No beer commercials

Moscow

Russia’s parliament this week put severe restrictions on beer ads. No commercials or beer are allowed on TV or radio from 7 A.M. to 10 P.M., and the ads that run at other times can’t show people or cartoon characters, or imply that beer quenches thirst or improves athletic or social prowess. The new rules reflect a change of tack in a country that has long treated beer as a soft drink. There’s no minimum age to buy beer, and children often drink it during the day, contributing to an epidemic of youth hooliganism. President Vladimir Putin, a teetotaler, has been pushing for restrictions on booze.