Tales from the summer Russians told Lenta.ru how they survived the August 1998 default Store counter in Moscow, 1998. Photo: Sergey Mikheev / Kommersant, archive On August 17, 1998, a technical default was declared in Russia . The ruble instantly depreciated and prices soared. Some had to live from hand to mouth, some managed to exchange rubles for dollars at the last moment, some were imprisoned for fraud - its readers told Lenta.ru about how they lived in difficult times.

TV presenter Sergei Minaev denied the statement of actress Liya Akhedzhakova that he allegedly advocated the execution of all “white ribbon activists.” As stated in Minaev’s Facebook post , he never communicated with Akhedzhakova.

Currently, the most abundant city in the Moscow region with retail space is Reutov, where there are 1,112 square meters in shopping centers per 1,000 residents. This is stated in a study by the consulting company Welhome. According to the review, Mytishchi is in second position with an indicator of 623 square meters. The third place is occupied by Elektrostal (354 square meters per 1000 people), fourth by Krasnogorsk (280 square meters), fifth by Kolomna (269 square meters).

The “Friday” TV channel will end the reality show “Vacations in Mexico” on September 1. As the head of ProfMedia TV and the creator of the TV channel Nikolai Kartozia said on August 20, “Friday” will not film a continuation of the project, ITAR-TASS reports . At the same time, according to Kartozia, the format of the reality show will change before closing: the goal of the project participants will be to reach the end and win 5 million rubles.

The American company General Atomic announced the creation of a new nuclear reactor that can reduce the amount of radioactive waste by five times and at the same time provide 40 percent cheaper electricity. To bring the technology of high-temperature nuclear reactors to mass production, the company intends to obtain financial support from the US Department of Energy.

Ministry of Multiplication Paths What is Russian Railways and how much does it cost? Photo: Roman Yarovitsyn / Kommersant For several years now, there has been talk in Russia about the partial privatization of Russian Railways, one of the state monopolies that grew out of the Soviet ministry. Russian Railways itself is actively resisting the sale, fearing both pesky minority shareholders and market valuations.

Former Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Vladislav Surkov will soon return to the Kremlin as an assistant to the president on issues of innovative development, the Izvestia newspaper writes on Tuesday, August 20, citing government sources.

The Ankor group, which is the developer of the construction of the Solnechny shopping and entertainment center in Novy Urengoy, will apply to be included in the Guinness Book of Records. As stated in the company's statement, the shopping center will become the largest in the Arctic region. The total area of ​​the complex, which is positioned as a “lifestyle center,” will be 40.14 thousand square meters (rentable area – 31 thousand square meters).

On a peasant farm in northern Tajikistan, unknown assailants shot and killed a family of five. Avesta reports this. The murder was committed on the night of Tuesday, August 20, in the Isfara region (near the border with Kyrgyzstan). According to preliminary data, there were several criminals. The victims, according to Asia-Plus, were watchman Abdukakhhor Khalokov, his wife, two grandchildren and another relative. The motive for the murder is still unknown.

I'll cut your ass off How 4chan and Reddit users are bringing justice to the world Source: Arris Messinis/AFP Revenge is one of the main distinguishing characteristics of Anonymous. Regulars of anonymous forums now and then launch “raids” on those who, in their opinion, are doing wrong: racists, negligent parents and other villains, and sometimes even innocent people. The latest target of the avengers was an American schoolboy who kicked a kitten.

New York police have confiscated the largest shipment of weapons in the city's history. reported this on August 20 Reuters , citing the mayor of the city, Michael Bloomberg. According to the mayor, a total of 254 guns were seized and 19 people were arrested in connection with the illegal supply in New York. The operation to uncover the criminal gang was launched in early August, when police began making arrests in the states of New York and North and South Carolina.

Deputy General Director for Exposition and Exhibition Work of the State Tretyakov Gallery Andrei Vorobyov has been appointed art director of the Manege Moscow Exhibition Centre. This was reported on the website of the Moscow Department of Culture. Vorobyov at the head of the museum and exhibition complex replaced the curator, a specialist in the Russian avant-garde, Marina Loshak, who in July 2013 headed the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.

World champion in the 4x400 meter relay, Russian Ksenia Ryzhova, said that her kiss with her team partner Yulia Gushchina was not a protest against the law on gay propaganda. reports this ITAR-TASS . According to Ryzhova, after winning the home world championship, her emotions went wild and at some point during the award ceremony she touched Gushchina’s lips with her lips. “I don’t know whose imagination could give birth to such an opinion (about the protest).

In Estonia, the operation to tow the stranded sailing ship Blue Sirius, which is more than 100 years old, has been completed. The local television channel Delfi reported this with reference to the owner of the vessel, Peeter Kruusvalli, on August 20. The ship stuck in the Gulf of Finland was loaded onto pontoons and towed to the port of Noblessner. There, according to Kruusvalli, after assessing the damage, the ship will undergo a restoration process.

Ukrainian experts considered rumors about the abolition of compulsory secondary education to be unfounded. Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes about this. The possibility of changing the corresponding article of the constitution guaranteeing the right to education was previously announced by the former Minister of Education of Ukraine Stanislav Nikolaenko.