Arts & Entertainment

Arts & Entertainment

(Adds details in paras 8, 9)

(Adds details in paras 8, 9) MOSCOW, April...

(Adds details in paras 8, 9) MOSCOW, April 29 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s Admiral Panteleyev missile destroyer has detained a boat carrying 29 suspected pirates off the Somali coast, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. A new task force from Russia"s Pacific Fleet led by the destroyer joined anti-piracy operations on Monday off the Horn of Africa. "A search of the detained vessel resulted in the discovery of seven Kalashnikov assault rifles, several handguns, portable navigation equipment, fuel canisters, and a large number of spent cartridges," the ministry said in a statement. "This leads us to believe that these pirates could have been involved in two unsuccessful attacks on a Liberian-flagged tanker with a Russian crew on board, which passed through this area on Tuesday with a shipment of oil en route to Singapore. The total number of people detained is 29," the statement said. The Russian maritime journal Sovfrakht reported on Tuesday that the NS Commander tanker, partly owned by Russia"s Novoship company, had been attacked by Somali pirates on Monday about 120 miles east of the Yemeni island of Sokotra. The 23-men crew successfully repelled the attempted hijack and the ship continued on its way to its destination. At the time of the attack, the tanker was about 130 miles from the Admiral Panteleyev, which is an Udaloy-class missile destroyer armed with anti-ship missiles, 30-mm and 100-mm guns, and Ka-27 Helix helicopters. A senior Russian navy official said later on Wednesday the navy was holding talks with littoral states along the Gulf of Aden as it looked to hand over the pirates. "We are holding talks with foreign officials on the pirates," the official said. "We plan to hand them over to a regional country soon for investigation." Around 20 warships from the navies of at least a dozen countries are involved in anti-piracy operations off Somalia. According to the United Nations, Somali pirates carried out at least 120 attacks on ships in 2008, resulting in combined ransom payouts of around $150 million.

Adults in Scotland annually drink the equivalent...

Adults in Scotland annually drink the equivalent of 46 bottles of vodka each, Sky News reported Sunday citing a new study.

An injury time goal by CSKA Moscow"s Japanese...

An injury time goal by CSKA Moscow"s Japanese striker Keisuke Honda gave the former Red Army side all three points against Amkar Perm in the opening game of the 2010 Russia season.

A Russian photojournalist has won an award...

A Russian photojournalist has won an award in one of the most prestigious international photo contests, the Sony World Photography Awards 2010 in Cannes, France, in the category Commercial/Music.

A strange mixture of lion and tiger dwelling...

A strange mixture of lion and tiger dwelling in a Siberian zoo could revive the lion that inhabited south Africa since Biblical times until it became extinct 100 years ago.

At the 53rd session of the UN Commission...

At the 53rd session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna, Russia is trying, albeit belatedly, to raise global awareness of the need to counter the Afghan drug trade.

A Turkish assassin who shot and wounded...

A Turkish assassin who shot and wounded Pope John Paul II in 1981 has said he will deliver a true account of his assassination attempt after he is released from jail, his lawyers said.

A U.S. passenger airliner with 231 people...

A U.S. passenger airliner with 231 people on board bound for Hawaii was escorted back to Portland International Airport by two F-15 fighters after one of the passengers become disruptive, FoxNews.com website reported.

Both Russia and foreign car concerns will...

Both Russia and foreign car concerns will benefit from tightening the requirements for entering the Russian car market, a leading expert from the Russian Avtostat think tank told RIA Novosti on Monday.

British programmer Peter Moore, 36, who...

British programmer Peter Moore, 36, who had been in captivity in Iraq for two and a half years, arrived back in Britain on Friday.

BRUSSELS, March 23 (RIA Novosti) - The modernization...

BRUSSELS, March 23 (RIA Novosti) - The modernization of Ukraine's gas transportation system could cost $16 billion, not the some $3 billion suggested by European Commission experts, a Gazprom deputy chairman said Monday.

Costs of Russia"s rescue operation in Haiti...

Costs of Russia"s rescue operation in Haiti, hit by a devastating quake last week, stand at $5 million, the Russian foreign ministry said on its website on Thursday.

Deposed Kyrgyzstani President Kurmanbek...

Deposed Kyrgyzstani President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said on Tuesday he will resign only if the interim government guarantees his and his family"s security and order in the country.

European airlines are pressing national...

European airlines are pressing national aviation authorities to ease a flight ban over the spread of ash from a volcano in Iceland as losses mount and passengers remain stranded.

Human error was most likely to blame for...

Human error was most likely to blame for the crash of Polish President Lech Kaczynski"s airplane in western Russia in which 132 people including the president died, a Russian security source said.

International postal operators DHL and UPS...

International postal operators DHL and UPS, as well as Russia"s state operator Pochta Rossii, have faced difficulties with deliveries to Russia blaming customs red tape, a leading Russian business daily said on Wednesday.

ISTANBUL, October 4 (RIA Novosti) - The...

ISTANBUL, October 4 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian and Icelandic delegations have failed to reach an agreement on a loan to Iceland but consultations will continue, the Russian finance minister said Sunday.

KOROLYOV (Moscow Region), October 2 (RIA...

KOROLYOV (Moscow Region), October 2 (RIA Novosti) - The U.S. firm Space Adventures said on Friday it will be able to send two space tourists into orbit on Soyuz spacecraft from 2012 onwards.

Liverpool responded quickly on Wednesday...

Liverpool responded quickly on Wednesday to reports that attacking midfielder Yossi Benayoun was set to sign for Dynamo Moscow.

Military preparation training should be...

Military preparation training should be reintroduced in all Russian schools to increase patriotism in youth, the country"s chief military prosecutor said in an interview with a Russian government daily to be published on Thursday.

MOSCOW, April 13 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian...

MOSCOW, April 13 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Foreign Ministry officially confirmed on Monday that Somali pirates have released the Norwegian-owned chemical tanker Bow Asir with a Russian crewmember onboard.

MOSCOW, August 12 (RIA Novosti) - Arsenal...

MOSCOW, August 12 (RIA Novosti) - Arsenal forward Andrei Arshavin has refused to back the club for the English Premier League title over fears that he could jinx the North London side"s attempt to lift its first championship since 2004.

MOSCOW, August 25 (RIA Novosti) - Allegations...

MOSCOW, August 25 (RIA Novosti) - Allegations that the Arctic Sea merchant ship may have been involved in illegal operations will be probed, Russia"s chief investigator said on Tuesday.

MOSCOW, August 25 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian...

MOSCOW, August 25 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that no suspicious cargo was found aboard Arctic Sea ship, which was allegedly seized by eight hijackers and later freed by the Russian Navy.

MOSCOW, August 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russian...

MOSCOW, August 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russian forward Andrei Arshavin said his Arsenal team were in a different class to Celtic as they strolled into the UEFA Champions League group stages with a 5-1 aggregate win.

MOSCOW, August 31 (RIA Novosti) - A leading...

MOSCOW, August 31 (RIA Novosti) - A leading Russian space concern proposed Thursday using the International Space Station for continued research after its operational life comes to an end in just under 10 years' time.

MOSCOW, August 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s...

MOSCOW, August 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s Transneft posted on Friday a 17.3% drop year-on-year in its net profit calculated to International Financial Reporting Standards to 19.2 billion rubles ($615.8 mln) in the first quarter of 2009.

MOSCOW, December 15 (RIA Novosti) - A British...

MOSCOW, December 15 (RIA Novosti) - A British epidemiologist said on Tuesday he was worried by close links between World Health Organization (WHO) officials and pharmaceutical companies over swine flu.

MOSCOW, December 29 (RIA Novosti) - Russia...

MOSCOW, December 29 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has made this year"s last launch from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan, launching a Proton-M carrier rocket with the U.S. telecommunications satellite DirecTV-12, the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos said Tuesday.

Moscow expects talks on the simultaneous...

Moscow expects talks on the simultaneous accession of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to be concluded in the near future, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, February 18 (RIA Novosti) - The...

MOSCOW, February 18 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Navy has handed over to Yemen 10 Somali pirates detained several days ago off the Horn of Africa, Capt. 1st Rank Igor Dygalo told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, January 23 (RIA Novosti) - A British...

MOSCOW, January 23 (RIA Novosti) - A British company has developed a water cannon which could be used to prevent pirates from boarding commercial ships at sea, the BBC reported.

MOSCOW, July 30 (RIA Novosti) - Zoloto Kamchatki...

MOSCOW, July 30 (RIA Novosti) - Zoloto Kamchatki, the gold mining arm of the Renova asset management group controlled by billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, said on Wednesday it intended to hold an initial public offering in 2009. Zoloto Kamchatki, with a current market capitalization of around $1 billion, intends to offer a blocking interest of 25% to investors to raise $250-270 million for further development, the company"s CEO, Andrei Shutov said. The company currently invests in its development using its own funds and loans. The company"s liabilities stand at $50 million. Zoloto Kamchatki expects to increase annual gold output to 12 metric tons by 2012, Shutov said, adding that the company"s gold reserves would suffice for 20 years of stable operations. Zoloto Kamchatki reported an 80% increase in revenues in 2007 to 1.15 billion rubles ($48 million), with net profit amounting to 93.1 million rubles ($4 million). The company produced around 2 metric tons of gold in 2007 or 64% more than in 2006.

MOSCOW, July 3 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s...

MOSCOW, July 3 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s foreign debt fell by $8.4 billion to $475.1 billion in the first six months of 2009, the Central Bank said on Friday.

MOSCOW, June 30 (RIA Novosti) - A Proton-M...

MOSCOW, June 30 (RIA Novosti) - A Proton-M rocket with a U.S. telecommunications satellite will be launched on Tuesday from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, the Russian Federal Space Agency said.

MOSCOW, June 8 (RIA Novosti) - Scientists...

MOSCOW, June 8 (RIA Novosti) - Scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) are finishing repairs to the Large Hadron Collider, which has been out of operation since September, CERN said on its website.

MOSCOW, May 23 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian...

MOSCOW, May 23 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian Rokot carrier rocket with three military satellites and one civilian satellite has been successfully launched from the Plesetsk space center in northwest Russia, the Russian Space Forces said on Friday.

MOSCOW, May 4 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s Reserve...

MOSCOW, May 4 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s Reserve Fund shrank by 13.7% to 3.551 trillion rubles ($106.81 billion), and the National Prosperity Fund declined by 1.6% to 2.869 trillion rubles ($86.3 billion) in April, the Finance Ministry said on Monday. The Reserve Fund was set up to cushion the federal budget against a fall in oil prices, and the National Prosperity Fund was designed to help the government carry out pension reforms. So far this year, Russia has spent 1 trillion rubles ($30.3 billion) from the Reserve Fund to cover the federal budget deficit, the Finance Ministry said. It said a total of 1.6 trillion rubles would be spent from the Reserve Fund to cover the deficit in the first half of 2009 alone. Russia posted a budget deficit of 50 billion rubles ($1.5 billion), or 0.1% of gross domestic product, in the first quarter of this year. Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin earlier said budget spending had increased in the first quarter as the government allocated additional funds for anti-crisis measures, in particular measures to support the pension system, regional governments and key sectors of the economy, such as the defense complex and the auto industry. He said the largest budget deficits were expected in the second, third, and possibly fourth quarters, as the government spends more on anti-crisis measures. The minister said the projected 7.4% federal budget deficit in 2009 would be covered by the Reserve Fund.

MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s...

MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s Reserve Fund decreased 3.7% to 2.298 trillion rubles ($76.37 billion) while the National Welfare Fund shrank 0.9% to 2.764 trillion rubles ($91.86 billion) in September, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday.

MOSCOW, October 5 (RIA Novosti) - Wives...

MOSCOW, October 5 (RIA Novosti) - Wives of four Russian sailors kept on board the Arctic Sea ship, which was hijacked in the Atlantic in July, have asked Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to authorize their immediate return home.

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti defense commentator...

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti defense commentator Viktor Litovkin) - The Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology (MITT), a major center largely responsible for the nation"s strategic deterrent capability, has turned 60 - a milestone that calls for retrospections and assessments.

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti military commentator...

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti military commentator Ilya Kramnik) - The nuclear submarine K-152 Nerpa has joined the Russian Navy. The new Project 971U boat is planned to be leased to India, to which it will sail next summer. An Indian crew will undergo training aboard it before the hand-over ceremony.

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator...

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Andrei Kislyakov) - The successful Independence Day launch of the U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery has temporarily restored the "heartbeat" of the American manned space program.

MOSCOW, (RIA Novosti political commentator Andrei Kislyakov)

MOSCOW, September 14 (RIA Novosti) - Russia...

MOSCOW, September 14 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will launch a new meteorological satellite on Tuesday, starting the process of restoring the country"s weather forecasting capabilities, the Federal Space Agency Roscosmos said on Monday.

MOSCOW, September 21 (RIA Novosti) -- Russian...

MOSCOW, September 21 (RIA Novosti) -- Russian and Chinese warships have completed a joint anti-piracy exercise which involved escorting a convoy of 23 merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden, a Pacific Fleet official said on Monday.

MOSCOW, September 24 (RIA Novosti) - The...

MOSCOW, September 24 (RIA Novosti) - The world's largest particle collider has been shut down due to a helium leak into the tunnel housing the device and will not be restarted until spring, the operator's press service said. (Large Hadron Collider - Image gallery) (VIDEO)

No matter what happens with Polish-Russian...

No matter what happens with Polish-Russian relations, Moscow will be concerned by the deployment of U.S. Patriot missiles near Kaliningrad, a senior member of Russian parliament said on Friday.

Russia and India signed on Friday a host...

Russia and India signed on Friday a host of high-profile deals during Prime Minister Vladimir Putin"s working visit to the country.

Russia has launched a cargo module to the...

Russia has launched a cargo module to the International Space Station (ISS), mission control said on Wednesday.

Russia is not offended by the lack of an...

Russia is not offended by the lack of an invitation to attend a G8 meeting of finance ministers in Canada on February 5-8, Deputy Finance Minister Dmitry Pankin said on Wednesday.

Russian army sappers render harmless some...

Russian army sappers render harmless some 100,000 mines and other forms of ammunition every year, an Armed Forces official said on Saturday.

Russian oil output rose 1.2% to 494 million...

Russian oil output rose 1.2% to 494 million metric tons (3.63 bln bbl), and natural gas production declined 12.1% to 584 billion cubic meters in 2009 year-on-year, the country"s statistics service said on Friday.

Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta...

Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta has said it was the target of a hacker attack after its web site crashed on Tuesday.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin could...

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin could lead Russia"s bid to host the 2018 football World Cup, a first deputy prime minister said Wednesday.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has...

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has approved new rules on the sales and use of pyrotechnics more than two weeks after a deadly nightclub fire killed at least 150 people in the Urals.

Russia"s economy could grow by as much as...

Russia"s economy could grow by as much as 4-4.5% in 2010 compared with the government"s forecast of 3-3.5%, an Economic Development Ministry official said on Tuesday.

Russia should qualify from its Euro 2012...

Russia should qualify from its Euro 2012 qualifying group in first place, Arsenal forward Andrei Arshavin said after the team were paired with Ireland, Slovakia, Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra.

Russia"s largest private crude producer...

Russia"s largest private crude producer LUKoil abandoned the Anaran oil project in Iran due to international sanctions, the company said on Wednesday.

Russia sold Eurobonds worth $5.5 billion...

Russia sold Eurobonds worth $5.5 billion for the first time since the country defaulted on its obligations in 1998, banking sources told RIA Novosti on Thursday.

Sevastopol, a city on the Crimean Peninsula...

Sevastopol, a city on the Crimean Peninsula where the Russian Black Sea Fleet is based, gave the start to the St. George ribbon campaign in Ukraine on Saturday.

Somali pirates on Wednesday attacked and...

Somali pirates on Wednesday attacked and seized the Russian tanker Moskovsky Universitet in the Gulf of Aden, a Navy source said.

Space tourists will be able again to fly...

Space tourists will be able again to fly on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the international orbital station in two to three years, Russia"s top space official said on Friday.

STAR CITY (Moscow Region), November 26 (RIA...

STAR CITY (Moscow Region), November 26 (RIA Novosti) - The main and backup crews for the next mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will begin on Thursday their final tests at a space training center near Moscow.

ST. PETERSBURG, June 21 (RIA Novosti) -...

ST. PETERSBURG, June 21 (RIA Novosti) - Rossiya Airlines, a St. Petersburg-based air carrier, plans to buy four A320 Airbus planes in 2008, a senior company official said Thursday. Gennady Boldyrev, first deputy director general at Rossiya Airlines, said an initial protocol had already been signed and a contract was being drawn up. The airline is expected to obtain the first A320 jet in November 2008. Boldyrev said his company would buy Tu-204-300 planes for private carriage, using federal budget funds. Rossiya also expects to receive three long-haul Boeing-767 aircraft later this year. The Airbus A320 is a medium-haul airliner with a passenger capacity of up to 120 and an average flight range of about 3,000 miles. Rossiya Airlines was established in 2006 through a merger between Pulkovo Aviation Company in St. Petersburg and Moscow"s Russia State Transport Company. Its pool has 52 passenger aircraft, including five Boeing 737 and two Airbus A-319 planes. At this week"s air show at Le Bourget outside Paris, Russia"s flagship airline Aeroflot signed a contract with Airbus to buy 22 A350 passenger planes and Russia"s S7 Airlines (formerly Sibir) said it would purchase 25 A320 planes.

Talks between Moscow and Washington on Russia"s...

Talks between Moscow and Washington on Russia"s accession to the World Trade Organization should be raised to a top political level as negotiating experts have failed to agree on the issue, a Russian first vice-premier said on Wednesday.

Terrorists will not be allowed to destabilize...

Terrorists will not be allowed to destabilize the situation in Russia, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday following two double bombings in Dagestan and Moscow.

The G20 is ready to send immediate aid to...

The G20 is ready to send immediate aid to Haiti, devastated by a powerful earthquake that may have left thousands dead.

The head of a leading Russian privately-held...

The head of a leading Russian privately-held bank said on Thursday that a new financial bubble was emerging in Russia and could threaten its economic recovery.

The Moscow city government has denied three...

The Moscow city government has denied three opposition groups permission to hold a rally on Thursday, threatening to deal harshly with any attempts to hold it, the mayor"s office said on Wednesday.

The new president of Russian football"s...

The new president of Russian football"s governing body will be elected in Moscow on Wednesday in a vote that will decide the future of national team coach Guus Hiddink.

The ultimatum by the interim Kyrgyz government...

The ultimatum by the interim Kyrgyz government for ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev to surrender looks more like the beginning of a trade-off than a prelude to a civil war, a leading Russian Central Asia expert, Arkady Dubnov, told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.