| 2011-12-15 17:08 Don't provoke protesters, ex-minister Kudrin tells Putin |
Russia’s ex-finance minister Alexei Kudrin criticized on Thursday Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s remarks regarding the white ribbons worn by protesters at recent nationwide rallies against alleged electoral fraud.
American director Woody Allen began shooting his latest movie in Paris on Monday.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday said a European Parliament resolution calling for new State Duma elections “means nothing.” 
After Wimbledon Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova came to Belarus. 
Putin welcomes Jean-Claude Van Damme in Russia · 2007-04-16 15:10
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme and martial arts fighters in Saint Petersburg.
Putin treated the fighters to tea and cakes at the Konstantinovsky palace following a mixed martial arts contest.
“Russia versus America” contest was won by Russian champion Fedor Yemelyanenko who defeated US rival Matt “The Law” Lindland.
Mixed martial arts is a controversial limited-rules combat sport in which fighters use techniques taken from a variety of disciplines against each other.
“You have a very tough sport, but it is not without dignity and respect toward your partner,” Putin said. “Brave people are in this sport.”
Van Damme, the star of a string of martial arts films, dressed in an open white shirt, described the occasion as an honour, Vesti television reported.
“I know that officials can give speeches, but what the president just said was not a political speech, but that of a person speaking from the heart,” he said.
Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi, a friend of Putin’s, was also reported to be in the audience.
• Chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov in arrested in Moscow
• Russian opposition arrested by police
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