The phrase of President Putin that “both traditional denominations and the nuclear shield of Russia are those components that strengthen Russian statehood” turned out to be the most of the way for the organizers of the round table “The role of theological education and science in the development of Russian civil society”, which took place on February 8 in Tula.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov was elected President of Turkmenistan, reports RIA Novosti. Elected almost unanimously - 89.7% of voters voted for the candidacy of Berdimuhammedov, who was the acting President of Turkmenistan before the elections. His closest rival Amanniyaz Atadzhikov received less than four percent of the votes.

Deputies from A Just Russia introduced a bill to the State Duma establishing administrative liability for coercion to join a political party. They propose a fine from 5 to 30 minimum wages. A controversial initiative, so to speak. Why, one might ask, a special law? It seems that we already have liability for blackmail, and criminal liability at that. And then, how can this be? Today, of course, we are fighting against United Russia, but tomorrow we will suddenly be able to surpass it.

Vladimir Putin's triumphant speech to reporters last Thursday demonstrates the Russian president's impressive achievements. In particular, he noted that GDP growth, which amounted to almost seven percent in 2006, was achieved not only due to high energy prices, but also due to domestic demand for consumer goods and real estate.

Estonian President Toomaa Hendrika Ilves stated that the draft law “On Prohibited Structures” contradicts the provisions of the Estonian Constitution. The president said his weighty word after parliament approved in the second reading the bill “On Prohibited Structures,” which provides for the demolition of the monument to the Liberator Warrior in the center of Tallinn. The third reading is due on February 15, but then ratification of the law by the president is required.

The Italian press has already dubbed the book “The Ratzinger Code.” The theologian, who wrote much of the work back in 2003, before his accession to the papacy, defends the idea that the image of Christ proposed in the Gospels is “much more logical and, from a historical point of view, much clearer than the reconstructions that we have encountered in recent decades " In Italy and the USA, the book is scheduled for release at the end of March.

Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov signed a decree to stop the operation of the Cherkizovsky market, RIA Novosti reports. So they will cover up a bright reminder of the time when we all dressed in such markets. There will be no more “imported” tights for 100 rubles per ten and “branded” blouses for 300. Probably, not everyone is happy with this turn of events. But those who definitely won’t be upset are the residents of nearby houses.

It is necessary to write such a textbook so that an atheist teacher, after leafing through it, will be inflamed with professional interest, believes A. Kuraev. “I even came up with a name - “The Terrible Law of God,” he joked. In his opinion, this should be “a cultural excursion, a kind of story.” At the same time, the teacher does not have to be a church person at all.

The Veche came to the conclusion that relations within the Council of the Circle of Pagan Tradition (CPT) have reached a dead end and are of no interest to the community in the foreseeable future. The Commonwealth needs to work on creating its own structure. Therefore, it was decided to leave the KYT, an organization that a couple of years ago united “peaceful” pagans. The essence of the conflict is kept secret by the community in order “not to support unnecessary public controversy...

VTsIOM found out how Russians view morality. It turned out that two-thirds of citizens believe that “in recent years, the moral climate in society has changed for the worse,” and as many as 76% of respondents are convinced that only urgent government intervention can change the situation. It is simply amazing that people so unanimously dream of entrusting the administrative machine with the solution of, in fact, their deeply personal problems.

The wife of the mayor of Moscow, Elena Baturina, filed lawsuits against the editors of Forbes magazine and personally against the publication’s editor-in-chief Maxim Kashulinsky. In both claims, she demands to pay her 106,500 rubles - at the rate of 1 ruble for each ((http://www.ej.ru/comments/entry/5514/ copy of the December issue of Forbes magazine)), Vedomosti writes.

The former head of MENATEP, Platon Lebedev, obtained permission to request the documents he needed for his defense from government agencies. Previously, an investigator from the Prosecutor General's Office refused to allow Lebedev to make such requests, but the Ingodinsky District Court of Chita declared the investigator's actions illegal.