Russia: Samara in the dark | European Journal

The Russian President, Dimitry Medvedev, has done away with winter time. Last year, he cut the number of times zones in Russia from 11 to 9, causing protests in central and far eastern Russia.In the affected regions along the Volga and on the Kamchatka peninsular, people sit in the dark from early afternoon onwards. Demonstrators against the time changes regularly meet carrying pocket torches and candles and calling for their sun back. President Medvedev thinks too many time zones are impractical. The economy in particular should benefit from a cut in their numbers.