Russian expert warns about growing illegal arms trade
According to some estimates, the annual turnover of smuggled arms exceeds 1 billion dollars (23.187 billion roubles. 627.6 million euros. 499.3 million UK pounds). The US, for example, is very active in this lucrative business, supplying weapons to illegal armed groups in Asia and Africa. To stop this, the leading arms producers could sign an agreement providing special measures aimed at preventing illegal arms trading, Viktor Mizin, the head of the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies, believes. In an interview with of Russia, Mr Mizin noted that such measures should first of all be taken in the conflict areas and in the countries with totalitarian political regimes.
20 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29909&cid=47&p=20.07.2008 (in English)
Russian social development level remain high
The levels of social development in Russia in the first half of 2008 remained high. Real incomes of Russians have increased by 8.1 percent (adjusted for inflation). As of June, average salaries increased by 28.6 percent, the state statistics service reported. There was also registered a rise in retail trade turnover. The number of unemployed workers dropped 100,000.
21 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29929&cid=46&p=21.07.2008 (in English)
Russian foreign trade rises
Russian foreign trade in the opening five months was 47 percent up on the same period in 2007 to over 303 billion US dollars (7.025 trillion roubles. 190.163 million euros. 151.288 million UK pounds). Significantly, exports grew significantly faster than imports. The national debt is now down to 44 billion US dollars (1.02 trillion roubles. 27.636 billion euros. 21.98 billion UK pounds), which is almost 9 percent less than in January. The first half-year investment figure is up 17 percent. The numbers are from National Statistics.
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29954&cid=46&p=21.07.2008 (in English)
Brzezinski says that US troop surge in Afghanistan may damage America’s international image
Former White House national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski believes a proposed troop surge in Afghanistan would further damage America’s international image whilst doing nothing to defeat terrorism. He said this to The Financial Times in an interview Monday. His opinion comes one day after Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama backed proposals to deploy two more US brigades to Afghanistan.
21 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29956&cid=45&p=21.07.2008 (in English)
Voice of Russia World Service
Latvian emergency workers catch alligator in public pond
Latvian firemen and veterinary workers caught an alligator in a small pond in the suburbs of the capital, local emergency services said on Monday. The five-foot-long reptile gave residents a fright in a small community near Riga, who immediately called emergency services. The crocodile was caught with a net, transported to a local zoo, and examined by medical personnel. Police are still unsure how the animal ended up in the pond, but, they suspect it could have been kept by a nearby resident as a household pet, and escaped. Cases of alligators being kept as pets are extremely rare. Even in the United States, where there are reportedly eight million pet reptiles, only a few are alligators or crocodiles.
21 July 2008
http://en.rian.ru/world/20080721/114560984.html (in English)
RIA-Novosti




























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