Where to go to: Places to eat, dance and hang out

RT asks

How realistic is the image of Russia presented in the West?

Karadzic bus tour becomes tourist hit Radovan Karadzic has only been behind bars for two weeks, and already Serbian merchandisers and tour operators are cashing in on his infamy. Visitors to Belgrade can now take the Karadzic Tour and visit the war crimes...

War orphan finds two loving families The war in Abkhazia left families divided, and thousands of children orphaned. Besso could have been one of them, but, 15 years after the war ended, he now has two families that care for him – though neither...

More Russian Olympic hopefuls head for Beijing Another group of Russia’s Olympic athletes have left Moscow to head for host city Beijing. Almost 500 hopefuls will represent the country in 244 different disciplines.

2014 days til 2014 Sochi olympics While the world's attention is drawn to the next week's Beijing games, Russia is counting the days before the Olympic flame arrives. It's exactly two thousand and 14 days until the Sochi 2014 Olympics.

Producers want DiCaprio to play Lenin Producers of a new film about Lenin are hoping Leonardo DiCaprio will sign on to play the Communist icon.

Spanish Templars sue Pope Spanish Templars, who consider themselves to be the inheritors of the knight order destroyed in the 14th century, are suing Pope Benedict XVI and demanding the restoration of their order.

Russian Subs aim for Lake Baikal record The Mir-1 and 2 submersibles have resumed their exploration of Russia's Lake Baikal. It is the first dives since earlier this week when one of the subs was damaged after colliding with a barge during a storm.

Chelsea has Moscow penalty horror déjà vu The finalists have been revealed for Moscow’s 2008 Railways Cup. Hosts Lokomotiv will battle Spanish outfit Sevilla after a night of high drama ended in Chelsea losing yet another penalty shootout in the Russian Capital.

Russia Close-Up: Siberian reindeer breeders Stretching over 3000 kilometres from north to south, the Krasnoyarsk Region is home to several of Russia’s indigenous peoples, including the Dolgans, the Evenks and the Nenets. Most of them still breed reindeer, just...

Paramedics to quit ambulances for bikes? Hundreds of ambulances get stuck in heavy traffic in Russia every day. Precious moments are lost and some paramedics are reaching their patients too late. An idea of motorcycle ambulances could beat the gridlock.

Penza cultists go on house-buying spree A sect in the Russian city of Penza is snapping up property in the area, but not winning much sympathy from neighbours. Local officials say some of the land developed by the followers actually belongs to the city.

Russia Close-Up: Siberian reindeer breeders Stretching over 3000 kilometres from north to south, the Krasnoyarsk Region is home to several of Russia’s indigenous peoples, including the Dolgans, the Evenks and the Nenets. Most of them still breed reindeer, just...

Millions watch Russian eclipse Millions of people in Russia’s Siberian city of Novosibirsk have witnessed a total eclipse of the sun. The eclipse, which began at 10:21 GMT, plunged the city into complete darkness for 2 minutes and 27 seconds.

Saudi Arabia bans dogs and cats – they corrupt men Islamic religious police are enforcing a law banning the sale of dogs and cats in Saudi Arabia’s capital. Men walking one in a park are also calling for trouble. The reason – pet owners may use their animal...

Injured Sharapova to miss Olympics Maria Sharapova has confirmed she won't be fit in time to take part in the Beijing Olympics. A shoulder injury sustained at the Rogers Cup this week has forced her to withdraw from the Games.

KHL: that baby sure can run Life's such a funny picture You ask - Russian FM answers Oh, that charming Sophie and her questions.

Russia Close-Up: A new age for arms giants For half-a-century, the Southern Urals area was a workshop for the Soviet military machine. Plants producing hardware from small arms to heavy-duty trucks, to ballistic missiles, were places to seek employment. After...

Treacherous catwalk to success New York is a magnet for aspiring young models, many of them Russian. But only a few manage to get their teeth around the Big Apple, and the rest meet with locked doors, disappointment and exploitation.

Model relationship: how will Russian tycoon handle Naomi? A romance between supermodel Naomi Campbell and a Russian magnate has sparked a feeding frenzy among the world’s gossip columns. Vladislav Doronin, a property tycoon worth around $US 3 billion, is reported to be...

Russian Beauty still waiting for her Beast The hunt is on for a leading man in a staging of one of the world's most popular musicals, Beauty and the Beast, in Moscow later this year. Preparations for the premiere are in full swing – but casting the...

Russian films to watch

NHL star Ovechkin enjoys Moscow break Ice hockey star Aleksandr Ovechkin is taking a well-earned break in Moscow after a fantastic season with the NHL's Washington Capitals. RT caught up with the Russian to talk about his blossoming career on the ice, and...

Sexploitation protests in Kiev Ukrainian girls have taken to Kiev’s main square to protest against what they call a spree of sex tourism flowing into the country. Eager to draw public attention they choose sexy clothes and performed scenes depicting p

South Americans sweep Windsurfing Championships South Americans have dominated the most highly anticipated event on the world windsurfing calendar, the World Championship Tour, which has just finished on Spain’s Fuerteventura island. Russian surfers also put in a...

Beijing Countdown: masks, money and maybes With just over a week to go till the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a number of offbeat stories are grabbing as much attention as the plight of the athletes themselves. From masks to improve breathing, to some heavy financial...

Five Russian Olympians suspended in doping scandal Five Russian athletes have been banned from competing in Beijing after they were found to have tampered with doping tests. Yelena Soboleva, the world indoor 1500 metre record holder, and four other sportswomen were...

Sharapova may miss Olympics Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova may not take part in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games due to a shoulder injury.

Russia’s UEFA champs struggling in mid-table Reigning champions Zenit Saint Petersburg missed the chance to close the gap on the leaders, after they were held to a goalless draw at CSKA Moscow. The draw for Dick Advocatt’s side, means they're without a win in...

Hugh Hefner ‘in love’ with Ukrainian brunette The founder of Playboy magazine, Hugh Hefner, has gained yet another girlfriend. This time she’s from Ukraine and she’s not blond.

The best of Russia Close-Up: Shamans and lamas buddy buddy in Tyva Spirituality runs deep in the remote Russian Republic of Tyva. While Shamanism is the unofficial religion there, Lamaism, or Tibetan Buddhism, is the official one. But most people don’t have to choose between the two,...

Russia’s Olympians head for Beijing

RT asks

Medvedev orders investigation into lawyer’s death in custody

“Still no stability in the Caucasus” – EU human rights commissioner

Moon race 2.0? Count Russia in

Japan accuses Russia of “illegal occupation”

ROAR: Medvedev discusses “painful problems” with human rights activists

US Army follows footsteps of Alexander the Great – journalist

Central Bank of Russia cuts refinancing rate to 9%

Daimler announces joint ventures with Kamaz

Property market starts to firm

Nosferatu breaks silence

Silver for peace

Shipping jazz to Moscow

Russia’s Victoria crowned Mrs. World

Russian girl Wins Silver at 2009 Junior Eurovision

Remembering Mstislav Rostropovich

The forbidden fruit of political irony in art

Advocaat denies Russian job rumors

Rubin out to make history in Champions League

Davydenko fails to stop ATP Finals defending champ

Moon race 2.0? Count Russia in

Remember the Large Hadron Collider? It’s alive & kicking!

Cannibals survived brain disease epidemic thanks to a mutation