Conscript soldier Mikhail Sharapov died in the Rostov region. According to the company commander, Mikhail accidentally “fell out of the window.” A criminal case has been opened, including the possibility of suicide. And on April 25, in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, another conscript soldier was found hanged. At the nuclear reactor in Krasnoyarsk, suicide among conscripts has become practically a system.

What is good for Germans is professional failure for Russians. The German Political Foundation Heinrich Böll awarded the lawyer Yuri Schmidt prestigious award named after the founder of the Green Party, Petra Kelly. At the end of last week, an award ceremony and reception took place in Berlin in honor of the famous Russian human rights activist. Yuri Schmidt became the fifth laureate of the honorary political prize, traditionally awarded by the Böll Foundation every two years.

Russia takes over the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Sergei Lavrov arrived in Strasbourg today to participate in the 116th session of the committee. In the ten years that Russia has been a member of the Council, this is the first time we have chaired it. The task is not trivial: Russia is regularly criticized by the same Council of Europe for violating human rights - numerous claims by Russians are being considered by the Strasbourg court.

Yesterday, on the day of the fight against homophobia, the human rights organization Human Rights Watch published a list called “hall of shame” - Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov also found a place of honor on this list. The reason is the words of Yuri Mikhailovich that he intends to prevent the gay pride parade from being held in Moscow.

On the one hand, there is an obvious fight against NGOs, on the other, the authorities are creating some strange public organizations under the government. The meaning of their activities remains a mystery: this is how the decision was made to create a Youth Public Chamber. She intends to prepare a personnel reserve for the authorities and put forward her own proposals for the formation of state policy.

Will there be a third term or not? As is known, this is the main question of Russian political philosophy. Moreover, a sign (proof) of a deep neurosis (or a more serious nervous illness) of our political system is that none of the responsible Russian politicians dares to ask this question out loud.

Today the sky will fall to Earth and the Danube will flow backwards! Today, around the world, millions of people will storm the box office to watch The Da Vinci Code. All fundraising records will be broken, at least in the first days. But even if the film turns out to be such bullshit, as claimed by 2 thousand journalists in Cannes, who en masse booed it after the pre-premiere screening, hundreds of millions of dollars will still be guaranteed to the filmmakers.

Our armed forces are perceived almost as a punitive body. If you used to contact the appropriate authorities, now, if you are annoyed by a young man under 27 years old, there is a great opportunity - just go and “snitch” on the military registration and enlistment office. In this way, the authorities systematically ((http://www.ej.ru/vision/entry/3653/) reason with young activists) of opposition parties.

The purpose of the action, which is held in nine Russian cities from May 11 to 26, is to improve mutual understanding between Russians and residents of the Alliance countries. Today the conference “Russia-NATO: joining forces” is due to take place; on this occasion, a communist protest under the slogan “NATO is our enemy” is already taking place near the MGIMO building.

Through the efforts of Luzhkov, Moscow, as usual, will find itself in a special position. The mayor personally promised that Muscovites would receive the money promised by the president for the birth of a second child immediately, while the rest would have to wait until the child turns three years old. Moreover, in Moscow 250 thousand will be given out not only for the birth of a second child, but also for the third, fourth and any subsequent ones.

“Our faith shows that we get rid of sins, but we certainly do not lose our minds,” Tom Hanks said philosophically at a press conference in Cannes. The actor admitted that he and his wife, Hollywood actress Rita Wilson, are members of the Greek Orthodox community. He does not feel any pressure from his church. The film “The Da Vinci Code,” according to the actor, should be regarded as entertainment, encouraging people to think and debate, “but not take it for the gospel truth.”