After 13 years of painful negotiations, Russia achieved agreement from the United States to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). Reuters reported this on November 10, citing the head of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), Alexander Shokhin. Here is the answer to all the statements of analysts that after the victory of the Democrats in the American Congress, we will not see the WTO as our ears.

The transition of the US Congress to Democratic control and the subsequent immediate resignation of the main ideologist of the Iraq War, Donald Rumsfeld, provide an opportunity to reflect on several important topics at once. For example, that in some states there is a force that can overrule even the most stubborn head of state. George Bush, as you know, stood up for his Secretary of Defense.

Some people lose lighters, gloves, scarves and virginity. George W. Bush lost allegiance on Wednesday. In my opinion, the most attractive quality he had. By firing Donald Rumsfeld, the US President once again proved that the concept of “betrayal” does not exist in politics. The departed Rumsfeld is a savior for the current administration in all respects. Like ballast on a hot air balloon that must be dropped as a last resort.

I know - it’s banal rudeness to hide behind names like those at the beginning of the article. But judge for yourself. Just recently we experienced the death of Anna Politkovskaya. On the Sunday following this, many of you came up to me on Pushkin Square during a picket-rally and said something like this: “Well, stop denouncing me! And so everything is clear. You write what needs to be done!

The social department of the Institute of Public Design conducted research (15,000 respondents) indicating that the ratio of believers and atheists in Russia has changed dramatically: in 1991, approximately a third of society considered themselves believers, now - more than half. If we take the Orthodox, then people differ in the degree of religiosity: active, so-called.

It was a hot day in Jerusalem today: more than 12 thousand police officers were put on alert. And the whole point is that Muslims are approaching “Friday prayer”, and against the backdrop of recent events, they are afraid of clashes between Muslims and Jews. In addition, Jerusalem gays will take part in the “pride parade” today, and Orthodox Jews do not like gays, and neither do Muslims.

In addition, “The Other Russia” accepted ((http://www.ej.ru/comments/entry/5321/ appeal)) to the country’s leadership demanding that they abandon those innovations in the electoral legislation that contradict the Constitution of the Russian Federation - on the abolition majoritarian districts, lowering the turnout threshold, etc. The march on December 16 is planned to include the widest possible participation of various parties and movements in opposition to the current government.

The European Court of Human Rights found Russia guilty in two “Chechen cases.” The first case concerned the death of nurse Nura Lulueva, who disappeared in Grozny in 2000. The second case is the disappearance of father and son Imakaev in 2002 and 2000, respectively.

In St. Petersburg, “unknown attackers” posted posters around the city depicting a girl very similar to the nine-year-old Tajik girl who died at the hands of nationalists in February 2004. Under the portrait there is text: “My dad trades in the market. We went out into the yard to play and they killed me because I wasn’t like them.” The posters have already been taken down, and they are looking for the “intruders.” Only, given the situation with nationalist sentiments in St.

Next week, Putin and Bush will meet twice. Moreover, the first meeting is more like a fleeting date: on November 15, Putin will literally drive up to the steps of the American president’s plane, which will stop in Russia to refuel. They will have 45 minutes to do everything about everything. What can you do during this time: express condolences about the victory of the Democrats, quickly discuss Russia’s accession to the WTO?

The head of the Russian Central Election Commission, Alexander Veshnyakov, spoke out against the abolition of the minimum threshold for voter turnout. At a meeting with journalists in Washington, Veshnyakov cautiously called the United Russia initiative somewhat “premature.” And in general, he doesn’t really like our electoral legislation: they removed “against all” in vain, and they messed something up with dual citizenship.

On November 14, the first hearings in the case of Ryzhik’s murder will take place in the Cheryomushkinsky Court of Moscow. The story is as sad as life: the dog Ryzhik lived near the Konkovo ​​metro station, she was fed and loved, and the security guard Surkov took her and beat her to death in front of the amazed public. It may seem that they are doing something stupid: they feel sorry for the dog, but when no one cares about people, the trial of the dog’s killer seems absurd.

Over the 15 years of church revival, neither a church-wide systemic concept of Christian education nor a targeted policy regarding Orthodox schools and gymnasiums has been developed. Moreover, these same schools are not even mentioned in the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, as if they do not exist.

Igor Dmitrievich Sergeev headed the Russian military department from 1997 to 2001. This was a period when the state practically stopped funding the Armed Forces: officers did not receive salaries for six months. Thanks in no small part to Sergeev, it was possible to maintain control over the army and save it from collapse. Moreover, it was then that the production and deployment of the new Topol-M missile system began, which will form the basis of the country’s nuclear forces.