Russia slashing vodka prices as its economy reels

CNNMoney: The Russian economy is in a tailspin, but hey, its vodka is about to get cheaper! The state agency that regulates the alcohol market said this month that it will slash vodka prices in February by about 16 percent. In the past, Russian policymakers have tried to discourage excessive drinking by hiking alcohol taxes. But now inflation in Russia is near 10 percent, the ruble has fallen in value by more than 40 percent this year and the economy is shrinking — so cheaper vodka just might take the edge off.

22-year-old raises $33,000 in fight with United Airlines

CNNMoney: The airfare whiz kid who got sued by United Airlines and Orbitz has raised more than $33,000 on GoFundMe.com to help pay his legal expenses. Aktarer Zaman, 22, founder of the airfare advice site Skiplagged.comsaid he appreciates the financial support in response to media coverage of the lawsuit, in which United Airlines and its travel agency partner Orbitz accuse Skiplagged of unfair competition and promoting “strictly prohibited” travel. Zaman said he won’t shut down the website, adding that “giving in to pressure from big corporations will be a bad precedent that I hope to avoid for as long as I can. “

21 states raising minimum wage laws on Jan. 1

CNNMoney: The new year will start well for more than 3 million U.S. workers — they’re getting a raise. Employers in 21 states and Washington, D.C., will hike their minimum wages Jan. 1. “We’ve seen a historic number of states increasing their minimum wages,” said David Cooper, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute. Sparked by a wave of fast food and retail worker protests, more than a dozen states, including Alaska, South Dakota and Nebraska, and many cities such Seattle and Oakland passed new laws to raise the minimum wage.