From Russia With News

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th May, 2020) In this digest, we will look at the new-found interest in dachas, a new business area near Nizhny Novgorod, and the adventures of mice in space.

Russians are turning their dachas � houses in the countryside, usually not far from the city � into personal mini-resorts as the self-isolation continues, a survey by Yandex.Market showed.

Swimming pools have topped the list of most popular items, according to a survey of consumer habits held between April 1 and May 20. During the holidays in the first week of May, the interest in swimming pools was three times higher than last year.

Garden furniture, various goods for a sauna, and barbecuing have also been especially popular. The interest in all things dacha may have been linked to the coronavirus restrictions, experts believe. The survey notes that the popularity of these categories grew 150 percent compared to last year and the interest in them began growing earlier than in 2019.

IKEA, for one, is seeing increased interest in garden furniture � 40 percent more compared to last year, the head of the retail sales of the company in Russia, Tatyana Lukyanova, said.�

A special economic area was approved for development near Nizhny Novgorod. The new area is named after Ivan Kulibin, an 18th-century inventor born in Nizhny Novgorod.

The area offers preferential tax treatment to its residents: the tax on revenue will be 2 percent instead of 20 percent int eh first five years, 5 percent in the next five years. There will be zero taxes on property, land, and transport.

According to the regional governor, Gleb Nikitin, the area will focus on pharmaceuticals and chemistry.

Russian scientists want to send 20 mice up to 200,000 kilometers (124,274 miles) in space � half the way up to the Moon. Roscosmos has developed the Vozvrat-MKA satellite that will be used for the mission expected to take place no earlier than 2025.

The scientists are also planning to send up a Bion-M satellite 500 kilometers up to see how the artificial gravity impacts mice. Before the actual Bion-M flight, there will be a trial to figure out the feeding system. Usually, mice are fed with a paste-like substance that includes water, but this will not work in a centrifuge. The scientists will have to separate food and water for the mice.

The scientists prefer to use male mice even though they can be combative. Female mice, however, are better protected against any outside influence so scientists learn less from them than from males.