The National Anthem of Russia is the "Hymn of the Russian Federation". The music of the anthem, composed by Alexander Alexandrov, was used for the Soviet anthem, but the revised lyrics were written by Sergey Mikhalkov in 2000. It was adopted in late 2000 by President Vladimir Putin and replaced the former anthem, The Patriotic Song. Before and after the adoption of the anthem, liberal groups raised concerns that the re-adoption of the Soviet anthem was returning Russia to the Soviet era. The revised lyrics removed mention of Lenin's ideas and the "unbreakable union" of the Soviet state, instead speaking of a country that is vast in distance and in resources that will be entrusted to future generations.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Anthem_of_Russia

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1298: English and Irish forces led by Edward Longshanks defeated William Wallace's Scottish troops at the Battle of Falkirk. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Falkirk_%281298%29)

1831: In Brussels, Leopold I (pictured) was inaugurated as the first King of the Belgians. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_I_of_Belgium)

1861: The First Battle of Bull Run, the first major battle in the American Civil War, began. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Bull_Run)

1954: First Indochina War: The 17th parallel was established at the Geneva Conference, partitioning Vietnam into North Vietnam led by Ho Chi Minh and South Vietnam under Emperor Bảo Ä?ại. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_Demilitarized_Zone)

1970: The Aswan High Dam in Egypt was completed after 11 years of construction. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aswan_Dam)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry." -- Ernest Hemingway (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway)