Ballmer talked about the BRIC countries in answering a question at the Churchill Club. I hadn't heard the term before (coined in 2001).

Putin comes across as competent and credible. His viewpoint naturally advances Russia's interests, but he backs it up well.

Quoted: CNN's Matthew Chance interviewed Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

Russia's heavy-handed military response is a problem. But for the Georgian President to blame the west for failing to help them after they got beat back, when the west explicitly told him not to send troops into South Ossetia, is outrageous.

Quoted: "I feel that they are partly to blame," he said Wednesday. "Not only those who commit atrocities are responsible ... but so are those who fail to react. In a way, Russians are fighting a proxy war with the West through us."

Quoted: As Russian tanks roll into Georgian territory, Georgian web sites are also under attack. The Georgian embassy in the United Kingdom has accused Russia of launching denial of service attacks against Georgian web sites, according to published reports. Since Russian troops attacked the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia on Friday, Georgian sites

Gorgeous airship drawings.

Quoted: Interesting news from Russia in English language.

Quoted: Elizabeth tried to adopt and adhere to many of her father's public policies. Unlike some of her predecessors, she preferred to appoint Russians and not foreigners to the highest positions in the country and being a patron of the arts and sciences, she established the Russian Academy of Arts. As well as a conscientious leader, Elizabeth was also a very lively and social personality and organised regular balls, receptions, masquerades and firework displays.

weird - natalie portman's shaved head on a french music blog about russians

Putin has been selected as Time's "Person of the Year."

Quoted: Vladimir Putin is no ordinary politician. He is charmless yet adored by his nation. He took a country in chaos and remade it in his own image: tough, aggrieved, defiant. An interview—and dinner—with the man who tamed Russia

Quoted: The free, ad-supported blog site encourages users to keep online diaries they share and discuss with friends. It counts 14.3 million blog accounts and roughly 20 million visitors a month. Its writers publish more than 150,000 new posts a day.