The Moscow Times

Market Matters: Struggling Stocks Spur New Record Oil Prices
Oil hit another record of just under $143 as global stocks tumbled last week, with the Dow briefly dipping into bear market territory as investors sought safety in gold, government debt and the Swiss franc.

News

Ringing in the Holidays
Photo Essay Tens of thousands of people cheering on Red Square as fireworks usher in the new year in the early hours of Jan. 1.

Fires and Cold Ruin Holiday Celebrations
By Nabi Abdullaev / Staff Writer Flames and frost took the joy out of the extended New Year's holidays for thousands of people. Fires killed 12 Moscow residents -- eight of whom were drunk -- in the first three days of 2008, the Emergency Situations Ministry said.

Oil Takes a Trip Past $100 Plateau
By Anatoly Medetsky / Staff Writer The world oil price broke through the $100 barrier over the holidays, drawing words of concern from world leaders before ducking back below the psychologically important mark.

Tensions Rise After Georgian Election
By Misha Dzhindzhikhashvili / The Associated Press Georgian opposition leaders pressed ahead Tuesday with claims that Mikheil Saakashvili's re-election as president was rigged, and vowed to hold a hunger strike in protest.

Ukrainian Lands Latest Coveted Bond-Girl Role
Reuters In the secretive world of movie spy James Bond, the ""Bond girl"" for the new installment in the movie series had been top secret, but Bond's backers said this week that Ukrainian bombshell Olga Kurylenko is the actress.

Activist Attacked After Protest
The Moscow Times A 16-year-old opposition activist was attacked near her apartment building after attending an Other Russia rally to protest the State Duma elections, an official said Tuesday.

5 Old Believers Killed in U.S. Plane Crash
The Associated Press Alaska's Old Believers are tough people accustomed to hard times. But even for them, these are the worst of times.

Medvedev Gets Christmas Greetings
MT, AP Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II offered Christmas greetings to First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev during a candlelit service at the Christ the Savior Cathedral.

Clinton: Putin Has No Soul
Reuters U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton declared in response to a voter's question that President Vladimir Putin ""doesn't have a soul.""

Duma Will Pass Over 600 Bills
The Moscow Times State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov said Tuesday that deputies would pass more than 600 bills during the spring session and prioritize legislation on President Vladimir Putin's social initiatives.

British Council Warned Not to Reopen
The Associated Press The Foreign Ministry is warning Britain not to follow through with its plans to reopen two British Council offices next week, saying the move would inflame already tense relations between the countries.

Boy Scout Foils Assassination Attempt on Maldives President
Reuters A 15-year-old Boy Scout intervened to stop a man from stabbing Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom with a kitchen knife on Tuesday, a move the leader's spokesman said saved him from assassination.

EU President Favors Signing Pre-Entry Deal With Serbia
The Associated Press Slovenia, which currently heads the EU's rotating presidency, favors a quick signing of an EU pre-entry deal with Serbia, possibly in the next few weeks, its foreign minister said Tuesday. But the EU commissioner in charge of the bloc's expansion, Olli Rehn, was cautious, saying that the signing of a deal -- called a Stabilization and Association Agreement -- depends on whether Serbia would fully cooperate with the UN war crimes court.

U.S. Starts 'Phoenix' Campaign
Reuters U.S. and Iraqi forces began a series of operations on Tuesday targeting al-Qaida in Iraq after an upsurge in suicide bombings that U.S. commanders say are an attempt by the militant group to reignite sectarian violence.

Odinga Rejects Bilateral Negotiations
Reuters Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday rejected bilateral talks with President Mwai Kibaki, dimming hopes for a breakthrough to end turmoil that has led to almost 500 deaths.

Sri Lankan Minister Killed in Bombing
By Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal / Reuters A Sri Lankan minister was killed by a roadside bomb planted by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels north of the capital Tuesday, a senior hospital official said, the second lawmaker killed in a week as a protracted civil war escalates.

Business

Poland Expects Lift on Import Ban
Reuters Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk expects Russia to lift the remaining ban on imports of Polish agricultural products during his visit to Moscow in February, he said.

Output Still Climbing While Oil Exports Fall
Reuters Russian oil output edged up in December to bring the year-on-year growth to 2.3 percent, but pipeline exports edged down in 2007 as oil firms sent more crude for domestic refining.

Nord Stream Price Tag to Exceed Plan
The Associated Press Costs for a proposed Baltic Sea pipeline to deliver gas from Russia to Germany will exceed the initial estimate of $7.3 billion, a spokesman for the project said Monday.

Scottish & Newcastle Has Sights on Baltic
By Catrina Stewart / Staff Writer Scottish & Newcastle, which is fighting to head off a takeover bid from Carlsberg and Heineken, said Tuesday that it could save nearly $200 million per year if it gained full control over Baltic Beverages Holding, its 50-50 joint venture with Carlsberg.

City Wise

Virtual Communities
By Tai Adelaja / Staff Writer Russia's first social networking web site for English speakers now has a rival.

Business in Brief

Business in Brief
Severstal's SeverCorr BuyoutGazprom's Prices RiseGazprom, Nigeria to PartnerUrals Energy Sells SharesUES Starts Generator AgainAndritz's $191M OrderUkraine to Review NaftogazKazakhstan's Economy Up

Purge or Coup?
By Anders Aslund For years, President Vladimir Putin promised everybody that he would retire from politics when his second term lapsed in 2008. With his usual consistency, he changed his tune last June, saying he would maintain a major political role. In December, he ""agreed"" to serve as prime minister under a future President Dmitry Medvedev.

Posh Spot for Fresh Pasta
By Nathan Toohey / Staff Writer No one could describe Le Mark as central, but the southwest Moscow location certainly does have its fans. In fact, many consider the southwest to be quite a prestigious area in which to live, given the proximity of Moscow State University and that the area is generally spacious and relatively pollution-free.

Red Tuna Tartare with Coriander Pesto and Parmesan Cheese
A recipe from Julien Piguet, chef de cuisine at the Park Restaurant in the Ararat Park Hyatt hotel.

Our Native Wiesenthal
Last week, Senator Alexander Torshin, former head of the parliamentary commission that investigated the Beslan school attack, shared some news about the investigation with Ekho Moskvy radio.

News in Brief
Baluyevsky Asked to RemainMoscow Set to Play the HostInstitute Wants Mars MoneyLondon Exhibit Back OnPolish Leader in No HurryLebedko Told to Stay Home

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