The Finnish company IF will acquire the St. Petersburg insurance company Region, which specializes in auto -insurance, the Vedomosti newspaper reports. According to experts, the amount of the transaction can be up to $ 60 million, but the exact figure is not yet called. IF already owns a subsidiary in Russia - the IF Insurance company, which began to sell policies last year. Basically, she works with corporate clients from Scandinavia.

Democracy may suffocate in the arms of the West. Russian democrats should look into the past, look inside their country and think about the future, argues Mary Dezhevsky. Russian democratic activists are undoubtedly engaged in a noble cause that deserves all support - both moral and material. Moreover, in their activities they encounter all sorts of obstacles.

We publish a complete transcript of the lecture and, read by the famous Russian political scientist, candidate of political sciences, professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology of the European University in St. Petersburg Vladimir Gelman. On March 6, 2008, in the club - the literary cafe Bingua as part of the project “Public Lectures“ Polit.ru ””. Vladimir Yakovlevich Gelman was born in 1965 in Leningrad. Candidate of Political Sciences (1998, St. Petersburg State University).

Russian President Vladimir Putin is today proclaimed by an honorary citizen of the Serbian city of Pozharevats, Gazeta.Ru reports with reference to ITAR-TASS. The Russian Ambassador Alexander Alekseev, who completes his work in Serbia, was awarded the same title. The chairman of the city administration Dushan Vuychich expressed gratitude to the head of the Russian diplomatic mission for his personal contribution to the development of bilateral relations.

Almost every second complaint, which received a person in the Russian Federation in the Russian Federation Vladimir Lukin, is related to human rights violations by law enforcement officers. This is stated in the report of Lukin, which was published by the Rossiyskaya Gazeta . The document is presented to President Vladimir Putin.

**Cutting paws in the medieval style** One of the main topics addressed by the media last week was the meeting of the current and elected presidents of Russia with the leadership of the State Duma and the leaders of parliamentary factions. According to most newspapers, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev organized this event in order to demonstrate to politicians, the public and the world community their intentions to develop democracy in Russia.

In the Odintsovo district of the Moscow region, two trucks and a minibus collided. As a result of the accident, 7 people died, five were injured, RBC reports. As stated in the press service of the Central Regional Center of the Ministry of Emergencies of Russia, the accident occurred on the eve of about 23:30 Moscow time. Forest, a tractor and a Ford minibus collided at 36 km of the Minsk highway.

US President George Bush expressed his intention to visit Ukraine before the April summit of the heads of state in NATO in Bucharest. Thus, he increased the intensity of passions in an alliance of a dispute that has covered the alliance about how quickly Ukraine should begin preparations for entering the North Atlantic Alliance, writes Financial Times (full translation on Inopressa.ru ).

The State Duma Committee on Thursday held an exit meeting at the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation. The issues related to the cooperation of the Prosecutor General and Deputies in the preparation of new laws were considered. The deputies also affected a number of other issues, including those related to the hunger strike, which is carried out in Nizhny Novgorod by six investors who invested their money into the Social Initiative partnership.

According to the UN, in Russia, more than 90% of women are abused in the family. Every year, more than 14 thousand Russians die at the hands of husbands or partners. Also, about 2 million children are abused by parents. Moreover, 50 thousand children run away from home during the year, fleeing family violence, and 7 thousand are victims of sexual crimes.

The military put up two large real estate objects in Moscow. These are the former military warehouses of the Air Force on Left Bank Street and Rublevskoye Shosse, Echo Moscow reports. The Ministry of Defense plans to help out about 4 billion rubles for objects. These funds will be aimed at providing housing for military personnel. An open auction will take place on April 8.

Today in Ingushetia in the village of Ekazhevo unknown, they fired at a car in which three employees of the Federal Security Service of Ingushetia were located, Ingusheti.Ru reports. The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ingushetia reported that at about 11:30 Moscow time on Friday unknown persons, presumably in the VAZ-2107 car, were fired from automatic weapons of law enforcement officers who were in the VAZ-2115 car.

A meeting was held by the leadership of Twel OJSC and the CEO of subsidiaries of the Corporation on the topic: "The expected results of the enterprises of the TVEL corporation for 2007 and the formation of tasks for 2008". According to the company, in 2007, all the main indicators of strategic development were performed at the holding’s subsidiaries, including measures for the technical development of production, scientific and technical activity programs and experimental developments.

The counter -terrorism operation in the Buinak district of Dagestan has been completed. On Friday, the representative of the FSB department in the republic announced the liquidation of six militants, the individuals of the militants are established, Lenta.ru reports with a link to RIA Novosti. During the special operation, one employee of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Dagestan died, an OMON employee was easy injured.

** March 17, Monday ** The main events: The first joint meeting of the Soviets of the Chita Regional Duma and the Aginsky Buryat District Duma will be held in Chita.