In Gothenborg, an agreement was signed between the American Ford Motor and the Chinese Geely on the sale of a Swedish manufacturer of Volvo cars. According to Itiar-TASS, the ceremony was held in the presence of the Vice-Chairman of the PRC Xi Jinping and the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Industry of Sweden Mod Ulofsson. The transaction amount amounted to $ 1.8 billion (in 1999, Ford acquired a Swedish automaker for 6.5 billion). Volvo headquarters remains in Gothenburg.

Mobitel cellular operator (M-Tel trademark) stopped serving the number 0888 888 888, which has experienced three of its owners in 10 years. All three subscribers who used this "beautiful" number have not lived up to 50 years old, reports gzt.ru with reference to the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph . First, the number went to the former executive director of Mobitel and the president of the Bulgarian football club "Levski" Vladimir Grashnov.

At least 60 people became victims of armed clashes of police officers with criminal groups in the capital of Yamaika. Most of the dead are civilians, reports AFP. At the same time, the CNN television company has only 29 dead data - among them, two policemen, soldiers and civilians reported.

The Ministry of Health has published a draft new law "On compulsory medical insurance of the Russian Federation" and within a month intends to enter the text of the document to the State Duma. The Ministry of Health demonstrates extreme loyalty to insurers, comments on the document "Kommersant" .

To put pressure on the Iraqi regime before the 2003 invasion, the CIA decided to create a video convincing the viewer that Saddam Hussein is a secret homosexual. On a record made with the participation of a double and presented as shooting a hidden camera, an imaginary dictator had sex with a young man, told the respected American newspaper The Washington Post two former CIA employees. This plan, however, failed to implement, as well as another entertaining project.

The Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee at the Prosecutor's Office (GSU SKP) of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case against the deputy head of the department for the investigation of especially important cases of the Moscow Interregional Investigation Department for Transport Grigory Dymovts. He is suspected of receiving a bribe of one and a half million US dollars.

In Japan, a strategy for studying the moon has been developed, which provides for the landing of robots on it by 2020. The project was prepared by the University of Capital Katsuhiko Sirai, who operates at the Cabinet of Ministers by the Scientific Council for the study of the Moon, led by the rector of the large capital's university Katsuhiko.

The organization and holding of the next St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will cost the city budget of 50 million rubles. A significant part of these funds will be spent on a luxurious governor's reception, writes Independent Gazeta . 22 million rubles are allocated for services for organizing the exposition-business zone of St. Petersburg.

The head coach of Argentina’s national football team Diego Maradona promised to run naked around the Buenos Aires symbol of a 67-meter obelisk if his team wins in the final of the World Cup in South Africa. This was reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the Argentinean radio station FM Metro. "If we win the mundial, I will be naughty around the obelisk in the center of Buenos Aires," Maradona said on the air.

In Georgia, a scandal with accusations of the opposition of the government of reselling Iran of Ukrainian weapons is flared up. Experts diverge in the determination who is beneficial "Irangeite". Some observers believe that we are talking about the new US campaign, others note that it can be “black PR” on the eve of the election campaign in Georgia.

Two snow leopards of the menagerie found in the residence of the overthrown president of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiev in Jalal-Abad, possibly died of hunger, reports on Wednesday the Akipress agency with reference to the Director of the Center for Defending Wild Animals in the city of Karakol, where the inhabitants of the home zoo, Saltanate Seitov were sent.

Western publications managed to obtain new photographs of the second-generation Mercedes-Benz CLS four-door coupe during a photo shoot organized by Mercedes for its new car. In photographs obtained by British magazine Auto Express , the Mercedes-Benz CLS is completely uncovered. Clearly visible are new beveled taillights, diamond-shaped exhaust pipes, a large radiator grille similar to the one installed on the SL coupe, new optics, as well as a bumper with LED running light strips.

The exhibition of the Russian art project “Draw a court”, which became a kind of art mirror of the trial of the ex-head of the YUKOC Mikhail Khodorkovsky, was held on Manhattan and went on a tour of the United States. The eldest son of Mikhail Khodorkovsky Pavel presented an exhibition in the library of Congress, RIA Novosti reports.

Architect Benjamin Garcia Sachs from Costa Rica gave his mother, who several years ago decided to retire to the jungle and built a home there for herself from fragments of trees and plastic bags, an improved bamboo house of his own design, reports RIA Novosti with reference to the online publication Inhabitat .

Russia has not yet intended to place Iskander complexes in the Kaliningrad region in response to the deployment of American Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems in Poland. This, as Interfax reports, said a high -ranking source in the Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday. "Now we are not talking about the placement of" Iskander ", since this (Patriot) is not elements of the pro. These are still missile systems that matter for air defense," the source on Wednesday said.