On September 2, 2017, U.S. authorities seized the buildings of the General Consulate of the Russian Federation in San Francisco and the Russian Trade Mission in Washington, D.C. Simultaneously, Russian representatives were denied access to the rented premises of the Russian Trade Mission in New York...Despite emotional coloring and personification, this situation suggests a “tit for tat” of diplomatic expulsions. The diplomats of both countries should know where to draw the line.

One of the most important cultural events in Cyprus and one of the most important events related to Russia outside its borders – the 11th Cyprus-Russia Gala – will be held on 15 October 2017 at the Presidential Palace. [...] The event, which brings together artistic, political and business personalities from both countries, is the initiative of Ensemble Productions Ltd, which is proud to work for the 11th year on this cultural experience – a unique opportunity to promote Russian spirit and Cypriot hospitality.

Russian capital will be hosting a new round of Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations. But this time the participants are not the presidents and foreign ministers, nor even the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. This time the problem will be addressed by the spiritual leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Natalia Vodianova has been the face of Calvin Klein campaigns and she’s graced the cover of Vogue. She’s also the founder of the Naked Heart Foundation whose mission is to support people with disabilities. Staff and faculty from the University of New Mexico’s departments of neurology, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, and from Carrie Tingley Hospital are participating in a Naked Heart Foundation program aimed at bringing new ideas about working with children with special needs and their families to facilities in Russia through international exchange experiences.

This Sunday, September 3rd, the “Semana Internacional de Piano” (International Piano Week) arrives in Rio for a second edition. Taking place at the Cecília Meireles room, in Lapa, and Cidade das Artes, in Barra, the festival brings to the stage prestigious pianists from France, Russia, Croatia, Italy and Brazil until next Saturday, September 9th.

Information campaigning in various forms is as old as politics itself, and nor is it the sole province of political bogeymen. Research shows that democracies are better than autocracies at influencing foreign public opinion, and businesses, politicians and states all use the mass media strategically for their information campaigns. The names we give a particular information campaign not only reflect our inferences about its aims; they can in fact amplify its power and advance its goals.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, has just made a four-day trip to Russia. It was the first time in 19 years that a holder of that powerful office, sometimes described as “prime minister” of the Holy See, had visited Moscow.