The decision that satisfied the claim of the residents of the Babushkinsky microdistrict was made in March 2007. But the residents probably play the role of extras in this performance: the conflict is fueled by radical Orthodox-patriotic organizations that are waging a “people's siege,” allegedly fearing that the institute where they study 300-400 people, will contribute to “changing the religious balance in Moscow.” Now opponents of the construction intend to appeal.

“I think, really, thank God, there are no conflicts. We have different views on how to solve certain problems. But on both sides there is a desire to solve these problems. In my opinion, this is already quite good,” Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Cui Prodest? Who benefits from organizing or staging the failed terrorist act in Moscow for the holiday of May 9? What was required to show? What is the officially established world in Chechnya fragile and President Ramzan Kadyrov does not control the situation, since there are still forces that can finance and organize a powerful terrorist network in Dagestan-Chechen-Moscow? Or, on the contrary, can only the current president of Chechnya can handle terrorists?

Viktor Gerashchenko will participate in the Russian presidential elections as an opposition candidate. Gerashchenko is a well-known economist, financier, former head of the Central Bank of Russia, and currently chairman of the Board of Directors of the Yukos company. He announced his decision to participate in the future presidential elections at the round table “The role of the opposition in the change of power in 2008,” which was held on May 15 at the Budapest Hotel.

In the military department, apparently, a big shake-up is gaining momentum. In the three months that have passed since the appointment of Anatoly Serdyukov as Minister of Defense, the head of the main department of international military cooperation, Anatoly Mazurkevich, and the deputy minister and chief of armaments, General Alexei Moskovsky, have already lost their positions. Air Force Commander-in-Chief Mikhailov has just been fired.

For the fifth day in Samara, two organizers of the “March of Dissent”, which will take place in the city on May 18, cannot be found. Police officers detained Igor Shchuk and Evgenia Kasaurova at 2 a.m. on May 9, when they were posting leaflets. Until now, Igor and Evgenia’s comrades do not know where they are: they are not in the police department or in the temporary detention centers of Samara, Novaya Gazeta writes.

There will be no negotiations on a new partnership and cooperation agreement with Russia at the Russia-EU summit in Samara.

Iran has begun enriching uranium on a much larger scale than previously thought, IAEA inspectors have come to this conclusion, writes the New York Times. In Natanz, as inspectors were convinced, 1,300 uranium enrichment centrifuges actually operate, and their products are suitable as fuel for nuclear power plants. True, the uranium Tehran has needs further enrichment.

Governor of St. Petersburg Valentina Matvienko ordered St. Petersburg officials to travel by metro. True, only once a month - they were ordered to start on July 1. Moreover, Matveenko herself also promises to use public transport every month. The argument is that you need to be with your people, at least sometimes, otherwise, according to tradition, they are “terribly far away.” What, I wonder, were the St. Petersburg officials so terribly guilty of?

The combined delegation of the ROCOR included seven hierarchs, 58 priests and 21 deacons. In addition, about 600 parishioners of the Church Abroad are taking part in the trip. A little earlier, part of the delegation led by Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany arrived in Moscow from Munich. Today Metropolitan Laurus will meet with Alexy II. Tomorrow he will attend the Divine Liturgy at the Danilov Monastery and visit the Donskaya Monastery and the Sretensky Monastery.

Co-owner of Russneft Mikhail Gutseriev is accused of tax evasion on an especially large scale. As Vedomosti writes, charges were filed on February 12, but they became known only now. Gutseriev incurred the wrath of the Kremlin by purchasing the assets of Yukos before its bankruptcy, which led to a conflict with Rosneft and Lukoil. In addition, the obstinate businessman in 2006 refused to sell RussNeft to one of the government agencies for $1 billion, calling the price ridiculous.