Next week Brussels welcomes a summit of the Russian Federation and European Union, at which the parties are expected to sign a document on our country becoming a member of World Trade Organization.

The International Tiger Forum, which started in St. Petersburg this weekend, brought together experts on endangered animals from various countries and government heads of countries, where tigers still live, in order to discuss possible solutions to tiger population decline. The draft programme on doubling tiger population was suggested during a meeting of experts on Bali Island, Indonesia this July.

For Russia this year is definitely the year of the world-famous auto race. Just think – a Russian driver has finished his first full season in the race, and Russian goverment has signed a contract on bringing the F1 race to our country.

Two Russian-born scientists have won the Nobel Prize of $1.5 million for Physics, for groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene. One of the two is the first individual to take home both the Nobel and the Ig Nobel.

The forum titled “The Arctic- Territory of Dialogue” wrapped up today in Moscow. The forum has already made its contribution to the Arctic’s future, its participants said.

Legal international arms trade became so familiar over the past few decades that one doesn't even notice any more how sinister the game is.

The former US President Bill Clinton claims that Russian immigrants and settlers in the Middle East are the main barrier in the way of reaching a settlement in the region.

Washington’s Far East strategy, namely its contradictions with China, may cause problems for Russian Far East.

As it has already become obvious, the winter Olympic Games in Vancouver were rich in the failures. The cohort of the non-achievers is headed by United States, Russia, Austria and Germany. Many sportsmen have been the forth ones, and that is even worse as to be among the last ones. The Russian team, disappointed the fandom, was awaited to be more successful. There are many ideas and explanations of that, from the self-condemnation to condemnations of everybody except us. The professionals offer opinions like these:

Who has just for once been to Abkhazia would not forget it. This place is like a piece of tropical land in a northern latitudes. Picturesque bamboo gloves, tropical dark forests, fruit trees and palms surround warm Black Sea caves. Abkhazia is a very exotic country with rich history, manners and traditions. It suffered much because of the war but now it has almost got the independence because of Russia support.

Now foreign visitors can get Russian visa support document or a letter of invitation, they can also get help in visa processing at the Russian consulate.

More then 5000 Russian citizens signed the letter from Russian Orthodox Church to Dmitry Medvedev. The letter is against some points of the European Social Charter. Public opinion of a large part of Russian citizens on the creation of the institute of the Juvenile Judiciary and the introducing the sexual education at school differ from the points of the European Social Charter.

The discussions about new strategic arms reduction will take place in late June in Geneva between Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Abama. There are several pro and contra of the following arms reduction which you can see below.

EU top officials and Dmitry Medvedev discussed the ways out of the world economic crisis, energy problems, the delivery of Russian gas and a new structure of European security. They also discussed Eastern Partnership project, which is considered by Russia as an attempt to create another cordon around Russian borders and spoil the relationships with Russian neighbors. Still Russia cannot resolve all gas problems without Europe – the main importer of Russian gas. A good way out of the situation seems the involving a third player in the game – the new gas importers China and some Asia countries.

On September 22 Russian Prime-Minister will hold negotiations with Irish Prime-Minister and his counterpart. And on September 29 the two countries will mark 35th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.

To get Olympic medals more and more sportsmen represent non-native countries. American sportsmen can play for a Russian team and Russian for American. Though it doest contradict the Olympic rules, international sport organizations start expressing more concern about it.

Today the Georgian president has signed an order about a cease-fire. Georgia is going to put the law on Russia at the International Court of Justice after having killed about 2,000 people in Ossetia.

Russia-UK relations have deteriorated again: the Moscow department of the British Council claims it has received a “punitive and incorrect” tax bill for 2004-2006 by the Russian authorities.

The 10th World Congress of the Russian Press takes place in Moscow June 10-13. Publishers and journalists from around the world – from Latvia to New Zealand - have gathered to discuss professional matters and development of a united international Russian-speaking space.

Russian arts and literature of the 20th century has been enjoying close attention of the West in recent years, the antique masterpieces making high-interest lots at world’s foremost auctions. Thus, lately Bloomsbury Auctions New York has been lucky to benefit from the unique collection Masterworks of 20th Century Russian Literature and Illustration sold out with a bang on May 21.