According to the law that comes into effect today at 12:00 AM, all Russian casinos are supposed to close. The antivice plan introduced by Vladimir Putin allows casinos and slot machines to operate only in four regions of Russia, attempting to create the US-style gambling zones. As of today, neither of the zones is ready to host casinos. The delays were caused by lack of government financing and interest from real estate developers, hit by the financial crisis. However, the government has denied repeated pleas from the gambling industry to push back the July 1 deadline.

The figures are out on the volume of bribery in Russia and they are staggering. Experts estimate that bribery accounts for 20% to 30% of Russia's GDP. To prove the experts right, a police detective demanded a multimillion-dollar bribe and got arrested in Moscow.

A fire broke out in a night club in Perm, an industrial city in Urals, killing over a 100 people and injuring dozens.