Beer bill for Russia

Beer is to be legally classified as an alcoholic drink in Russia for the first time.

Currently it is recognised as a foodstuff which means producers can avoid a crackdown on alcohol advertising and night-time sales.

But a new bill will abolish the beverage's special status and modernise the country's alcohol regulation.

Yevgeny Bryun, the ministry of health's chief specialist on alcohol and drug abuse said: "Normalising the beer production market and classifying it as alcohol is totally the right thing to do and will boost the health of our population."

The new bill is part of the Kremlin's toughest anti-alcohol campaign since the fall of the Soviet Union.