Russian cross-country skier Ivan Babikov stood near the podium, waving to the ecstatic Canadian fans, who already consider him one of their own.

Web logs invaded the Internet around the same time as the American-led coalition invaded Iraq, so it is fitting that some of the most insightful commentary on the war has come from Iraqi citizens -- students, professionals, homemakers, soldiers, former Baathists and others -- on their personal sites.

About 10 days ago all the television channels carried a tragicomic news item about the taking of hostages at the Yekaterinburg television station Channel 4.

There is clearly a serious conflict under way inside the Defense Ministry. First one newspaper then another ascribed plans for a major reorganization of the armed forces to the General Staff. The flow of leaks did not stop even after the possibility of large-scale changes was vigorously denied by both Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov and the chief of the General Staff, Yury Baluyevsky, to whom the project has been attributed. From this, one may conclude that the leaks are being organized by an opponent of the project -- for after the leadership of the Defense Ministry has spoken, any discussion of the chances for reorganization looks like a gross violation of discipline.

Esteemed Presidente Jorge W. Bush! Hola! Seasonal greeting, Feliz Navidad and so on to you and your compadres, Vice Presidente Ricardo B. Cheney and Secretario del Estado Condoliz-, Condaleez-, Rosarita Rice.

Anyone who has yet to stay in the Rossiya Hotel just got an extra six months to taste the delights of what was once the largest hotel in Europe.

Two groups of would-be owners of apartments in unfinished buildings saw developments in their case last week, as authorities promised to complete the buildings of one construction company and arrested the heads of another.