Asia-Pacific Digest: Winter in Vladivostok and ballet classes in Thailand

Jan 17 2016

RBTH ASIA Team

A surfer.

Primamedia

Articles and features about the increasing number of Iranian tourists in Russia and a German-origin Soviet spy, Richard Sorge were among the Asia-Pacific highlights on rbth.com.

Iranian tourist numbers to Russia rise in 2015

January 15, 2016 MARINA KARPOVA, RBTH

Nearly 34,000 Iranian tourists visited Russia in the first 9 months of 2015.

Richard Sorge: The master spy who helped alter the course of WW2

January 7, 2016 AJAY KAMALAKARAN, RBTH

A German-origin Soviet spy managed to run a highly successful ring in Japan in the 1930s and 40s. After ignoring his warnings of an imminent German attack in 1941, the USSR relied on Richard Sorge’s inputs to plan its defense strategy.

Russia looks to become halal friendly

January 4, 2016 DAVID NARMANIYA, SPECIAL TO RBTH

Tourism authorities have launched a program to make more halal-certified food products available in Russia. The program aims to attract more tourists from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.