The International Prize of the Olof Palme Foundation for 2004 was awarded to three Russian human rights activists - Lyudmila Alekseeva, head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, Sergei Kovalev and journalist Anna Politkovskaya. “The three laureates are powerful symbols of the long struggle for human rights in Russia,” the foundation said in a statement. In 2003, the prize went to the former head of UN military inspectors, Hans Blix.

2 1 min. ... Anatoly Strazhnikov, Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Omsk Region: - Let's get ready for work. Stop resting. We need to get busy. The main task of deputies today is to take care of veterans who have been offended by the monetization of benefits. Boris Svatkov, President of Omtor: — Labor enthusiasm from our employees in the beginning of the year. In this regard, the current week is decisive.

After the auction for the sale of Yuganskneftegaz, Mikhail Khodorkovsky transferred the right to dispose of 60% of the shares of Group Menatep to Leonid Nevzlin, a source close to the company said. According to Gazeta.ru , the ownership scheme of Group Menatep initially provided that control over the group could pass to another shareholder in the event of the death of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, his conviction, kidnapping, or in the event of the loss of a significant asset by YUKOS .

Supporters of Viktor Yanukovych intend to appeal the results of the presidential elections in Ukraine in the country's Supreme Court on January 13. “Today we planned to submit materials to the Supreme Court to appeal the official election results announced by the Central Election Commission .

award music At a party in London's Park Lane Hotel, the names of the candidates for the main British music award, the Brit Awards, were announced. BORIS BARABANOV reports. The Brit Awards ceremony, which will be held on February 9 at Earls Court, will be the 25th anniversary. Hence the unprecedented excitement. The musical year turned out to be rich in terms of new bright names. Music fans who choose to cast their vote on the website or otherwise face a difficult choice.

Today marks the 48th anniversary of Sergei Prikhodko, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation for Foreign Policy and International Relations. Vladimir Lukin, Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, congratulates Sergei Prikhodko on his birthday: — Sergei Eduardovich is, first of all, a true international affairs professional, in any case, the only well-known international affairs specialist in the presidential administration.

Lance Armstrong owes sponsor one Tour de France In Silver Spring, America, there was a presentation of the cycling group of the Discovery Channel group (formerly US Postal), which this season changed its general sponsor and name. The team, led by six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, as last year, includes two Russians - Olympic champion Vyacheslav Ekimov and Gennady Mikhailov.

tennis The first racket of Russia Anastasia Myskina dropped out in the second round of the Medibank Sydney International tournament, losing to the little-known Chinese player Peng Shuai. However, the Russian tennis player is confident that this defeat will not affect her performance at the Australian Open, which starts on Monday. The Sydney tournament is perceived by both fans and athletes as a kind of preparatory stage for the Australian Open.

Tatyana Van was found guilty of robbery and sexual violence against women 366 3 min. ... Yesterday, the Khabarovsk District Court handed down a verdict to businesswoman Tatyana Van, accused in a high-profile criminal case, which was called the “Black Elm Case” in the Khabarovsk press. In the fall of 2004, shuttle businessman Kim Chun Ho was sentenced to 19 years in prison in the same case.

As Kommersant learned, at the end of December two major suppliers of AvtoVAZ changed their owners. SOK Group sold Avtosvet OJSC, which produces lighting devices, including fog lights, as well as alarm devices, detachable connectors for automotive equipment and household appliances (70% of its products are purchased by AvtoVAZ). The Togliatti company LadaInterService sold a 70% stake in AvtoVAZagregat JSC, the largest supplier of seats and exhaust systems for the car plant.

On January 12, the former president of the Portuguese football club Benfica, Joan Bale Azevedo, was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison for forgery of documents. Thus, he received a second conviction. Mr. Azevedo was sentenced to a shorter term than the prosecutor requested. The investigation was unable to prove his guilt in “laundering” illegally acquired funds. The verdict concerns only three proven cases of falsifying the passports of club players for the purpose of selling them to other teams.

Armsberbank is headed by a native of VTB As Kommersant has learned, the former manager of the St. Petersburg branch of Vneshtorgbank, Alexander Vartanov, has been approved for the post of chairman of the board of the Armenian Sberbank. In March last year, 70% of Armsberbank's shares were acquired by Vneshtorgbank. “One of the key tasks of our bank is to support infrastructure programs actively implemented in the republic by Gazprom and RAO UES of Russia,” Mr. Vartanov told Kommersant yesterday.

On January 12, the captain of the Belgian ship Christopher Columbus reported the loss of electronic equipment worth more than 180 thousand rubles. As RIA Novosti learned, the attackers stole three radio stations, a monitor, a computer system unit and a video recorder. Let us remind you that the Belgian ship was damaged by Typhoon Chaba.

On January 12 , Rubin footballer Sergei Kharlamov will open the first football cafe in Kazan. According to Sovetsky Sport , the pub will be located next to the houses where Ak Bars hockey players Salei and Kasparaitis, Dynamo-TatTransGaz volleyball players Fomin and Shulepov, and UNICS basketball player Kambala live. Kharlamov’s restaurant is already operating in Kazan, and the football player plans to build a closed club outside the city, Gazeta.Ru reports.

in court with gas workers thirty 2 minutes. ... Yesterday, the Arbitration Court of the Volga District overturned a court decision that declared unlawful the decision of the mayor of Volgograd to seize property from “municipal” municipal unitary enterprises in order to subsequently lease it to RKS’s “daughter” - Volgograd Utility Systems.