TODAY: Memorial moves to defer its closure; citizens’ anger mounts over currency decline; no protection from rising costs.  Sweden says Russian jet nearly collided with commercial liner; Moscow points finger at NATO; gay rights critic storms Moscow club.

Long-standing human rights group Memorial, under threat of dissolution by the Kremlin, has sent a revised charter to the Justice Ministry with the intention of asking for a postponement in the Supreme Court’s hearing on its future.  Around 100 citizens whose mortgage payments have skyrocketed due to the plunging ruble have marched in Moscow, in one of the first major protests over the decline of the currency.  Consumers looking to offset their woes with leisure will be disappointed to know that car prices are rising, as are the prices of prophylactics.  The restaurant industry is worried about the tightening of corporate budgets reducing the formerly reliable New Year party splurge.  In response to demands for cuts in spending, the Kremlin will slash several billion dollars from the state space program for 2016-2025.  Commentator Mark Adomanis says that whilst the Russian government should have enough money squirrelled away to stave off default, ‘it is clear, though, that bailing out irresponsible borrowers is a very poor use of taxpayer money that was intended to serve as a welfare fund’.