December, 15, the commander of legendary mine-thrower detail WWII veteran Alexander Terentievich Shumov celebrates his 99^th birthday. Six brothers Shumov, Tuvan strong men, have entered all artillery encyclopedias of the world for their feats, fearlessness, accuracy and speed of shooting.

Alexander Prokofiev wrote the poem "Rossiya" about them - this work was awarded Stalin's Prize. The heroes spoke in their own "Tannu-Tuva" language, as the military journalist Pavel Luknitskiy, who spent time at the Leningrad front where the Shumovs fought, noted in his reportage. We present some fragments from it to the attention of our readers.

Results of complex expedition research of therapeutic and touristic-recreational use of natural arzhaan complex "Choigan mineral waters" will be presented today at a scientific seminar at the National Museum of Tuva.

On 20 May 2012, the famous Russian sailing ship "Sedov" departed form Sankt-Peterburg and started on a 14-month circumnavigation of the world..

The journey of "Sedov" - the largest training sailing ship of the world - is dedicated to the 1150^th anniversary of the birth of Russian statehood and the 200^th anniversary of the first Russian circumnavigation of I.F. Kruzenstern and Yu.F. Lisianskiy.

Nature park "Ergaki" is becoming more and more popular every year as a place for active recreation, gradually turning into the next "Mecca" of Russia.  According to various sources, about 2 to 3 thousand "guests" visit the "Sleeping Sayan Mountains".

But there is a problem: the majority of the people going to the mountains has not had even minimal preparation for it. Most of them not just can't tie a "sea knot", but can't even start a simple campfire. And, as is well known, the mountains do not forgive mistakes.

A journey

In southwest Siberia in Tuva, between Mongolia and Altai, the mountain massif Mongun-Taiga spread its shoulders - the mountain ridges, glittering with glaciers of the Silver Mountain. It is a harsh land of wind-blown high-altitude meadows, stony slopes and icy rivers. Only strong and tough people survive here, Tuvans of Turkic roots, living a nomadic life with their herds of sheep and yaks. They are kind to their guests, but guests are rare - it is not an easy road to the remote mountain pastures. But those who had made the trip fell in love with the simple beauty of its wild nature and the people living in harmony with it.

The Tuvan State University of Kyzyl, Republic of Tuva is organizing a summer study program for foreigners, from June 30 - July 14, 2013 called “Two Weeks of Tuva”.

Participants will study the Tuvan language four academic hours (three actual hours) a day, Monday through Friday, in groups of 3-6 students.  By the end of the 40-academic-hour program, participants will know basic words, simple phrases, and how to talk about themselves, their family and their home.

The once war-torn republic of Chechnya is among Russia’s prospective economic powerhouses if its environmental potential is factored in, according to a study of Russian regions released on Tuesday.

The North Caucasus region only lost to the Siberian republic of Altai in the first Economic-Environmental Index of Russian Regions, prepared jointly by RIA Novosti and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and presented in Moscow.

Prohibition of amateur, sport, or commercial hunting for three years was passed in Tuva: ungulates - in Pii-Khem district, Siberian goat (mountain goat) in Dzun-Khemchik, Sut-Khol, Chaa-khol and Ulug-Khem districts. All types of hunting of all game resources are prohibited for the same term in Kaa-Khem district in certain areas. The decision was made by the government of the republic on the initiative of the State Hunting and Fishing Commission. The goal of the new limits is to secure suitable conditions fro re-establishment of the animal populations. In the opinion of specialists,, even though the dynamics of the numbers of the animals in the republic is in general positive, some territories are experiencing great pressure from hunters, and a three-year "break" is necessary.

Redefining epic poetry for the 21st century, a native of the Siberian Republic of Tuva composed a heroic tale recounting the career of Tuvan politician Sergei Shoigu in an exalted medieval style.

The idea was hatched after the far eastern nation of Chukchi voiced its plans to compose an epic poem about billionaire Roman Abramovich, who was Chukotka governor from 2001 to 2008, said Shoigu’s bard Aibek Soskal.

The Abramovich epic poem was actually a tongue-in-cheek proposal by spin doctor Gleb Pavlovsky from 2006, which never materialized.