In the Georgian village of Akura (located in the Kakheti region, in the eastern part of the country), unknown persons on the night of Thursday, February 7, threw a bust of Stalin from its pedestal and doused it with pink paint. Georgia-Online reports this. According to local residents, supporters of President Mikheil Saakashvili could have damaged the monument.

The Russian Ministry of Defense will carry out dock repairs of the cruiser Aurora, a symbol of the October Revolution of 1917. According to the Izvestia newspaper, the corresponding decision was made by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The estimated cost of the work is about 400 million rubles.

Dave Grohl, frontman of the Foo Fighters and drummer for Queens of the Stone Age, said that Elton John took part in the recording of the latter's album. NME reports this. The collaboration became known during Grohl's interview with Elton John, which the ex-Nirvana drummer conducted as a guest host of the Chelsea Lately television show.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has authorized Boeing to conduct a one-time test flight of the B-787 Dreamliner. Business Insider reports this with reference to the Boeing press service. Previously, the country's Ministry of Transport doubted that Boeing would receive such permission until the end of the investigation into the causes of battery failure on the Dreamliner.

A clock counting down to the start of the Olympic Games. Sochi, February 6, 2013. Photo: Vladimir Pesnya / RIA Novosti A ceremony was held in Moscow to launch the clock counting down to the start of the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi. reports this RIA Novosti . The launch of the watch is timed to coincide with the fact that the Olympics will begin exactly one year later - February 7, 2014.

In Moscow and the Moscow region, based on the results of 2012, the list of the most stolen cars has changed. As reported on Thursday, February 7, according to a press release from the Alliance insurance company, the most popular car among car thieves turned out to be Mercedes G-Class SUVs. The Lexus LS sedan took second place in popularity in the capital region, and the Mercedes R-class crossover took third place.

American heavyweight boxer Jonathon Banks, who is the trainer of Ukrainian Vladimir Klitschko, refused to fight with his compatriot Seth Mitchell. This was reported by Boxingscene.com. On November 17, 2012, Banks and Mitchell already met in the ring. The fight ended in victory for 30-year-old Banks. Mitchell then agreed on a rematch, but on February 6, Banks broke his finger in training.

A bill to return winter time will be submitted to the State Duma in the near future, Izvestia wrote on February 7, citing anonymous sources in the government and the presidential administration.

The court of the city of Boryspil, Kiev region, decided to arrest the former Prime Minister of Tajikistan Abdumalik Abdulladzhanov, RIA Novosti reports citing the press service of the regional prosecutor's office. Abdulladzhanov was taken into custody for 40 days. Before this period expires, Tajikistan must turn to Ukraine with a request to extradite the ex-prime minister.

In January, the price of secondary residential real estate in Moscow increased in rubles and dollars. As stated in the review of the analytics and consulting department of the NDV-Real Estate company, due to the depreciation of the dollar, the increase in the cost of secondary housing over the month turned out to be more noticeable in dollar terms. Experts note that due to the New Year holidays, the first half of the month was relatively calm.

During 2011-2012, the Town Planning and Land Commission (GZK) of Moscow terminated investment contracts concluded under the previous capital authorities for the construction of 11.5 million square meters of real estate for various purposes. As Interfax reports , the mayor of the capital, Sergei Sobyanin, announced this at the board of the construction complex.

Star Wars creator George Lucas may sell his shares in The Walt Disney Company. According to Agence France-Presse , the director's trust fund applied for permission for the transaction from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The 37.1 million shares are valued at $2.02 billion. The news agency emphasized that applying to the SEC does not mean that Lucas will necessarily sell the specified stake.

Amedeo Modigliani's 1919 Portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne, which depicts the artist's muse and lover, sold at Christie's evening auction in London on Thursday, February 7, for $42.3 million (26.9 million euros), Agence France reports. Presse . The final price of the film significantly exceeded the preliminary estimate of 25.6 - 35.2 million dollars.

Oleg Shatov (in red) during the match Russia - Iceland on February 6, 2013. Photo: Jorge Guerrero / AFP The Russian national football team won its first game of 2013. On Wednesday, Fabio Capello's team won a friendly match with the Iceland team with a score of 2:0. The Russians scored goals from midfielders Roman Shirokov in the 43rd minute and Oleg Shatov in the 66th minute. The game took place in Marbella, Spain.

Actress Lucy Lawless, best known for her role in the TV series Xena: Warrior Princess, was sentenced to 120 hours of community service and a fine of NZ$651 ($547) for "hijacking" a drilling ship bound for the Arctic. reported this on February 7 The Associated Press . The remaining seven environmentalists who participated in the action were sentenced to the same punishment. Lawless said she considered the court's decision a "total victory," The New Zealand Herald writes.