Russia's lower house of parliament gave preliminary approval Friday to a U.S.-Russian arms treaty, but decided to delay the final vote until next month.
Drunken politicians. Smiling warlords. Twirling gypsies. Thousands of U.S. dollars littered on the dance floor. The bridegroom's father with a gold-plated automatic pistol tucked in his pants. A classic Rolls-Royce Silver Phantom.
President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday welcomed the U.S. Senate's decision to ratify a landmark U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control treaty, but Russian legislators said they need to study a resolution accompanying the document before following suit.
Russia has broadened the authority of the Federal Security Service, the KGB's main successor agency, giving it Soviet-style repressive powers in a move critics say could be used to stifle protests and intimidate government opponents.
What Russia needs
