Traditionally the season fall television begins in September, but I'd like to begin back in August.

Elections in Russia are little more than a means of affirming the results of deals cut in advance.

While hotels and shopping centers go up in Baku, Azerbaijan's provinces are slipping into destitution.

A brief look at the stories making headlines in the Russian-language press

While the police keep a sharp lookout for skinheads, tens of thousands of virtual skinheads have made their way into the city.

Ivanov on Iran Sales MOSCOW (AP) -- Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Monday that Russia sells only defensive weapons to Iran and stressed that its weapons sales around the world are motivated by economics and do not violate its nonproliferation obligations. Speaking during a visit to Madrid following talks in the United States last week, Ivanov also emphasized that Russia acts according to its own interests in arms sales, suggesting it does not bend to U.S. criticism of its cooperation with Iran and other countries Washington distrusts. ""Russia is independent in making decisions of military-technological cooperation, including with such countries as Iran and North Korea,"" Interfax and Itar-Tass quoted him as saying. But they said he stressed Russia sells Iran only ""weapons that cannot have a destabilizing influence on the atmosphere in the region."" ""We are talking about deliveries of defensive weaponry -- air-defense systems, armored personnel carriers, anti-tank weapons and small arms,"" Ivanov said.

Despite the challenges they face from the government, the Russian Orthodox Church and even skinhead groups, Moscow's missionaries devotedly go about their business.