POLITICS

 

Several state agencies descended on the offices of one Russia’s most respected rights groups on Thursday, as part of a series of inspections that activists believe is aimed at harassing non-governmental organizations.

(Vedomosti, Kommersant)

 

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday said that some progress has been made in visa-free agreements talks with the European Union and that Moscow is now waiting for the EU to respond.

(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

 

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

 

Experts say that the growing financial crisis in Cyprus could lead to a recession in the Russian economy, which is already on the brink of the long-term stagnation.

(Vedomosti)

 

Some Russian experts believe that in three to four years the internet will account for over a third of the advertising market in Russia, while others say that internet connection quality remains a major hurdle to such growth.

(The Moscow Times, Vedomosti)

 

OIL & GAS

 

Russia’s state-owned Rosneft put the final touches to its takeover of TNK-BP on Thursday to become the world’s largest publicly traded oil company.

(Kommersant)

 

China's new President Xi Jinping is expected to push for increased oil and gas supplies from Russia and reaffirm warm bilateral ties on a three-day visit to Moscow beginning Friday.

(The Moscow Times)

 

WORLD

 

US congressmen debate toughening the so-called Magnitsky Act and expanding the black-list of Russian officials.

(Kommersant)

 

Former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy has been placed under investigation over claims that he took advantage of L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt in 2007 and accepted illegal campaign donations from her.

(Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

 

Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) who is serving a life sentence, on Thursday urged the PKK to end its confrontation with the Turkish authorities, withdraw its militants from the country, and start peace negotiations to settle the 30-year conflict.

(Kommersant)

 

SOCIETY

 

Russian-born scientist Alexander Polyakov has been awarded the $3-million 2013 Fundamental Physics Prize for his work in field theory and string theory.

(Kommersant)

 

RELIGION

 

An envoy of the Russian Orthodox Church has met with Pope Francis at the Vatican, where he presented him with the Mother of God icon and expressed hope that ties between the two churches would continue to improve, the Orthodox Church's official website said.

(The Moscow Times)

 

CRIME

 

A special forces officer has been killed and two other officers injured during a shootout with suspected militants near Makhachkala, the capital of Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Dagestan.

(Kommersant)

 

A man professing to be a former government operative has said that police officials, including the former interior minister, were involved in organizing clashes at an opposition rally last year, allegations that members of the Kremlin human rights council say could be trustworthy.

(The Moscow Times)

 

SPORTS

 

Speed skater Denis Yuskov claimed the first gold of the World Single Distance Championships in Sochi.

(Kommersant)

 

For more details on all the news in Russia today, visit our website at www.en.rian.ru