In line with the rest of Europe Russia advanced the clock one hour for summer time. Unlike the rest of Europe however the Russian will not set their clocks back in October. That will lengthen the time difference between Moscfow and London for example to four hours for example.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev decreed in February an end to Russian Winter time, saying that the twice annual adjusting of clocks was "associated with stress and illness" and "upsets the human biorhythm." Mr Medvedev argues that an extra hour of sunlight in the afternoon during the long winters would also benefit business and reduce crime.

By John Bonar

A strong flavoured, heavy stout ale, originally brewed in London in the 18^th Century and exported to the Court of Catherine II of Russia, has been recreated in a competition by 11 British brewers. The fruits of their research and labours will once again be delivered under sail to St Petersburg from Russia in June this year.

Having sailed from Greenwich with the kegs of beer in the Thermopylae, a former round-the-world clipper ship, the man behind the project, master brewer Tim O’Rourke will host a celebratory tasting at the St Petersburg Magerfest beer festival. The showcase judging of 11 versions of Imperial Russian Stout will be by a panel of brewers including Russian brewmasters.

BP announced today that a Swedish arbitral tribunal has ruled that the interim injunction issued by a London court to prevent BP's proposed transaction with Rosneft, which includes Arctic exploration and a share swap transaction, from proceeding should continue.

In mid-January BP's new CEO Robert Dudley's reputation was soaring on the back of a ground-breaking  $16 billion share-swap and Arctic exploration deal with Russian state energy giant Rosneft. Blessed by Russian Premier Vladimir Putin in the morning Dudley and Rosneft executives flew in their corporate jets to London to sign the deal in BP's headquarters in front of British energy minister and the Russian charge d'affaires.

Etalon Group, a real estate developer, is the latest Russian company beating a path to London financial markets. the company announced plans today to raise around $500 million in a London IPO.

A source close to the deal told Reuters the company would start its roadshow on April 4, closing the book on April 14.Etalon said Credit Suisse, Renaissance Capital and VTB Capital will be joint bookrunners of the offering.

In a deal which may take six months to clear regulatory approvals Sberbank today agreed to acquire 100% of Russia's  oldest investment bank, Troika Dialogue for $1billion. Troika's two shareholders - founder Ruben Vardanian with 63.6% of shares  and South Africa's Standard Bank with 36.4% - have been negotiating the deal for months.

Since he burst on the world scene in 1969 as the leader of a group of free officers who seized power in Libya on the night of 31st August/1st September most of the world has got Muammer Gaddafi wrong. They can't even agree on how to spell his name. In 2009, ABC News listed 112 different ways to spell Gaddafi. In 2011 the Huffington Post blogger Ben Rosen can only come up with 40 permutations.

By John Bonar
Russia has made it clear any proposal for a no-fly zone over Libya will be grounded in the Security Council. As a permanent member Russia has a veto and has made plain it will use it. The most gung-ho advocate of such a zone to thwart Gaddafi’s counter attacks against rebel insurgents is Britain’s David Cameron after US President Barak Obama has wobbled on his earlier resolve, partly due to the statement by General James Mattis, the commander of US Central Command to a Senate hearing last week.
The General said that, in spite of the air superiority of the US, policing a no-fly zone would be tricky and would require an attack first on Libyan air defences, including ground-to-air missiles.

The "Expo – Russia Jordan" has been inaugurated in Amman, Jordan. Russia's most important event in the Middle Eas is being held at the largest convention center in town, the Royal Convention Centre at Le Méridien Amman. The three-day exhibition will end the 9th of March and has been organized by "Zarubezh Expo", Jordan Chamber of Commerce and the International Association of Peace Foundation.

Three International Space Station crew members launching in May to live and work aboard the International Space Station will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. CDT on Monday, March 21, at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The briefing will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's website. Questions will be taken from participating NASA centers.