大象传媒

大象传媒 World News鈥� latest edition of the monthly business programme, Russia Business Report, comes from St Petersburg, Russia's second biggest city and a magnet for foreign investors. Presented by Fiona Foster, it听features interviews with President Medvedev's听听Chief听听Economic听听Advisor about the Russian World Cup bid, and with internet entrepreneur, Yuri Milner.

The episode will air on 26听and 27听June*.听

Features from the June episode include:

Renovating Russia 鈥� the trillion-dollar challenge
Russia鈥檚 Soviet-era infrastructure is in desperate need of repair. But an ambitious ten-year, one-trillion-dollar programme to revamp the country鈥檚 crumbling roads, bridges, ports and rail tracks came under the wheels of the financial crisis, with many projects delayed or shelved altogether. St Petersburg had one of the most ambitious plans to upgrade its infrastructure with help from foreign investors 鈥� what happened to them?听听听

South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018?
Russia's football stadiums are in desperate need of a makeover, especially as the country is hoping to host the world's biggest sporting event in 2018 or 2022. If Russia wins the bid, the government is planning to build at least 12 new stadiums across the country - and provide all the infrastructure needed to keep football fans happy.听Russia Business Report presenter Fiona Foster听caught up with Arkady Dvorkovich, President Medvedev's Chief Economic Advisor,听and听asked him why Russia was so keen to host the World Cup.听

Workers dis-united!
The Soviet Union prided itself on being a workers鈥� paradise but the reality was very different. To this day,听workers' 听influence is weak. However, some workers in the automobile industry are trying to change that.听听听At foreign-owned car factories in St Petersburg members of a new, western-style union have successfully gone on strike for higher pay. But the success comes at a price.听

Social media in Russia
Millions of Russians are hooked on social networking, and the number of users on sites such as 鈥淰Kontakte鈥� keeps growing. One man who has placed a big bet on social media is Yuri Milner. His company, Digital Sky Technology, is the biggest internet investor in Russia - and one with global ambitions. Last summer his company went on a spending spree in America's Silicon Valley, investing in Facebook, online chat service ICQ and a number of small start-ups. Russia Business Report鈥檚 Emma Simpson caught up with him to talk about why he thinks social media will be the next big money-spinner in the industry.

Reluctant partners听
Russia听 hopes that a customs union with Kazakhstan and Belarus will eventually become a single market of 170 million people, boosting trade and investment between the three countries. But there is increasing concern among听 its new partners that Russian businesses will benefit disproportionately from the deal.听听Russia Business Report听reports from Kazakhstan鈥檚 border with China.

Beautiful business
Stores in Moscow or St Petersburg are full of the latest fashions and expensive goods 鈥� but for many Russians window-shopping is all they can afford at the moment.听听However, as Ekaterina Drobinina found out, Russian women draw a line when it comes to their beauty.