Putin paying a late-night visit to the late writer’s star-studded family.

(Kommersant, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, Nezavisimaya Gazeta)

SPORTS

Russian President Vladimir Putin and action movie star Steven Seagal teamed up Wednesday to open a new martial arts center in Moscow.

(Kommersant)