Scores of Drunk Russians Drown Amid Heat Wave

Russian spirit targets rich women, prompts alcoholism fears

(NEWSER) - A made-for-women vodka touted as the perfect salad accompaniment has sobered Russian doctors, who fear high-end spirits like "Ladies" will only worsen already-high rates of alcoholism, Reuters reports. Estimates peg 10 percent of Russia's 142 million citizens as alcoholics, and the chief of one rehab center says 60% of his clients are women. More»

Premium imports, in fancy bottles, begin to arrive on US shores

(NEWSER) - If a shot of Georgi isn’t your style, Russian vodka makers are rushing to sell a new wave of premium bottles, the Los Angeles Times reports. Vodkas from France, Finland, and the US have gained popularity stateside over the past few years, but buyers couldn't find anything Russian other than Stoli on the shelves until recently. More»

Tells Moscow airport her kid plans to blow up plane

(NEWSER) - A Russian woman took drastic measures to try to prevent her daughter’s wedding today, calling in a bomb scare to keep her from flying to her beloved. The daughter, 33, planned to fly from Moscow to Morocco for her wedding, CNN explains. But the flight was delayed when her mom, 56, called to say that her daughter intended to blow up the plane. More»

(USER SUBMITTED) - While governments in the West worry about reducing alcohol and tobacco consumption and their related deaths, our Russian comrades have a different message for their people: Smoke and drink more! As the country plans to raise excise taxes on booze and double those on cigarettes over the next three years, “People should understand: Those who drink, those who smoke are doing more to help the state," announced Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin today. More»

Fires rage over 500,000 acres

(NEWSER) - Huge wildfires have blanketed Moscow in a fog of heavy smoke, stinging the eyes and throats of the city's 10 million residents. Firefighters are wrestling with almost 600 distinct fires covering 500,000 acres, CNN reports. The resulting smoke has seeped into subways and apartments throughout Moscow, driving carbon monoxide levels up to five times above acceptably safe levels. More»