As the Black Sea resort gears up for 2014, it faces investment and environment woes, the first mayor of St. Petersburg lived a life straight out of the movies, new rules could make getting loans simpler, but housing market confidence stays fragile, from hockey to curling, Russia's sporting struggles liven up your lingo and other news in this issue

In a new staging of ‘The Barber of Seville', no chance for a chuckle goes begging, parents react angrily to a call for euthaniasia for Down's syndrome kids, Moscow has become quite a serious karaoke city; find out where people go to sing, three new metro stations give you new places to discover and other news in this issue

Trip the light fantastic in Moscow's tango festival, Tehran's uranium
enrichment is pushing Russia to agree with the West, take a look at the city's top martial attractions on Defender of the Fatherland Day, scallop-encrusted mansions and more and other news in this issue

United Russia calls for the Federation Council speaker to be sacked, half a century's worth of epoch-defining photographs, a look at Russia's top prospects for Olympic glory in Vancouver and other news in this issue

Alexander Khloponin takes charge as the Caucasus gets a new boss, journalist's death in custody leads to high-level sacking, Kremlin deputy chief of staff inspires rage from US conservatives, oil and gas are used as political weapons as neighbours argue, schoolkids could be saying "Yes, sir" to retired military officers, one of the joys of English is the lack of any official regulation, a Chekhovian journey around central Moscow's theatres and museums, Davydenko hits the best form of his life and other news in this issue