"Orlando" by Handel for the first time in Russia In the Tchaikovsky Hall, through the efforts of the Moscow Philharmonic, for the first time in Russia, Handel's opera Orlando was performed in concert - one of those numerous Handel masterpieces that in recent decades certainly appear on almost all the world's opera stages: in festival programs and in the seasons of respectable theaters .

The government is ready to review the principles of long-term gas supply contracts The “take or pay” principle in the Russian gas trading system did not last even two years.

Owners of small cars are promised free parking in Moscow The city authorities decided to expand privileges for owners of environmentally friendly cars.

Ak Bars equalized the series score for the Gagarin Cup The fourth match of the final series of the Russian Open Championship - KHL Championship between Yaroslavl Lokomotiv and Kazan Ak Bars gave a real sensation. The hosts, who showed very confident hockey in this playoffs, were defeated by the team from Tatarstan - 5:2. In addition, hockey players’ nerves can no longer stand it.

Moldovan communists benefited from global problems According to preliminary data from the Central Election Commission, as a result of the parliamentary elections in Moldova on Sunday, April 5, the Communist Party won again, gaining 49.9% of the votes. Three right-wing opposition formations also entered parliament: the Liberal and Liberal Democratic parties (12.9 and 12.2% respectively) and the Our Moldova alliance (9.8%).

Vladimir Putin reported on the work of the government It’s been a long time since Vladimir Putin spoiled the country’s political elite with such a well-prepared “impromptu” speech. True, not all parliamentarians showed the enthusiasm worthy of the occasion during the prime minister’s speech. Perhaps because of their own uncertainty about tomorrow's political future. It was mainly United Russia members and some of the cabinet members who clapped who took seats in the boxes. Mr.

Russia has worsened its position in the international ranking of IT development Our country is still beating Azerbaijan in football, but is already behind it in terms of IT development. Our technological gap is growing not just from Norway and Singapore, but from Vietnam, Bahrain, Mauritius and Chile. Despite the fact that, as Vladimir Putin said in Davos, we are not disabled.

A strategic plan for providing military personnel with media and the Internet has been developed The social development strategy of the Russian Armed Forces until 2020 also includes an independent section - “improving information support, creating a qualitatively new information environment.” The purpose of these actions is clear: citizens must know better about the army, and the army must be better informed about the life of society, the country and the world.

The new president of Macedonia was the candidate from the ruling internal Macedonian revolutionary organization - the Democratic Party of Macedonian National Unity, 48-year-old Georgiy Ivanov. During the second round of the presidential election on April 5, he received more than 63% of the vote. His main rival from the opposition Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs, 51-year-old Lubomir Frckoski, scored less than 37%.

President Dmitry Medvedev promised Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who arrived in Moscow yesterday, that Russia will continue to provide political and material support towards the creation of the state of Palestine.

The White House advises Robert Gates to curb his appetites US Department of Defense spokesman Jeff Morel announced that “fundamental changes” are expected in the country’s military budget. The Pentagon believes that in 2010 it needs at least $584 billion for regular military spending, that is, excluding funding for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The White House so far agrees only to 533.7 billion, which is 20.7 billion or 4% more than this year.

The Federal Customs Service wants to make export duties transparent A year after Gazprom, with the support of the newly elected Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, repelled an attack by the Ministry of Finance, which tried to increase the tax rate on gas production, attacks on the fiscal status quo in the gas sector have resumed. This time, the Federal Customs Service is the applicant for additional fees from Gazprom.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the first participant in the NATO anniversary session that took place recently to move from words to deeds. Yesterday, the Chancellor, together with Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung, arrived in Afghanistan, the country that is causing the most debate in the alliance. NATO, under pressure from US President Barack Obama, decided to send another 5 thousand troops to Afghanistan in addition to the 32 thousand already stationed there.

The Prime Minister promised employers an anti-crisis deferment The crisis will not be an obstacle to pension reform, but the state does not intend to aggravate the situation of enterprises by increasing contributions to the Pension Fund.

Markets are waiting for reports from American companies Rising oil prices and the positive external background that emerged at the end of last week lifted Russian shares. By mid-day yesterday, Sberbank's shares rose by 9.8%, Norilsk Nickel by 6.4%, Mechel by 6.2%, and Rosneft by 5.2%.