Eighteen rubles to the dollar sounds like a dream to anyone being paid in Russian currency, if not for the country's exporters. And according to the Economist's Big Mac Index, which compares the prices of the ubiquitous burger to workout

Georgia and Ukraine eagerly awaited the arrival of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden this week. They hoped that he would use his visit to signal support for their post-colored revolution yet troubled governments. And, even more importantly, that he would

The last three weeks have been rich in developments in the unfolding "battle of the pipelines" to supply natural gas to Europe. Russia, the EU and the United States are locked in a tough struggle to secure domination over the

On Monday, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia began a visit to Ukraine, unprecedented both in its scale and symbolical significance. Its results will greatly influence both the future of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine and, to some extent,

Washington and Moscow continue to mull over the U.S. missile defense shield plans, which involve a radar station in the Czech Republic and ten interceptor missiles in Poland. A U.S. missile defense delegation is visiting Russia this week for another

One of Russia's greatest 20th century writers, Vladimir Nobokov, left one wish. On his deathbed in 1977 he made his wife Vera promise that she would burn his last and unfinished work, "The Original of Laura." But his wife could

The government has recently approved a resolution to establish national research universities. If everything goes according to plan, the tender will be held soon, and the five-year-long financing will begin in the fall. But this important (if not key) project

A suicide bomb attack in the capital of Chechnya on Sunday seems to have been aimed at undermining Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov's claims to have brought the insurgency under control. Desperate to convince Moscow that he can be a conciliator

250 films from 45 countries around the world will be shown in the festival in Seoul. VLADIVOSTOK, July 29, vladivostoktimes.com 250 films from 45 countries of the world on the common subject "Yesterday, Today and Forever" will be shown in

It is necessary to undertake efficient measures to improve the status of seafaring. VLADIVOSTOK, July 29, vladivostoktimes.com Global financial crisis has seriously influenced labor activity of seamen. Over 1400 vessels (almost 700 of them - in APR states) round the

It was said by Vladimir PUTIN, the Chairman of the RF Government, at the "Vneshekonombank" supervisory board session. VLADIVOSTOK, July 29, vladivostoktimes.com "Vneshekonombank" gets down to the realization of some new projects. Thus, the modern automobile plant may be set

The contest of design and survey works was announced. VLADIVOSTOK, July 29, vladivostoktimes.com Modern arena for sports and entertainment events will be built in Vladivostok. The development of respective documentation is to be finished till 2010, a correspondent of RIA

The Primorsky Territory Governor Sergey DARKIN took part in the ceremony of manufacture launching. VLADIVOSTOK, July 30, vladivostoktimes.com Advanced processing of wood OJSC "Terneyles" was launched in the settlement Plastun of the Terney district. As the press-service of the Primorsky

A news conference has been held in Moscow marking the 35th anniversary of Alpha, Russia's top anti-terrorist commandos unit, which was founded by then Soviet KGB chief Yuri Andropov. [Retired] Major-General Vitaly Bubenin was the first head of the Alpha