The World Bank allocated to Russia 26 million 200 thousand dollars to reduce industrial emissions, which lead to a decrease in the ozone layer in the atmosphere. Money will be distributed between seven Russian plants, which annually throw into the atmosphere a total of 140 thousand tons of harmful waste. What specific plants are we talking about - it is not reported.

Two people were hospitalized with injuries as a result of a fire at the Tushino airfield in Moscow. Last night, a 50-ton tank with fuel caught fire at the airfield. The fire was extinguished by 20 special fire groups. The reasons for the fire are clarified.

In Chechnya, over the past day, at least Chevro Russian troops died and five were injured as a result of the attacks of Chechen fighters. The Russian military and administrative facilities were fired over 20 times. In the village of Khidi-Khutor of the Nohia-Yurt district, the head of the local administration lechi Yashurkaev was killed. According to Radio Liberty correspondent, unknown people stopped Yashurkaev’s car and shot him point blank.

The International Human Rights Human Rights Human Rights Uchi again accused the Russian authorities of massive human rights violations in Chechnya. The organization’s report published today says that the military in Chechnya kill and rob civilians - in violation of the laws of warfare. Russia, human rights activists emphasize, also bears responsibility for bombing of peaceful villages.

The vice-governor of the Smolensk region Yuri Balbyshkin was detained on Wednesday by FSB officers. According to the Russian media, he may be charged with abuse of official position. Babyshkin oversaw the foreign economic activity of the region and investment. The Governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug Alexander Nazarov was invited to a conversation in the Federal Tax Police Service.

In North Ossetia, residents of the village of Chmi for several hours blocked traffic on the Georgian Military Road-the main highway connecting Georgia and Russia. According to the Radio Liberty correspondent, the participants in the action demanded that the local authorities restore the movement of passenger transport. Intercity bus flights from ChMI and nearby villages were closed two years ago, since they did not bring income to motor transport enterprises.

Russian President Vladimir Putin flying to France on October 29, where Russia -EU will take part in the Russia summit. In Paris, Russian-French negotiations at the highest level will also be held in Paris. Putin will meet with France President Jacques Shirak, leading political and public figures, representatives of the country's business circles.

The ministers of the internal affairs of all 16 federal lands in Germany have announced today about the need to prohibit the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party. The vast majority of ministers voted to file a lawsuit in the German Constitutional Court. Two ministers - abstained. The final decision - a lawsuit will be filed on the prohibition of the National Democratic Party or not - the Upper House of the German Parliament must be adopted, which will gather at the meeting on November 10.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the state will not allow itself to blackmail those people who are trying to use the media for their own purposes. If necessary, we will destroy those tools that make this blackmail possible, said the head of the Russian state in an interview with Figaro French newspaper today. According to Putin, in the 90s, two or three oligarchs took possession of the Russian media and turned them into the instruments of their power.

The Minister of Justice of Yugoslavia Peter Yoich, a supporter of the former president Slobodan Milosevich, refused to pardon the Kosovo human rights activist Flora Brovin in prison. The new President of Yugoslavia Voislav Koshtunitsa last week ordered the beginning of the pardon of the Brovina, arrested last year during the bombing of the territory of Yugoslavia by NATO aviation. Brovina was sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges of state treason.

In Dushanbe, a meeting of the Minister of Defense of the CIS countries took place today, at which, in particular, the situation on the southern borders of the Commonwealth was discussed. The head of the military departments of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Moldova and Georgia did not arrive at the meeting.

The countries of the former USSR - according to the American bill on foreign assistance - will be allocated $ 775 million next year. $ 635 million is allocated to the countries of Eastern and Central Europe and the Balkan region. The bill, approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate, will in the near future will be signed by US President Bill Clinton.

The Great British government for many years hid from the public the possibility of transferring the disease to a person "cow's rabies." The published official investigation says that the British authorities recognized the existence of the "cow's rabies" in 1986. However, only 10 years later it was announced the connection of this disease with the disease of Kroycfeldy-Jacobs, from which more than 70 people died in the UK.

The program is attended by: press secretary of the President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev Osmanakun Ibraimov; Director of the independent Bishkek television and radio station "Almaz" Rustam Koshmuratov; Employee of the Kyrgyz edition of Radio Liberty Naryn Ayyp; Member of the Central Election Commission of Kyrgyzstan from the election headquarters of the presidential candidate Amurbek Tekebaev Urmat Savetov. Tengiz Gudava: On the next Sunday, the presidential election will be held in Kyrgyzstan.

Natalya Golitsyna, London: Unexpected diplomatic friction arose between Great Britain and Cuba. The Cuban authorities arrested seven British citizens, accusing them of espionage. This story is somewhat reminiscent of an episode from the novel by Graham Green. A group of seven English private detectives from the Sip Investigish detective agency arrived in Havana on tourist visas.