Leaders of the Belarusian opposition went on a hunger strike to protest against accusations that they organized mass riots in the capital, Minsk, following the recent presidential elections. Their supporters appealed to Russia for help, which Moscow is unlikely to offer. (Vedomosti, Kommersant)
The U.S. Senate ratified a new strategic arms reduction treaty with Russia scoring a major foreign policy victory for the Obama administration. (Rossiiskaya Gazeta, Kommersant)
ECONOMY & business
Plans to plug a budget gap by raising the value added tax level and pension age are “unacceptable,” says Economic Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina, reopening a war of words with Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin. (Moscow Times, Vedomosti, Kommersant)
Reports published by the Economic Development Ministry shed light on Russia’s business activities in Asia and North Africa. Energy projects predominate, but some interesting niche opportunities are emerging, including logging with North Korea. (Moscow Times)
United Company RusAl hired Bank of America Merrill Lynch to value its 25 percent stake in Norilsk Nickel, as pressure grows on the heavily indebted firm to sell. (Moscow Times)
Russia’s $4.2 billion television advertising market is entering the new year with two more players to comply with antitrust rules, but industry powerhouse Video International will dominate the business at least for the near future. (Moscow Times)
An international arbitration tribunal has ruled that the actions of the Russian authorities led to the demise of Yukos oil company and ordered Russia to pay $3.5 mln in compensation for a former minority shareholder of the company. (Vedomosti)
SOCIETY
The surge of xenophobia, racism and neo-Nazism in Russia forces the authorities to set up special police units to fight race-hate crimes. (Nezavisimaya Gazeta)
Former spy Anna Chapman has formally joined the ranks of the youth arm of Russia’s ruling United Russia party in an apparent attempt to launch a promising political career. (Moscow Times, Kommersant)
The head of Interpol's office in Russia Timur Lakhonin has delivered a report on the agency’s activities in Russia. The situation around the extradition of Akhmed Zakayaev and Boris Berezovsky from Britain remains unresolved, he said. (Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
Moscow police chief supports Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s view on introducing stricter registration rules for migrants who come to live in the Russian capital. (Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
DEFENSE
The Russian Defense Ministry’s budget ambitions for the next five years might be far from reality. (Nezavisimaya Gazeta)
SPORTS
Russia’s energy giant will become the main sponsor of the Russian national team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. The sponsorship could cost the company $130 million. (Vedomosti)
For more details on all the news in Russia today, visit our website at http://en.rian.ru.
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