Yevgeny Primakov testifies at the Hague Tribunal Yesterday, the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) heard an informed Russian witness - the Prime Minister of Russia during the Kosovo events, the former head of the Foreign Intelligence Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yevgeny Primakov.

The events of recent weeks in Ukraine are commented on by the head of the Ukrainian Institute of Global Strategies, Vadim KARASEV, for Vremya Novostey. - I would call what is happening a revolution of new social expectations. People are flocking to Yushchenko’s flag not because he appeals to voters as a person, but because they support the creation of a new civil society modeled on developed countries with broad economic freedoms and competition.

Forecast for the coming days A cyclone with warm air comes from the Atlantic to the western regions of European Russia, and already on Wednesday in the northwestern regions there is snow and sleet, with rain during the day, accumulation of sleet and slight ice at a daytime temperature of +2...-3oC. This air will arrive in the center of Russia about a day later; on Wednesday afternoon the frost will begin to weaken to -4...-9°C, and snowfall will begin.

The Stand-up Comedy festival has ended The entertainment that Moscow nightclubs offer today is quite diverse, although it is mainly focused on music of various styles and trends. However, modern dance programs and performances are appearing on club venues; the only thing missing is the conversational genre of Stand-up Comedy, popular in England and America. Last week, Afisha magazine held a Stand-up Comedy festival at the Club on Brestskaya.

Reservists are the main component of the Abkhaz army. Some of them prefer Sergei Bagapsh, others prefer Raul Khadzhimba. How might this affect the defense capability of an unrecognized republic? The Minister of Defense of Abkhazia, Vyacheslav ESHBA, answered questions from Vremya Novostey’s correspondent in Tbilisi, Mikhail VIGNANSKY. — There is a deep internal political crisis in Abkhazia.

Departments The Commission for Coordinating the Activities of Federal Executive Bodies in the Southern Federal District determined the functions, rights and responsibilities of the Regional Operational Headquarters for managing the counter-terrorism operation in the North Caucasus.

Anglo Gold Ashanti increases gold reserves in Russia The world's second largest gold mining company, South African company Anglo Gold Ashanti, continues to expand in Russia. The British Trans-Siberian Gold (TSG), owned by Anglo Gold (owned 30% of the shares), acquired the Angarsk Production Company, which holds a license to develop the Bogunayevskoye gold deposit in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

The political crisis is drowning the Ukrainian economy On the tenth day of Ukraine's political standoff over the presidential election, reconciliation appears increasingly unlikely. Yesterday, the opposition announced its withdrawal from negotiations, the resumption of the blockade of authorities and the “full mobilization” of its supporters.

Deputies may cancel cash registers for small businesses Cash registers may soon disappear from the shelves of small shops, hairdressers, car service centers and markets. The State Duma is ready to consider amendments to the Tax Code that exempt entrepreneurs working on imputed taxes from the obligation to use cash register equipment during the current session.

A normal person cannot rejoice at what is happening in Ukraine: the split of a neighboring country with which we are connected by thousands of threads. The inability of the authorities to hold democratic elections in such a way that their results could not be questioned is not a one-time event that was disrupted, it was a manifestation of a long-term inability to rule honestly, prevent corruption, and earn the trust of the people.

The gas monopoly may become an oil monopoly The circle is closed. The most valuable asset of YUKOS will be acquired by a company led by Sergei Bogdanchikov. This is what he himself announced yesterday. It’s hard not to remember how Mikhail Khodorkovsky in February 2003, at a meeting of entrepreneurs with Vladimir Putin, talking about Russian corruption, cited the example of Rosneft’s purchase of the small company Severnaya Neft.

Havana releases dissidents to be friends with EU Cuban authorities suddenly began releasing political prisoners from prison. On Monday, six dissidents were released due to health reasons. 12 more people were brought to Havana for medical examination from provincial prisons, who, it is suspected, will be released in the near future. One of the first to be released was 64-year-old Oscar Espinosa Chepe, who was sentenced last spring to 20 years in prison.

Frivolous music from Tuva, Finland and America On Wednesday and Thursday, at the old site of the Central House of Artists, where alternative life was seething in the late 90s, and now there are only occasional quiet bursts of it, the group “Huun-Huur-Tu” strums, dances and shamanizes. It is now such skillful people who sing the Komsomol-nomadic repertoire “about a horse”, “about a girl”, “about a young shepherd” and so on, with a throat unprecedented in Europe.

Maya Plisetskaya presented an album of her photographs Maya Plisetskaya once complained that it was difficult to live in a country where you couldn’t find more than three types of cheese. Andrei Voznesensky, who appeared on the stage of the New Opera on Monday to congratulate the ballerina on the appearance of her next photo album (“Ave Maya”, which contains previously unpublished photographs), gave a wonderful formula: “Russia is a country not of cheeses, but of great "raw".

Biathletes begin the World Cup Tomorrow the big biathlon season opens in Beitoshtolen (Norway) - the first stage of the World Cup starts. Entering the fight for the prestigious trophy later than representatives of all other winter sports, biathlon in our country for several years now has probably had the highest popularity rating among them.