RussiaToday : Features

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Features

Wanted: Russian-language movies in Ukraine: Dozens of Ukrainian students have come to Moscow to watch a Russian-directed movie called ‘Wanted’. They’ve travelled to the capital in protest at a Ukrainian law that bans films in Russian in Ukraine.

Cow Detention Centre to ease traffic problems – there’s no udder way!: Drivers in a town in Russia’s Far East are getting tired of traffic jams, but the problem’s not with other cars – it's the town's cattle that are getting in the way. Now the town's authorities are clamping down on the offenders.

Family land feud leaves 10 dead: Two feuding families have clashed in Egypt over 48 hectares of land they both claim to own. Friday's shoot-out ended with 10 people dead and dozens wounded.

Siberian city built on gold and hydro-power: The world's largest and deepest lake Baikal is situated in the Irkutsk region in eastern Siberia, home to some of Russia's most breathtaking natural wonders. Russia's main gold-producing sites also lie along its shores.

Hundreds turn out to promote fitness in Moscow: Around 200 teenagers have gathered in the centre of Moscow for morning exercise. The idea came from the Mishki youth movement. The goal of the event is to promote a healthy lifestyle among the young and support the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Leprechaun scenario gone wrong: metro workers and their pot of gold: Last Thursday, while building a new metro line in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod, workers found a pot with gold coins dating back to the reign of Nicholas II, the last Russian Tsar. Russian daily Novye Izvestia newspaper says the pot allegedly contained a thousand coins and weighed about 8.5 kilos.

Selling votes on eBay may cost $10,000: A college student allegedly asked a minimum of ten dollars in exchange for voting at the upcoming presidential election, according to the whim of the highest bidder oneBay. Now he faces up to five years in prison and a $US 10,000 fine.

Text tips help thumb down criminals: U.S. Police departments are using an anonymous text messaging service to get crime information from teenagers. They say the younger generation is more likely to use this method to report incidents than dial the usual Crime Stoppers hotline.

Another pint, my iron (bar)man!: After six months of intense training the world’s first robotic barman has started serving customers in a London bar. He’s mastered bottles and kegs and is certainly able to listen to any complaint about life with compassion and patience.

Unravelling the mystery of Baikal’s largest island: Baikal, the world's largest and oldest lake, was recently voted one of Russia’s seven wonders. It lies in Southern Siberia, between the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. Known as the ‘Blue eye of Siberia’, Baikal contains more water than all the North American Great Lakes put together. The Island of Olkhon is the largest on Lake Baikal.

Money for nothing, the Russian way: Want to raise some money out of nothing? Well, a certain scheme does exist in Russia. All you’ve got to do is buying some bookmarks resembling original Russian banknotes and put them into circulation for real.

Climate change may cause reptile to change sex: Prehistoric Tuatara reptiles in New Zealand may become extinct because all their females will be gone. A recent study says that in higher temperatures all the new born creatures will be male, and the authors of Australian research suggest organising artificial shadowed areas above the Tuatara nests.

Russian vigilante: I had to avenge my family: Six years ago a passenger jet and a cargo plane collided in mid-air over Germany, killing 71 people on board. Among the dead was the wife and children of Vitaly Kаloev. In his grief he decided to take revenge, and killed the Swiss air traffic controller he blamed for the death of his family.

For sale! The right to name an entire species: A new fundraising scheme in the U.S. is giving people the chance to ‘buy’ a new species and have it named after them. For bids starting at $5000 you can get naming rights to a newly discovered organism.

Turkish holiday ends in insurance nightmare: Viktor Listochkin was overjoyed when the local football club he has worked for all his life rewarded him with a free trip to Turkey. Now, he is bedridden in a Turkish hospital, unable to speak after spending more than ten days in a coma. His wife has had to return to Russia.

Giraffe masterminds great escape: Dutch police had to round up a number of animals from a travelling circus after a giraffe released them from their cage. It’s thought 15 camels, two zebras, several llamas and a potbellied swine were set free on the streets of Amsterdam.

Norwegians battle Eastern Europe crooks: A crime wave is sweeping Oslo, one of the world's safest cities with almost zero unemployment, high wages and a clean Nordic environment. Police say Norwegians, while enjoying one of the highest standards of living in the world, have become soft targets and need to get streetwise.

Four Russians named in UEFA dream team: The UEFA experts responsible for determining the best players in each match has named its Euro 2008 Team of Tournament on its website. Four Russian footballers have been included in the 23-man squad.

Russian women break free from kitchen sink: Most Russian adults agree it's unfair to expect women to do all the housework. According to state-funded researcher, VCIOM, 79% of women and 66% of men believe domestic work should be shared. However, the study found that a third of the country’s men are sticking to traditional stereotypes, believing women should do all the domestic chores.

Ministry of Defence: British nukes could blow up at any time!: More then 1,700 nuclear missile warheads in the British arsenal have a design flaw and could set off a chain reaction 'like popcorn' if dropped, reveal Ministry of Defence documents, according to the Telegraph newspaper.

Pregnant Australian ‘snatched’ from Gaza: A 20-year-old Australian woman who had converted to Islam and married a Palestinian has returned home from the Gaza strip. Tanya Louise Smith was flown home to Sydney from the besieged territory in a special operation organised by the Australian embassy, according the newspaper ‘The Australian’. The woman says she remains committed to her new religion.

Students’ superstitions immortalised in granite: A monument to students’ superstitions has been unveiled in Moscow to mark Youth Day. Students believe it will make it easier to pass exams. From now on, you'll just have to perform a simple ritual in order to succeed.

Disabled thrive on farm work: A group of people with special needs have moved to a remote village in the Leningrad region, and made it their home. They work alongside local residents, doing tasks they thought they would never be able to perform.

Georgian budgie recites Stalin’s poetry: Chico's a Georgian poet, and he doesn't even know it. But then why would he - as he's just a budgie. This feathered friend, however, is far from bird-brained.

Prostitutes lure Johns with free fuel: Brothel workers in Nevada are struggling to make ends meet, and it’s mainly because of rocketing fuel prices. The truckers who keep them in business are staying away. They say high diesel prices have left them with no extra money for adult entertainment. However, the sex industry is not giving up just yet.

Rare white tigers charm Moscow zoo visitors: A family of rare white tigers have been released into an outdoor section at Moscow zoo. The rare Bengals have difficulties surviving in the wild because their distinctive pale colouring make it difficult for them to hide.

Belarus traffic cops audition for 'Police Academy': It sounds like a scene from a Hollywood movie, but for Tinseltown - think Minsk. Two Belarusian policemen have received suspended sentences for endangering the lives of several people, including a child, following an action in which they used human shields to stop a drunk driver.

Andrey Arshavin: Russia's answer to Pele: Russian footballer Andrey Arshavin has attracted the attention of clubs and media worldwide with his stunning performances at Euro-2008. But it's a little-known fact that the playmaker who proudly wears the number 10 shirt, also likes to design them.

Feline football fan looks for purr-fect performance: A family from Ukraine’s Kuzbass region say their black cat Musya is watching all Russia’s Euro 2008 matches and she is a real fan – even her whiskers bristle when goals are scored, says Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Police issue e-fit of Saint Paul: German criminologists have produced an e-fit of Saint Paul, who lived 2,000 years ago. The picture has been released to coincide with the Year of the Apostle Paul, due to be announced by Pope Benedict XVI on June 29.

Indian elephants take a dip in Siberian river: In the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, swimmers enjoying a dip in the Ob River have witnessed an extraordinary spectacle. Some tropical visitors – a pair of Indian elephants - have hit the city beach.

Meet Russia’s seaside Vegas-to-be: From July next year Russia's gambling industry will be confined to four remote areas. The southern region of Krasnodar was the first to present its ideas on developing a Russian Las Vegas.

Spanish turn to voodoo in Euro 2008: As Euro 2008 approaches its climax, souvenir producers are growing more inventive. A new amulet sold in Spain offers a new way for Spanish football fans to help their team win the tournament. A ‘set for fans’ consists of a voodoo doll with a box of pins – to be stuck in the rag-doll…

Balloons give bird's eye view of St.Pete: The 8th Annual Balloon Festival and Airship Championship has brought thousands of participants and spectators from Italy, France, Canada and many other countries to Russia’s northern capital to compete or simply to have fun.

Football fever can be a heartbreaker: Football fever is sweeping Russia ahead of the Euro 2008 semi-finals. In the past week, two newborn babies have been named in honour of national team head coach Guus Hiddink. But beware - a 'football fan' can sometimes become a medical case.

Obamamania spreads across America: Barack Obama’s popularity is on the rise. Polls suggest the charismatic Democratic nominee has every chance of becoming the first black president of the United States.

'Dead' model sues undertaker: A 24-year-old student was shocked to learn that his graduation photo was being used to advertise the services of an undertaker. Now Vitaly Bushmin wants compensation from the photographer and the company that ‘buried’ him alive.

Statue breaks taboo on enemas: While enemas undoubtedly have a place in medical practice, their role in art is open to debate. But that hasn’t stopped a health spa in the resort of Zheleznovodsk in Russia's Stavropol region from erecting a giant monument to enemas.

Baby you can drive my car!: Classic vintage cars and stylish women are among the more alluring things in life. Put them together and you have an almost irresistable combination. At least that's the theory. And it proved to be the case this week at Moscow's third girls-only classic car rally – an event that didn’t fail to spin wheels.

Young Europeans flock to Al-Qaeda camps: The European security agency, Europol, is sounding the alarm as more and more Europeans are turning up at Al-Qaeda training camps near the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Italian Corierre della Serra reports that newcomers, eager to join the Islamist terrorist organisation, come from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Romania, Estonia and the U.S.