In society The last act May 15, 2006 Alexey Makarkin The Russian Orthodox Church abroad (ROCZ) is still united with the Moscow Patriarchate. Some call this event a stage milestone in church history, others - the actual Anschluss organized by Moscow (with the patronage of secular power in the person of Vladimir Putin) in a close union with most foreign bishops, others pay attention to the fact that no binding decisions on the All -"Cathedral were made.

The resolution of the All-Diaspora Unification Council calls on the Russian Orthodox Church to resolve the issue of participation in the World Council of Churches, which is “embarrassing” the clergy and flock of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.

The news of the simultaneous cleaning in four law enforcement agencies (FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, customs and the prosecutor's office) and the Federation Council coincided with the appointment of a new head of the Federal Customs Service. Drawn as one information message, they had to create the impression of a planned special operation.

Consideration of amendments to laws that would allow governors to control city mayors has been postponed until the fall. This legislative initiative of United Russia outraged many; three constituent entities of the Russian Federation opposed the new law for the simple reason that, if you look at it impartially, it obviously contradicts the Constitution.

So, Gazprom again (for the umpteenth time in recent years?) announced that it would raise the price of gas sold to Belarus. Today the “brotherly price” is $46 per 1000 cubic meters. As is known, gas is sold to Europe for $230. They intend to demand 145-150 dollars from Belarus. Gazprom’s formal goal is to use this blackmail to finally wrest control over Beltransgaz, the state gas company of Belarus, from the “father”, which, by the way, Lukashenko promised a thousand times to give to Gazprom.

Recently, everyone was actively discussing the union of old women with skinheads on the basis of homophobia, but it looks like the fun is just beginning. The Moscow City Hall has received an application to hold a “Procession in defense of the rights of gays and lesbians” on May 27 (the International Day against Homophobia, Fascism and Xenophobia). The organizers say that the action will take place even if there is a ban from the authorities.

Only 26 percent of British residents are satisfied with Tony Blair's performance as head of government. This is the lowest level of any Labor government since 1960. In this regard, the British Prime Minister announced that he intended to leave his post early - in the summer of 2007. Blair is sacrificing himself for the future Labor leader, he wants to step down to give his successor time to prepare for the 2009 elections.

Today the presentation of the book "Nord-Ost. An Unfinished Investigation" took place. It is based on the results of an investigation conducted by people who suffered as a result of the terrorist attack at the Dubrovka Theater Center. Relatives of the victims are demanding official recognition that the hostage rescue operation ended in failure. They claim that facts and dates were falsified. In addition, the chemical composition of the gas is still unknown.

Yesterday in Moscow a conference “Fascism is a threat to the future of Russia” was held, organized by a number of human rights organizations, including: the Moscow Helsinki Group, Memorial and the political parties SPS, Yabloko, and the United Civil Front. Participants asked the authorities interesting questions: why are fascist marches in the country’s cities not stopped? Why do courts see hooliganism in the actions of obvious xenophobes?

Garry Kasparov, leader of the United Civil Front, on the message to the Federal Assembly of Russian President Vladimir Putin: Vladimir Putin began his address to the Federal Assembly by quoting American President Franklin Roosevelt.

Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun, head of the diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church in France, read a decree about this after the Liturgy on May 14 at the Assumption Cathedral in London. He was also appointed head ((http://www.dioceseinfo.org/ of the Sourozh diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church)), as well as chairman of the commission that will investigate the events in Sourozh, which led to the decision of part of the flock to go under the jurisdiction of Constantinople.

The “black list” was not enough for the European Union; now Alexander Lukashenko’s European accounts will also be frozen. According to the draft resolution, in addition to Lukashenko’s accounts in European banks, the accounts of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Belarus, the prosecutor, the head of the KGB, as well as officials of the presidential administration should be blocked. And then Putin recently announced that he was going to cut subsidies to the Belarusian economy.