News New Church Head Elected By Kirill Bessonov Metropolitan Kirill was elected the 16th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia by a Congress of 702 clerics and parishioners on Tuesday, and one of his first public statements came as a bit of a surprise.

Essay Letter from the Editor Robert Bridge I would imagine that most newspaper editors (as well as any person who is brave enough to work in the media business, or even open up a newspaper to read, for that matter) have a strong inner desire to help improve the world, at least in some minute way. It sounds like a ridiculous, almost childish notion, of course, but it is an inevitable feeling nevertheless.

News In Brief - Kremlin: Obama, Medvedev vow to seek better ties Kremlin: Obama, Medvedev vow to seek better ties, Russian president orders rework of treason bill

News Putin warns against big government at Davos By Anna Arutunyan Speaking at Davos Wednesday, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called the crisis a "perfect storm" that "most" of the world failed to foresee.

News Soldier ‘defection’ examined By Kirill Bessonov A sergeant of the Russian army has deserted from his unit stationed in South Ossetia and announced his intention to live in Georgia.

News Crime Briefs - Satanic cult leader arrested in central Russia Satanic cult leader arrested in central Russia, Russian kills wife after reading her dating website details, Over 126,000 crimes against children reported in Russia in 2008

Local A match made in… Russia By Ayano Hodouchi Love is love whatever the nationalities might happen to be

Local Briefs - Metro heads out of town Metro heads out of town, Friends in the North? Quotas cut for foreign staff, More luxury hotel space, Ski Sunday

Local Go green, young man By Andy Potts Everybody wants to save a bit of money where they can - but where's the best place in Moscow to cut the cost of living?

National This week in Russian history... 30 January – 5 February 2009

Local Entertaining eating By Daria Chernyshova What’s your perfect night out? A movie, a meal, an exhibition? Or maybe all of the above? Try these places for size

Local Community calendar - Belle of the Ball Belle of the Ball, Icy auction, Lingua d'amore, Back to the Future, Research project

Columnists Love Russia By Daria Chernyshova This time, there will be no provocation, no politics, no general discontent. No, this is just a sweet swan song as this column comes to a happy close

Local Book Lovers’ Moscow By Phoebe Taplin Explore centuries of literary life in the city and stock up with some reading matter for the long winter evenings...

Ask the experts Bob Van Ronkel, Hollywood’s Man in Moscow By Robert Bridge When Hollywood stars need a friend in Moscow, they turn to Bob Van Ronkel, a Beverly Hills native who has helped to dramatically change the entertainment landscape of the Russian capital