Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#118 :: 28 June 2013

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Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#118 :: 28 June 2013
E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net
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POLITICS

1. Interfax: Heat wave in Moscow repeats century-old record.
2. Interfax: Russia has fewer happy people than world average but few unhappy – global poll.
3. Interfax: Urns with ashes may be moved from Kremlin Wall, to National Military Pantheon in Mytishchy.
4. Interfax: Russian Academy of Sciences system is obsolete, will be reformed – Medvedev.
5. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Russia’s government launches reform in Academy of Sciences.
6. Valdai Discussion Club: Modern-day Russia: Raising the nation’s intellectual potential. (Vyacheslav Nikonov)
7. www.opendemocracy.net: Mikhail Loginov, The disappearing entrepreneur. Russia’s small businesses are officially disappearing. Perestroika was supposed to give everyone the chance to be his own boss. Things, however, turned out rather differently.
8. Moscow Times/BBC Monitoring: What the Papers Say, June 28, 2013.
9. Moscow Times: Q&A: Governor Vorobyov Feels the Power of Fatherhood.
10. RIA Novosti: Russia Gets First Official ‘Foreign Agent’
11. Interfax: Golos NGO pays both fines for refusal to register as foreign agent.
12. Christian Science Monitor: Fred Weir, Kremlin’s hammer falls on first ‘foreign agent’ NGO.
13. Interfax: For Human Rights engages in political activities, gets foreign funding – prosecutor.
14. BBC Monitoring: Russian TV portrays incumbent as hands-on mayor ahead of September vote.
15. Moscow Times: Navalny to Present an Alternative Program for Moscow.
16. Institute of Modern Russia: Alexander Podrabinek, A Strategy for Elections.
17. RIA Novosti: Leading Russian Internet Companies Object To New Anti Piracy Law.
18. ITAR-TASS: Russians believe manipulations with results of Unified State Exam are commonplace.

ECONOMY

19. Interfax: Lobbying hampering privatization in Russia – Medvedev.
20. Wall Street Journal: Kremlin Backtracks on Selling Assets. Russia’s Government is Scaling Back on a Move to Reduce Its Role in the Economy
21. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Government considers privatization program.
22. Interfax: Anti-money-laundering plan to increase Rosfinmonitoring’s role – Transparency International.
23. The Economist: Spooked by shale. The shale-gas revolution unnerves Russian state capitalism.
24. Financial Times: Neil Buckley, Inside Business: Russia’s eastern energy pivot has limits.
25. Interfax: Over quarter of Russians convinced nothing can be achieved with strikes – poll.
26. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Vedomosti: Apple launches its online store in Russia.
27. ITAR-TASS: Decline in gas demand in Europe caused by political reasons – expert.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

28. Nezavisimaya Gazeta editorial headlined: Russia Gets Ready for War on Its Territory — Afghan terrorists’ promises to spread into the former Soviet Union are no bluff.
29. Moscow Times: FLEX Students Return Energized and Inspired for Change.
30. Reuters: Russia criticizes groups setting conditions for Syria talks.
31. www.russiatoday.com: Russian Defense Ministry refutes reports of Syria evacuation.
32. Reuters: Analysis: Syria peace conference: Don’t hold your breath.
33. AFP: Russia says US put it in ‘tough spot’ over Snowden.
34. ITAR-TASS: Snowden may stay in Sheremetyevo transit area as long as he wants.
35. Interfax: Snowden’s presence in Russia provoked by somebody – Russia’s Human Rights ombudsman.
36. Russia Direct: Snowden’s saga: Whistleblower, hero, traitor, spy. Russian and American pundits and observers express their opinions regarding how the Snowden case may affect U.S.-Russia relations.
37. Business New Europe: Snowden fracas becomes another political football.
38. www.russiatoday.com: Robert Bridge, Wanted: Russia and China as villain in Snowden affair.
39. Moscow Times: Michael Bohm, Snowden, Russia’s Favorite U.S. Dissident.
40. Wall Street Journal: Finding Snowden Made Harder by Russian Practice on Transit Travelers.
41. Moscow News/RIA Novosti: Looking for Snowden in ‘The Terminal’
42. Moskovskiy Komsomolets: ‘Snowden Affair’ Seen Facilitating Rapprochement in Russian-Chinese Relations. (Melor Sturua)
43. Russia Direct: Andrew Kuchins, Putin’s U.S. card in the China-Russia-U.S. triangle.
44. Interfax: Borders of Russian Arctic zone may be determined in 2013 – minister.
45. Interfax: Rogozin: active development of Arctic shelf to cause conflict of interest, sabotage.
46. RIA Novosti: Georgians Want to Reinstate Relations with Russia – Poll.