TODAY: State Duma to quadruple funding for United Russia; Medvedev playing “good cop” at G8; UK says Russia spy activities are distracting from fighting terrorism; Medvedev warns Georgia over breakaway regions. The State Duma has unanimously passed a bill quadrupling government funding for major political parties, entitling the ruling United Russia party to millions of dollars of additional government funding. The measure will leave liberal opposition parties with nothing, due to the stipulation that parties receive at least 3% of the popular vote in order to be eligible for funding. British prime minister Gordon Brown will have his first meeting with Dmitry Medvedev today. The UK Foreign Secretary has reportedly promised the wife of ex KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko that Brown will press Medvedev on the matter of Litvinenko’s death. British officials are complaining that Russian spy activities are distracting intelligence sources away from uncovering terrorist plots. A “Russian dissident” associated with Litvinenko has been granted asylum by the UK, as has the leader of Russian youth opposition group ‘Pora!’.