POLITICS
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev dismissed Tver region Governor Dmitry Zelenin, who caused a stir among the ruling elite in December for complaining on Twitter that he had been served a “worm salad” at a Kremlin reception. Experts believe though that Zelenin was dismissed because the ruling United Russia party received poor results at local general elections in March. (Kommersant, Izvestia, Moscow News)
Russia’s ruling United Russia party will hold a congress on September 3-4 to approve a list of 600 candidates for the December 2010 parliamentary elections. (Kommersant, Vedomosti)
WORLD
Israel may introduce fingerprinting for all foreign tourists “to ensure security and improve passport and customs control at entry points” by the end of 2011. (Moscow News)
Leader of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization Ayman al-Zawahiri has been appointed the new chief of al-Qaeda. He is on the CIA wanted list for allegedly planning terrorist attacks on U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998 which killed over 200 people. (Kommersant, Vedomosti)
ECONOMY BUSINESS
Russia and China failed to agree on the price of gas in a long-awaited 30 year supply contract during Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to Russia. (Kommersant, Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
Russia’s industrial output grew 4.1 percent in May, exceeding market expectations and pre-crisis indices. (Kommersant)
Russia’s embargo on grain exports, which has been in effect since August 2010, may have a negative effect on domestic producers as the United States, Canada and the European Union have taken over Russia’s share of the market. (Kommersant)
Inflation in Russia froze during the week of June 7-14 after steady growth in the past 13 months. (Vedomosti)
The Russian Transport Ministry has proposed a measure to cover insurance expenses for cancelled flights by including an additional 30 ruble ($1) charge in the price of a plane ticket. The measure would guarantee an extra $100 million for insurance purposes in two years, officials believe. (Kommersant)
Russia and China have agreed to set up a joint venture to develop bio-energy technologies. The future company will build plants to produce fuel from peat, wood waste and other bio-products. (Vedomosti)
DEFENSE
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen sharply criticized Russian plans to develop new intercontinental ballistic missiles in response to a planned NATO missile shield in Europe. Russia’s NATO envoy Dmitry Rogozin immediately retorted that Russia has the right to protect its national security by any available means. (Kommersant)
SOCIETY
2011 high-school graduates may be allowed to defer their compulsory conscription to the army to improve their chances of entry into higher-education institutions. (Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
More than 40 percent of the largest companies on the 2010 Fortune 500 list were founded by immigrants or their descendants, according to a report by Partnership for a New American Economy. (Izvestia)
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