Wal-Mart Senior Vice President Leo Hasis-The New Times Ours in Bentonville. The appointment of the ex-head of the X5 Retail Group Leo Hasis for the post of senior vice president of Wal-Mart was last autumn of a real sensation in the world of business. The Russian top manager has never occupied such a high post, not just in large, but in the largest corporation in the world.

“Gorbachev freed us! We will come to you soon!” - I remember how the voice of my mother rang in the receiver, who called from Ust-Koksa, a small regional center in Gorny Altai, where she and my father lived in exile by court order. July 1987 It was a time of euphoria: perestroika, glasnost had begun, the film “Repentance” had already been shown, prisoners were returning home from camps and exile. The air really smelled of freedom.

"Yes, it protects our laws." The Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II celebrated 60 years from the date of ascent of the throne. Now the subjects of Her Majesty have been reminded of the “diamond” date of the gun salute, the anniversary postage stamps entered on sale, and the new documentary of the BBC “Diamond Queen” (The Diamond Queen).

"Putin must defeat the first round." During the week, there were five times more reports on the preparatory falsifications in the presidential election in the “map of violations”. The number of complaints of coercion to vote for Putin from employees of state corporations and officials is growing. From those to whom the chief candidate could rely without violence: even anonymous complaints they are afraid to write themselves and turn to loved ones for help.

Expertise Sergey Guriev “In my opinion, we have no political prisoners, thank God, although they talk about this all the time without naming surnames,” said Prime Minister Vladimir Putin candidate for presidential presidentials. “At least they showed at least one person who sits for political reasons,” the prime minister added.

The editors of The New Times congratulate the regular columnist of the magazine Viktor Shenderovich on the birth of his grandson, Yuri Nikolayevich. We wish Shenderovich to be a happy grandfather!