Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#155 :: 23 August 2013

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Johnson’s Russia List :: 2013-#155 :: 23 August 2013
E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net
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POLITICS

1. Interfax: Life expectancy in Moscow reaches European levels – Sobyanin.
2. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Why Russians prefer alternative medicine. Despite the progressive development of contemporary medicine, the majority of Russian citizens prefer “grandmother’s” tried and tested remedies to cure diseases. RBTH chose the most popular ones and asked an expert why it is that doctors are not much trusted in Russia.
3. Moscow Times/BBC Monitoring: What the Papers Say, Aug. 23, 2013.
4. Politkom.ru: Surkov Kremlin Return Rumor Seen Targeting Medvedev. (Tatyana Stanovaya)
5. ITAR-TASS: Candidates for Moscow’s mayor promise voters what they would like to hear.
6. BBC Monitoring: Moscow mayor opposed to candidates being barred from September election.
7. Interfax: Removal of Navalnyy from Moscow election would be political mistake – pundit. (Yevgeniy Minchenko)
8. Moscow Times: Navalny Faces New Pressure as Mayoral Race Heats Up.
9. ITAR-TASS: Moscow Election Commission issues warning to oppositionist candidate.
10. BBC Monitoring: Russian ‘telekiller’ renews attack on opposition Moscow mayoral candidate. (Sergey Dorenko)
11. Business Week: Joshua Yaffa, Russia’s Divide Apparent in Moscow Mayor’s Race.
12. BBC Monitoring: Russian election watchdog reports being evicted from office.
13. Paul Goble: Window on Eurasia: Russia’s ‘Creative Class’ Ignoring Human Rights Appeal against Anti-Immigrant Hysteria, Journalist Says .
14. RAPSI: High Russian Court to Hear ‘Foreign Agent’ Law Complaint.
15. Interfax: Prosecutor’s office has no plans for new NGO inspections over compliance with law on foreign agents.
16. ITAR-TASS: RUSSIAN PRESS REVIEW. Prosecutor General’s Office tells human rights activists about foreign-founded NGOs.
17. RIA Novosti: Lawyers Want Community Service for Pussy Riot – Report.
18. Svobodnaya Pressa: Despite Corruption Claims Serdyukov Seen as ‘Untouchable’ Because of His Insider Knowledge.
19. The Economist: Human rights in Russia. Grim to be gay. The plight of gays prompts calls for a boycott of the Sochi Olympics.
20. Reuters: Olympics-Russia says anti-gay law will not affect Games.
21. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Moskovskiye Novosti: Russian sport hides its orientation. While it is likely that Russia has sporting stars who are LGBT, so far none have taken steps to make their orientation public.
22. New York Times: Formula One Takes the Slow Track to Russia.

ECONOMY

23. Financial Times: Russia relatively calm amid emerging market turmoil.
24. Moscow News: Moscow shoppers get new mentality on food.
25. Interfax: Foreign direct investment in Russia soars 59.8% to $12.1 bln in H1 – Rosstat.
26. Interfax: Putin questions why Russian investors prefer Greece to country’s own region.
27. ITAR-TASS: WTO effect on Russia insignificant due to rouble weakening.
28. ITAR-TASS: One year of WTO membership – are results consoling for Russia?
29. Russia Beyond the Headlines/Kommersant: First year in WTO: Retail wins, producers lose. Only large retailers have felt the benefits of Russia’s first year of membership in the World Trade Organization.
30. Russia Beyond the Headlines: Experts: Russia has reaped many benefits from joining the WTO.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

31. The National Interest: Nikolas Gvosdev, The Avoidable Russia-China Romance.
32. The National Interest: Taylor Washburn, Between Russia and China, a Demographic Time Bomb.
33. Interfax: Most Russians indifferent to Obama, 17 percent admit attitude toward Obama lately deteriorated – poll.
34. Global Times: Dmitri Trenin, Snowden effect leaves ties with Moscow in ruins.
35. Moscow Times: Edward Lozansky, U.S. Great Game Against Russia Continues.
36. Interfax: U.S. Senate opposition to Russian helicopter deal an attempt to lobby for national industry’s interests – Rosoboronexport.
37. www.russiatoday.com: Materials implicating Syrian govt in chemical attack prepared before incident – Russia.
38. Christian Science Monitor: Fred Weir, Chemical weapons in Syria: How Russia views the debate.
39. BBC Monitoring: Russian MPs, pundits see no reason for Syrian regime to use chemical weapons.
40. Moscow Carnegie Center: Dmitri Trenin, Poisonous.
41. Novyye Izvestiya: Experts: Russian ‘Jihad’ Fighters in Syria Will Pose Threat Following Return Home.
42. Bloomberg: Lucian Kim, Empty Towns, Destruction in Georgia Show `Everyone Is to Blame’
43. Institute for War and Peace Reporting: Sopho Bukia, Georgians Wary of Medvedev Overtures. Russian prime minister talks of improving relations five years after 2008 war, but makes it clear there will be no compromise on key issues.
44. Interfax: 2.5 million liters of Georgian wine imported to Russia – official.
45. Interfax: Georgian govt extends contract with U.S. lobby company.
46. RIA Novosti: Ukraine-EU Deal to Entail Protective Measures -­ Putin.
47. RIA Novosti: Fyodor Lukyanov, Russia and Ukraine on the Verge of a Decisive Choice.
48. BBC Monitoring Poll suggests nearly 42 per cent of Ukrainians back EU entry.
49. The Economist: Ukraine and Russia. Trading insults. A trade war sputters as the tussle over Ukraine’s future intensifies.