DOCSLIB.ORG

An Ounce of Discretion Is Worth a Pound of Learning

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

STRATEGIES FOR BUSINESS IN MOSCOW An ounce of discretion is worth a pound of learning A PROPOS It happened a little over twenty years ago. At the time, For four years, the city has been successfully imple- I was working for the international department at a menting the state program “Safe City,” which will last newspaper in Moscow. I was asked to interview some through 2018. According to official data, the number of big chief from the Moscow police force, who had just homicides and homicide attempts has decreased by come back from a work trip during which he visited 21 percent since the program was introduced, the and talked with colleagues in Toronto. I remember how number of robberies and vehicle hijacking incidents excited he was to tell me about how professional and dropped by 32 percent and the number of apartment efficient the Canadian police force was. But more than burglaries has decreased by 30 percent. Right now, anything else, I was struck by a sudden confession the for example, there are over 140,000 video surveillance chief made: “When I was in Toronto, I felt safer walking cameras operating in Moscow, including in residential outside than I do on the streets of Moscow.” buildings, courtyards, schools, public areas, roads and retail outlets. These video surveillance cameras are used The nineties were here - a period of time during which to record and investigate 70 percent of violations and violent crime in Russia skyrocketed. When I passed on crimes committed in the Russian capital. the interview to the editor, I thought for sure that they would take this part of the interview out. But they left However, safety is a relative concept. It includes not it in. We had just started glasnost and perestorika. We only personal safety and digital security, but also health were discovering the world, and were opening ourselves security and infrastructure. The Moscow authorities un- up to new ideas as well. derstand this completely. For example, for the first time in several years, according to research carried out by A lot has changed since then and, unfortunately, not all the Dutch company TomTom, Moscow moved from first of these changes were for the best. The world has cer- to fourth place (after Istanbul, Mexico City and Rio de tainly not become any safer. Is there any place left on Janeiro) in terms of traffic congestion. This, of course, is Earth where a person can feel completely safe today? not an enormous accomplishment, but it does indicate a Be that as it may, the Moscow government is doing positive trend. The authorities are working to resolve the everything in its power to ensure that Muscovites and city’s transportation problem, constantly building new the foreigners who come here for work or travel do not roads, highways, tunnels, bridges and pedestrian areas. fear for their safety. It is no surprise that during one of And this is the case with everything. Moscow is truly the government meetings, Mayor of Moscow Sergey becoming a better place to live every year - cleaner, Sobyanin said that it is not only important to make more convenient and safer for residents and business. improvements to public spaces and create comfortable areas, but also to ensure that these areas are safe. Sergo Kukhianidze Editor in Chief [email protected] CAPITAL IDEAS Founder: Department for External Economic and International Relations of the Government of Moscow Address: Tverskaya, 13, Moscow, 125032. Ph: +7 (495) 633-68-66, Fax: +7 (495) 633-68-65 Moscow Official E-mail: [email protected] www.dvms.mos.ru Moscow Urban Forum 2016: Editorial staff: creating comfortable cities Editor-in-chief – Sergo Kukhianidze Production crew of the edition: Elena Egorova (deputy editor-in-chief), The VI Moscow Urban Forum took place right by the Kremlin Tatyana Akimova, Gennady Charodeev, Vladimir Dolmatov, Marina Ershova, walls, at the Moscow Manege. The main subject of the forum was “Fast-Growing Megacities. Technologies of Dynamic Evgeny Khokhlov, Sergei Levin, Pavel Lukyanov, Marina Ogorodnikova, Development.” Anastassia Paloni, Vladimir Smelov, Anna Tomkins 6 – 8 CAPITAL IDEAS STRATEGIES FOR BUSINESS IN MOSCOW Publisher: Moscow Center for International Cooperation 9 CEO: Sergei Anikanov Address: 105005, 68/8, build.1, Baumanskaya str., Moscow, Russia City’s graph Phone: +7 (499) 267-46-56 State program of the city E-mail: [email protected] General Partner: National Review Ltd of Moscow “Safe city”, CEO – Sergei Oposhnyanskiy Phone.: +7 (495) 784-69-71 2012-2018 E-mail: [email protected] 10-12 Consulting – Gennady Charodeev, Evgeny Khokhlov Design – Robert Saifulin Moscow official Photo editor – Victoriya Oposhnyanskaya Page layout – Alexander Saifulin Support from the Moscow Assistant – Nadezhda Ratanova Government boosts Distribution – "Trans-Media" Ltd Acknowledgements to: investment PHOTO – www.mos.ru, www.dvms.mos.ru, ITAR TASS Agency, RIA-Novosti, Moscow rose to 10th place in Russian investment Getty Images Russia, companies and organizations, represented in the issue. rating, securing its place among a group of regions If you wish to get new issues of Capital Ideas, please, apply to: [email protected] that can offer comfortable conditions for business The magazine is registered with at the Federal Authority of Legislative Control in Mass Media and Cultural Heritage Protection. Media registration certificate ФС77-53716, issued April 26, 2013. All reproduction permitted only with the Editor’s permission and reference to ‘Capital Ideas’. Distributed free of charge Published with support from the Department for External Economic and International Relations of the Government of Moscow Circulation : 7000 Moscow official A friendship that has lasted decades Our interview A number of joint Moscow-Belarusian News documents were signed during Moscow David Waroquire: Days in Minsk. Mayor of Moscow Sergey Life, Luxembourg Sobyanin and Chairman of the Minsk Our network is becoming City Executive Committee Andrei Shorets style: education plus signed a plan that outlines measures for bigger everyday the Republic of Belarus and the City of innovation “To understand the country you need, as I say, Moscow on the development of trade and At the end of June, Luxembourg hosted a to push the door”, said David Waroquire, one of economic, research, technical and social conference called “Moscow - the city of the partners at Mangrove Capital Partners, in an cooperation for 2016-2018. business and innovations.” exclusive interview with Capital Ideas. 14 – 15 22 – 23 24 – 25 16 – 19 Moscow Official Moscow paves way to Paris For a period of almost two weeks, Days of Moscow took place for the first time in Paris, Strasbourg and Nice. Business, cultural and athletic events, which were organized by Muscovites, were widely covered by the local media and attracted the attention of tens of thousands of regular French citizens, politicians and business representatives. 20 – 21 News Plenty of opportunity for cooperation Singapore targets innovation Talks in Vienna City Hall July-September 2016 CAPITAL IDEAS 3 Nothing Ventured Moscow Global Philippe Cohen: Face to Face Janos Balla: The market will start Alexei Mayorov: Moscow has become developing again soon The capital is younger and more “In my opinion, the number of companies that think Russia has become a dangerous becoming safer welcoming place and it’s best to leave the market is very Head of the Moscow Department of Ambassador Extraordinary and small. It is obvious that every market has its Regional Security and Anti-Corruption Plenipotentiary of Hungary to Russia ups and downs,” said Philippe Cohen, CEO Activities answered our questions in an answered questions in an exclusive of АristonThermoRus, in a conversation with exclusive interview interview with Capital Ideas. Capital Ideas. 26-30 38 – 43 52-56 31 44 – 46 58 – 60 City’s Graph Nothing Ventured Nothing Ventured “Safe City” program Belgian sweets from Zafer Ustuner: 32-35 Dubna We have ambitious What’s new What is the secret behind our love for sweet plans for the future things? Belgian chocolatier Thierry Pete, 36 – 37 who opened an ALEXANDRA Le Chocolat The Turkish company BEKO has been operating in Russia since the late 90s. Moscow in words chocolate plant in Dubna, certainly knows how to answer his question. ZaferUstuner, the CEO of the Russian company, talked to Capital Ideas about 48-51 how BEKO’s operations in Russia are currently going. We agreed ahead of Nothing Ventured time to not discuss the sensitive topic of the crisis in Russian-Turkish relations: Hiroshi Furuta: business is not at fault here and business Deeper into Russian people can’t fix anything without help market with high tech from politicians. “A crisis is a temporary phenomenon: as the economy starts to recover, business will adapt to new market conditions, launch new mechanisms for growth and will continue to develop,” said the General Director of Mitsubishi Electric (Russia) LLC in an interview with Capital Ideas 4 CAPITAL IDEAS July-September 2016 Our interview Life&Culture Nothing Ventured Vladimir Urin: LA SCALA: Geutebrück’s watchful Getting to know another country through art Welcome to Moscow! eye, in Russia In a big city like Moscow, everybody can find The equipment manufactured by Geutebrück, destroys bias something entertaining to do over the next few a German company with headquarters in T“At its core, Russian art is based on months. It all depends on what your interests Windhagen, can’t be purchased at shopping humanistic values that stress relationships are. Some will be interested in checking out Ivan centers and isn’t advertised by the media. between people,” said the General Director of Aivazovsky’s work, while others will opt to visit a Nonetheless, Geutebrück products are in the Bolshoi Theatre in an exclusive interview performance put on by the world-famous La Scala demand.
Recommended publications
  • Friendly Fire Project Examines How a Country Views Itself by How It Tells Its War Story, We Are Also Very Interested in What Other Countries Consume for Entertainment

    Friendly Fire Project Examines How a Country Views Itself by How It Tells Its War Story, We Are Also Very Interested in What Other Countries Consume for Entertainment

    00:00:00 Music Music Soft, melancholy, somewhat eerie music. 00:00:01 Adam Host If it feels like there are a lot of films about Stalingrad, you’re not Pranica wrong. A quick search in your movie streaming service of choice—or if you’re so lucky, a brick-and-mortar video store—will reveal ten of them. Although only one, to our knowledge, has a scene depicting a Rachel Weisz hand job. It’s enough film content to spin off a podcast of its own, and I’ve already pitched Earwolf a show about German/Russian World War II films with an emphasis on fighter plane aerodynamics/equestrian cavalry enclosures hosted by fifth-year college seniors from acting school with limb fractures called The Stalingrad Stall Stall Stallin’ Grad Cast Cast Cast. For comparison, there are only five more films made about Pearl Harbor, and that’s if you don’t disqualify the Michael Bay movie, which we do. This Stalingrad film is the most successful Russian film of all time, earning 51 million domestically in Russia and $68 million globally. And while the Friendly Fire project examines how a country views itself by how it tells its war story, we are also very interested in what other countries consume for entertainment. Stalingrad accomplishes both. But does that say anything about the importance of this battle in the story of World War II, and the historical record? Well, in our experience watching war films, sometimes quantity doesn’t equal quality. And this is a film that tries very hard to project quality.
  • Communist Russia: the Rise and Manifestation of Power

    Communist Russia: the Rise and Manifestation of Power

    THE PARADOXICAL INTERRELATIONSHIP OF CHURCH AND STATE IN POST- COMMUNIST RUSSIA: THE RISE AND MANIFESTATION OF POWER VIA THE PRISM OF LGBTQIA RIGHTS by ALEKCANDER MARKUC ZHDANOV A THESIS Presented to the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies Program and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts June 2016 THESIS APPROVAL PAGE Student: Alekcander Markuc Zhdanov Title: The Paradoxical Interrelationship of Church and State in Post-Communist Russia: The Rise and Manifestation of Power via the Prism of LGBTQIA Rights This thesis has been accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree in the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies program by: Julie Hessler Chairperson Craig Parsons Member Keith Eddins Member and Scott L. Pratt Dean of the Graduate School Original approval signatures are on file with the University of Oregon Graduate School. Degree awarded June 2016 ii © 2016 Alekcander Markuc Zhdanov iii THESIS ABSTRACT Alekcander Markuc Zhdanov Master of Arts Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies Program June 2016 Title: THE PARADOXICAL INTERRELATIONSHIP OF CHURCH AND STATE IN POST-COMMUNIST RUSSIA: THE RISE AND MANIFESTATION OF POWER VIA THE PRISM OF LGBTQIA RIGHTS The Russian Orthodox Church is seeking to reestablish a leadership role in the spiritual health of the citizenry in post-Communist Russia via a concerted effort to forge an alliance with the Russian government, regardless of the secular constitution. Commencing with perceived preferential legislation, the Church has risen to heightened influence that is subsequently being used to disenfranchise non-traditional sexual communities.
  • The Story of the Nation's

    The Story of the Nation's

    ' THE STO RY O F TH E NATIO NS. r c mum 800 Cla/h [Hm/mud 68. La g C , , , ' 73: Volume: are aimbe}! in [I nfol/mmng Special B indings ' al Pfru an ( Io/lo ill to F u m 110 exlra ” l , g p ll y, 1/ , r 0 d s Tree ( al ill d s o d ol ma /1a! e ge f. g e ge , g l r l imidc u ilt MM . , f ll g x P G NI IA. l w 8. H O f. B O 8 01112 . Anrnuu G u u G . 1 . By , By Pro R W LINSO N. MA . A m “W S. B f. K. 1 . MEDI A. ZBNMDB . 9 . y Pro J 9 By A R GO ZIN. Ma nn . A exa m . Rev . S. 2 0. TH E H ANSA T WNS. 3. B O By — i “A . H B LB N Z IMNERN. B agu o 000m . f. A un t) n EARL Y R T . By Pro . B I AIN By Prof R A LF ED J . CH URCH . TH E R Y . as. BAR BA COR SAIR S STA NLEY N - O O By LA E P LE. U 2 . R SS . W . By 3 IA By R . MO R y Prot mws UNDER TH E W . Do u R OM ANS. By vc xs Amm Mo nmso n. Prof. C T ND . O H N M AC 2 5 . S O LA By J xmro su LL D. an a n o ue.
  • < Sister and Friendship Cities/States >

    < Sister and Friendship Cities/States >

    < Sister and Friendship Cities/States > City/State Basic Information New York City Country: United States of America Date of agreement: February 29, 1960 Area: 784 ㎢ Signed by: Population: 8.40 million Robert F. Wagner, Jr., Mayor of New York City Ryotaro Azuma, Governor of Tokyo Current mayor: Bill de Blasio (January 2014 –present） New York City website https://www1.nyc.gov/ Beijing Municipal Government Country: People’s Republic of China Date of agreement: March 14, 1979 Area: 16,410 ㎢ Signed by: Population: 21.71 million Lin Hujia, Mayor of Beijing Ryokichi Minobe, Governor of Tokyo Current mayor: Chen Jining (January 2018– present) City of Beijing English website http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/ City of Paris Country: French Republic Date of agreement: July 14, 1982 Area: 105 ㎢ Signed by: Population: 2.30 million Jacques Chirac, Mayor of Paris Shunichi Suzuki, Governor of Tokyo Current mayor: Anne Hidalgo (April 2014 – present) City of Paris website https://www.paris.fr/ Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau English website http://en.parisinfo.com/ ★ City/State Basic Information State of New South Wales Country: Australia Date of agreement: May 9, 1984 Area: 809,400 ㎢ Population: 7.95 million Signed by: Neville. K. Wran, Premier of New South Wales Current premier: Gladys Berejiklian (January 2017 – present) Shunichi Suzuki, Governor of Tokyo New South Wales website https://www.nsw.gov.au/ Official tourism site for New South Wales https://www.sydney.com/ Seoul Metropolitan Government Country: Republic of Korea Date of agreement: September
  • Preservation and Changes of Russian Culture from the Perspective of Film Language — Taking Attraction As an Example

    Preservation and Changes of Russian Culture from the Perspective of Film Language — Taking Attraction As an Example

    Preservation and Changes of Russian Culture from the Perspective of Film Language — Taking Attraction as an Example Wenhan Yang Heilongjiang University, Harbin 116085, Heilongjiang, China Email: [email protected] Abstract: The changes of Russian literature and film language, to some extent, mirror the historical process of changes of Russian culture. In the history of cultural development in several centuries, Russia has critically absorbed the achievements of Eastern and Western civilizations on the premise of preserving its own cultural background, thus forming a Russian civ- ilization with national characteristics. Taking Attraction as an example, this paper analyzes the preservation and changes of modern and contemporary Russian culture from the perspective of film language, so as to discover the changes of modern and contemporary Russian civilization. Keywords: film language, Russian culture, preservation and change, Attraction Introduction Attraction is a science fiction based love affair film directed by Fyodor Bondarchuk with the love track of the heroine Yulya as the clue, and it depicted various contradictions and tensions in social life as the earth was collapsing. In the film, there are few descriptions of battles and invasions, but love, kinship, friendship and other elements are vigorously rendered with relatively slow pace. The doomsday soft science fiction film Attraction gives a large proportion on the discussion of human nature, conveying the director and screenwriter's unique world view and cosmology, and conveying the anti-war spiritual core. 1. The preservation of Russian culture in the film language of Attraction 1.1 Preservation of love culture Love is the eternal theme of Russian films and world films.
  • Human Rights Impact Assessment of the Covid-19 Response in Russia

    Human Rights Impact Assessment of the Covid-19 Response in Russia

    HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE COVID-19 RESPONSE IN RUSSIA August 2020 Cover photo: © Анна Иларионова/Pixabay IPHR - International Partnership for Human Rights (Belgium) W IPHRonline.org @IPHR E [email protected] @IPHRonline Public Verdict Foundation W http://en.publicverdict.org/ @fondov Table of Contents I. Executive summary 4 II. Methodology 5 III. Brief country information 6 IV. Incidence of COVID-19 in Russia 7 V. The Russian Authorities’ Response to Covid-19 and its Impact on Human Rights 8 VI. Summary of Key Findings 42 VII. Recommendations 45 I. Executive summary What are the impacts on human rights of the restrictive measures imposed by the Government of Russia in response to the COVID-19 pandemic? How have the Russian authorities complied with international human rights standards while implementing measures to combat the spread of Covid-19? These questions lie at the heart of this study by International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and Public Verdict Foundation. This study examines these measures through a human rights lens of international, regional human rights treaties of core and soft law (non-binding) standards. Through our monitoring, we have identified the following key points on how the COVID-19 pandemic was handled in Russia from mid-March until mid-July 2020: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian authorities implemented strict quarantine measures at an early stage, restricting the movements and freedoms of the citizens of the country. The first case of COVID-19 in Russia was officially registered on 2 March 2020, in the vicinity of Moscow.1 The virus began spreading across the country a few weeks later but Moscow has remained the epicentre of the outbreak in Russia.
  • The Growing Influence of the Russian Orthodox Church in Shaping Russia’S Policies Abroad

    The Growing Influence of the Russian Orthodox Church in Shaping Russia’S Policies Abroad

    02 BLITT.DOC (DO NOT DELETE) 11/28/2011 10:25 PM RUSSIA’S “ORTHODOX” FOREIGN POLICY: THE GROWING INFLUENCE OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN SHAPING RUSSIA’S POLICIES ABROAD PROF. ROBERT C. BLITT* TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction ................................................................................364 2. The Russian Orthodox Church’s Foreign Policy Mandate ......................................................................................365 3. Russian Foreign Policy and Disregard for the Constitutional Obligations of Secularism, Separation, and Nondiscrimination .............................................................367 3.1. The Ideological Centrality of Orthodoxy in Russian Foreign Policy as Expressed through Euphemism ...................... 368 3.1.1. The Role of “Spirituality" in Russia’s National Security Strategy .................................................................. 368 3.1.2. A Note on Culture as a Synonym for Orthodoxy ......374 3.1.3. “Spiritual Security” & “Spiritual Revival” ..............377 3.2. Putting Rhetoric into Practice: The Ascendancy of “Spirituality” in Russia’s Foreign Policy ....................................380 3.2.1. Russian Orthodox Church-Ministry of Foreign Affairs Working Group .........................................................380 3.2.2. Russkiy Mir Foundation: A Chimera State-Church Foreign Policy Tool ................................................................383 3.2.3. Support for Days of Spiritual Culture .....................390 3.2.4. Facilitating an Exclusive
  • Viennadeclaration

    Viennadeclaration

    V I E N N A D E C L A R A T I O N by the Mayors of the EU Capital Cities - “A strong voice in Europe” 21 April 2015 Introduction Europe is a continent of cities. Cities constitute a major pillar supporting the concept of a united Europe. EU policies shape the lives and everyday experience of the people in Europe; they also shape the economy and the innovative power of major cities in Europe. Our populations are European and international, and cities are a powerful force for promoting integration of peoples from Europe and around the world. Our solutions for living together are diverse as the framework conditions are different in every country and city. Thoroughly considered, consistent and committed decisions and actions are taken day by day in the cities of Europe to protect and enhance social and gender equity, sustainable economic growth and the future of democracy in Europe. European cities work every day to create truly democratic and inclusive societies. European cities are development test beds. Social and economic developments originate in cities. We, the Mayors of the EU Capital Cities are therefore convinced that the European Union must focus even more strongly on the urban dimension. I. Urban agenda: systematic involvement of cities in EU policies We, the Mayors of the EU Capital Cities, are strategic partners in shaping the European Union´s future regional and urban policy. Our joint goal is an Urban Agenda stipulating an urban dimension in all relevant EU decision-making processes. Cities should therefore be involved in the entire policy making process.
  • Russian Art, Icons + Antiques

    Russian Art, Icons + Antiques

    RUSSIAN ART, ICONS + ANTIQUES International auction 872 1401 - 1580 RUSSIAN ART, ICONS + ANTIQUES Including The Commercial Attaché Richard Zeiner-Henriksen Russian Collection International auction 872 AUCTION Friday 9 June 2017, 2 pm PREVIEW Wednesday 24 May 3 pm - 6 pm Thursday 25 May Public Holiday Friday 26 May 11 am - 5 pm Saturday 27 May 11 am - 4 pm Sunday 28 May 11 am - 4 pm Monday 29 May 11 am - 5 pm or by appointment Bredgade 33 · DK-1260 Copenhagen K · Tel +45 8818 1111 · Fax +45 8818 1112 [email protected] · bruun-rasmussen.com 872_russisk_s001-188.indd 1 28/04/17 16.28 Коллекция коммерческого атташе Ричарда Зейнера-Хенриксена и другие русские шедевры В течение 19 века Россия переживала стремительную трансформацию - бушевала индустриализация, модернизировалось сельское хозяйство, расширялась инфраструктура и создавалась обширная телеграфная система. Это представило новые возможности для международных деловых отношений, и известные компании, такие как датская Бурмэйстер энд Вэйн (В&W), Восточно-Азиатская Компания (EAC) и Компания Грэйт Норсерн Телеграф (GNT) открыли офисы в России и внесли свой вклад в развитие страны. Большое количество скандинавов выехало на Восток в поисках своей удачи в растущей деловой жизни и промышленности России. Среди многочисленных путешественников возникало сильное увлечение культурой страны, что привело к созданию высококачественных коллекций русского искусства. Именно по этой причине сегодня в Скандинавии так много предметов русского антиквариата, некоторые из которых будут выставлены на этом аукционе. Самые значимые из них будут ещё до аукциона выставлены в посольстве Дании в Лондоне во время «Недели Русского Искусства». Для более подробной информации смотри страницу 9. Изюминкой аукциона, без сомнения, станет Русская коллекция Ричарда Зейнера-Хенриксена, норвежского коммерческого атташе.
  • The Long Arm of Vladimir Putin: How the Kremlin Uses Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties to Target Its Opposition Abroad

    The Long Arm of Vladimir Putin: How the Kremlin Uses Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties to Target Its Opposition Abroad

    The Long Arm of Vladimir Putin: How the Kremlin Uses Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties to Target its Opposition Abroad Russia Studies Centre Policy Paper No. 5 (2015) Dr Andrew Foxall The Henry Jackson Society June 2015 THE LONG ARM OF VLADIMIR PUTIN Summary Over the past 15 years, there has been – and continues to be – significant interchange between Western and Russian law-enforcement agencies, even in cases where Russia’s requests for legal assistance have been politicaLLy motivated. Though it is the Kremlin’s warfare that garners the West’s attention, its ‘lawfare’ poses just as significant a threat because it undermines the rule of law. One of the chief weapons in Russia’s ‘lawfare’ is the so-called ‘Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty’ (MLAT), a bilateral agreement that defines how countries co-operate on legal matters. TypicaLLy, the Kremlin will fabricate a criminaL case against an individual, and then request, through the MLAT system, the co-operation of Western countries in its attempts to persecute said person. Though Putin’s regime has been mounting, since 2012, an escalating campaign against opposition figures, the Kremlin’s use of ‘lawfare’ is nothing new. Long before then, Russia requested – and received – legal assistance from Western countries on a number of occasions, in its efforts to extradite opposition figures back to Russia. Western countries have complied with Russia’s requests for legal assistance in some of the most brazen and high-profile politicaLLy motivated cases in recent history, incLuding: individuals linked with Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the Yukos affair; Bill Browder and others connecteD to Hermitage Capital Management; and AnDrey Borodin and Bank of Moscow.
  • St. Xenia Parish News 170 North Lowell Street, Methuen, MA 01844 November - December 2018

    St. Xenia Parish News 170 North Lowell Street, Methuen, MA 01844 November - December 2018

    St. Xenia Parish News 170 North Lowell Street, Methuen, MA 01844 November - December 2018 Metropolitan ONUPHRY: Man’s Main Task Is To Rule Not The World But His Own Heart Belaya Tserkov, October 29, 2018 is Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of He also noted that few are those who strive to live Kiev and All Ukraine, the primate of the according to God’s Word, and thus few are those H Ukrainian Orthodox Church, offered a who bring forth good fruits. Such are atheists and word on the parable of the sower (Mt. 13:3-23) in those who do not renounce God but constantly his Sunday homily given at St. Mary Magdalene complain and accuse Him of injustice. Monastery in the city of Belaya Tserkov (White “We must not say that we deserve a better fate, Church) in which he emphasized that man’s main because we thereby blaspheme God, we insult task in life is to “work on his spiritual develop- God. We must always thank Him and say, ‘Lord, I ment.” know that I have received more than I deserve, The Ukrainian primate also added that it is prayer, because I am worthy of nothing.’ When God sees fasting, and living according to the Divine com- such humility, then … He sends man everything mandments that help a man attain spiritual perfec- he needs for life,” the Ukrainian archpastor ex- tion, “in cleansing the heart of sin and cruelty,” plained. reports the site of the Ukrainian Orthodox This also includes those who believe in God but Church. not trust Him with their lives and constantly put “Some say that the greatest work is to be a politi- off correcting their lives: “These people accept the cian, to direct the world to the right and to the Word of God when they are praised for it, but left.
  • He Who Has Not Been to Moscow Has Not Seen Beauty

    He Who Has Not Been to Moscow Has Not Seen Beauty

    STRATEGIES FOR BUSINESS IN MOSCOW He who has not been to Moscow has not seen beauty A PROPOS “To Moscow, to Moscow, to Moscow!” Like a mantra, However, the majority of people who live abroad know this phrase is repeated by the sisters in Anton nothing about this. Old habits, as they say, die hard. Chekhov’s famous play “Three Sisters.” The play is Many foreigners still think that the sun never rises about three young women dreaming of escaping their in Moscow, that the city is always cold and that it boring small town and coming to the capital. Although snows year round. Not to mention the rumors of bears the play was written in 1900, people from all over roaming the streets at night. Disappointing as it may Russia, as well as people from CIS countries, still want be, these myths are still around. to move to Moscow. Of course, we are partially responsible for this – we Moscow has always been a magnet. At least this is the tell the world very little about ourselves. We need to way things have played out historically – all the best spend more resources on attracting tourists to Moscow things could be found in the capital: shops, libraries, by letting them know how convenient and comfortable clinics, schools, universities, theatres. At one point, the city has become. According to official statistics, coming to Moscow from Siberia was like taking a trip to over 5 million foreigners visited Moscow last year. This a foreign country. is obviously a small number – about 15 million tourists visit places like London and Paris every year.