Alexei Tsydenov, 40, told Vladimir Putin that he can raise the quality of life 'in a fairly short period of time'.
Three cities east of the Urals are in the top ten for a new survey of national contentment.
Special train - the Eurasian Star - will reopen exotic and historic trail linking China, Mogolia and Russia.
An army of almost 3000 foreign workers combine with locals to get the city ready for the September APEC summit of world leaders.
'Dauria' has campaigned for 20 years for cleaner environment but the ruling has angered the organisation which now faces an uncertain future.
Siberian ancestors hunted the squat short-legged horse, even though this type of animal was believed to have been wiped out 400,000 years ago.
Police detained two men in Trans-Baikal region on suspicion of selling the counterfeit liquor.
Concern is growing over poaching of the 'secretive' manul wild cat - also known as Pallas's Cat.
Paws were attached to underside of carriage in Zabaikalsk region.
Angara Airlines, based in Irkutsk, has launched new flights from Novosibirsk to Irkutsk and diamond-mining Mirny in the Sakha Republic.