The Moscow Times

Business: RenCap Cuts RTS '08 Target to 2,350
Renaissance Capital on Monday slashed its year-end forecast for the benchmark RTS Index from 3,000 to 2,350 and increased its equity risk premium for the country from 4 percent to 5.5 percent in a sign of continued investor jitters.

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Troika Skating Party, Kudrin Charm Davos
By Andrew McChesney / Staff Writer Troika Dialog brought Russia to Davos -- and the invitation-only party offered a lot more than five Moscow chefs sending meat pies and blini out of the kitchen.

Russia Sidelined in U.S. Campaign
By Miriam Elder / Staff Writer With the U.S. economic downturn, the war in Iraq and the threat of looming conflict with Iran, it is little wonder that candidates in the heated U.S. presidential primaries spare few words for Russia.

Mogilevich Arrested With Arbat Boss
By Nikolaus von Twickel, Max Delany, Natalya Krainova / Staff Writers Semyon Mogilevich, a suspected organized-crime boss who is wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations for alleged fraud and racketeering, has been arrested along with Arbat Prestige owner Vladimir Nekrasov.

Blizzards Hit Schools, Heat, Electricity
By David Nowak / Staff Writer The recent blizzards that have closed factories and schools, left thousands without heating and electricity and buried roads under think blankets of snow in some of the country's regions look set to continue into next week, forecasters warned Friday.

Double-Agent Deserter Tells Story of $500 Million Scam
The Associated Press A former Russian top spy says his agents helped the government steal nearly $500 million from the UN's oil-for-food program in Iraq before the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Estonia Fines Man Convicted of Cyber Attack
Reuters An Estonian court has fined a man in the only conviction linked to cyber attacks on official web sites during last year's riots over the relocation of a Soviet-era war memorial.

Ukraine Parrots Perish in Belarus
Reuters Veterinarians fearing cases of bird flu have destroyed 275 parrots brought into Belarus illegally by a smuggler on a bicycle, a newspaper reported Friday.

U.S. Commander Has Meeting With Karimov
The Associated Press The commander of U.S. forces in Central Asia met with Uzbek President Islam Karimov, the first visit by a high-level U.S. military officer since the authoritarian leader evicted U.S. troops amid Western criticism of a bloody government crackdown.

Ukrainian Radar 'No' Ukrainian Parts 'Yes'
By Vladimir Isachenkov / The Associated Press The State Duma on Friday voted to stop using Soviet-built military radar systems in Ukraine because of Kiev's bid to join NATO.

Yanukovich Party Blocks Parliament
Reuters Ukrainian opposition members prevented the parliament from meeting Friday, blocking access to the chamber with chairs to protest steps by the pro-Western government to join NATO.

Foreign Ministry Announces Latvian Diplomat's Expulsion
The Associated Press The Foreign Ministry said Friday that it would expel a Latvian diplomat in apparent retaliation for Latvia's expulsion of a Russian diplomat this week.

Rule of Law Put to Test in Kiev Mayor's Assault
The Associated Press Ukraine's new reform-minded government faces its first major test of its commitment to the rule of law -- as opposed to the law of the street -- with the country's police chief under investigation for allegedly assaulting the capital's mayor.

Protesters Clash With Riot Police in Ingushetia
Reuters Police have detained and beaten up two journalists who were covering a protest in the southern region of Ingushetia against alleged vote rigging, one of the reporters said Sunday.

FSB Thwarted WMD Spies
Reuters The Federal Security Service said Friday that it had foiled several attempts by foreign spies to obtain technology for weapons of mass destruction, RIA-Novosti reported.

House Razed in Construction Mix-Up
The Associated Press Returning home after an absence can mean unpleasant surprises -- a leaky roof, a pet's mess, even a break-in.

Riot Police Detain 27 Protesters
The Moscow Times OMON riot police on Friday detained 27 activists from the banned National Bolshevik Party who were protesting the results of last month's parliamentary elections, the group's spokesman said.

Signature Woes End Kasyanov's Bid
By Nabi Abdullaev / Staff Writer Former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, a vocal and charismatic critic of the Kremlin, has been barred from running for president by the Central Elections Commission, which said too many of the signatures on his nomination petitions were deemed invalid.

China's Regions Drained to Ensure a Lush Olympics
By Chris Buckley / Reuters Dusty villages far from China's capital are paying their own price for plans to stage a postcard-perfect Olympic Games, enduring shrunken crops, drained wells and contention over lost land and homes.

Plastic Bags an Issue for Green-Friendly Grocers
By Christine Kearney / Reuters Australia and China are phasing them out, Germany and Ireland tax them, but in the United States, the plastic bag is still king.

Temporary Iraqi Flag Causes a Flap
By Dean Yates / Reuters The Iraqi parliament's move to adopt a new, temporary national flag has provoked an outcry, with one city refusing to fly it and ordinary Iraqis attaching the old flag to their cars in a silent protest.

Italian Vote Likely After Government Collapse
Reuters Italy's political crisis enters a decisive week with a snap election and a return to power of Silvio Berlusconi's center right looking ever more likely after the collapse of Romano Prodi's government.

Annan Meets Kenyan Opposition Amid Killings
Reuters Ethnic clashes killed at least 10 people in Kenya's Rift Valley on Sunday as former UN chief Kofi Annan met opposition leader Raila Odinga to try to resolve a month-long crisis that has claimed 750 lives.

Indonesian Strongman Suharto Dies
By Telly Nathalia / Reuters Indonesia's former president Suharto, whose legacy of economic development was marred by graft and human rights abuses during his 32 years in power, died on Sunday, aged 86, after suffering multiple organ failure.

Egypt Moves to Seal Rafah
The Associated Press Egyptian forces moved to close their breached border with the Gaza Strip by stopping vehicle traffic Sunday and further tightening their security cordon around the small frontier town of Rafah in effort to contain Palestinians crossing freely into Egypt for the fifth day in a row.

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