The leadership of the Media-Most holding demanded from the General Prosecutor's Office of Russia to immediately send documentation in the case of Vladimir Gusinsky to law enforcement agencies. On Thursday, the Spanish judge Balthasar Garson refused to free Gusinsky from custody, citing the lack of materials. The Media-Most Holding believes that the Prosecutor General’s Office deliberately delays the sending of documents, interfering with justice.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived today with an official visit to Cuba. At the airport, he was met by the Kubinsky leader Fidel Castro. During a four -day visit, the state of bilateral economic relations and the Kubinsky debt of Russia in the size of about $ 11 billion will be considered a state of bilateral economic relations. Putin is the first Russian president visiting Cuba. In 1989, the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev visited here.

The State Duma of Russia today considers the draft budget for 2001 in the latter - the fourth reading. Today's reading excludes the adoption of any amendments to the bill, only textual changes can be made to it. The budget is planned deficit. Revenues and expenses will amount to one trillion 193 billion rubles, the volume of the internal gross product - about 8 trillion rubles. An annual inflation is predicted at 12 percent, the average ruble exchange rate is 30 rubles per American dollar.

The names of the laureates of the Russian National Theater Prize "Golden Mask" in some categories are announced. The prizes "For honor and dignity" were awarded to the actress of the St. Petersburg Bolshoi Theater named after Tovstonogov Alice Freindlich and the chief director of the Tatar State Academic Theater named after Kamal Marcel Salimzhanov.

In the Pankisian gorge on the border with Chechnya, according to Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, the "Anti -Criminal Operation" continues. Parts of the internal troops of Georgia were introduced into the gorge, and in the Kakheti region, which includes the Akhmetsky district with the Pankis gorge, the landing brigade of the Armed Forces of Georgia was deployed, brought into full combat readiness.

The White House welcomed the liberation of the American businessman Edmond Poup, recently sentenced in Moscow for espionage by 20 years in a maximum security colony. A representative of the White House noted that the United States stubbornly sought the liberation of their citizen, and expressed the hope that the conflict around the POUP case would not affect the American-Russian relations. Russian President Vladimir Putin pardoned today, who had already flew home.

Vladimir Abarinov, Washington: US Vice-President Al Gore addressed Wednesday evening to the nation with a statement that he would recognize his defeat in the presidential election. George Bush Jr. made his first speech as the chosen president of the country. Despite a difficult day, Al Gore did not cancel the Christmas party at his home, but at eight in the evening he said goodbye to the guests and headed for his office, from where he turned to the Americans with a farewell speech.

The Union of Russian Journalists appealed to the Prosecutor General’s Office with a complaint against Mikhail Lesin. The document says that Lesin violated the legislation, interfering in the activities of the media of the city of Sochi during the mayor’s election campaign. The letter claims that, on the instructions of the minister, the work of the Max-TV private television channel was stopped, and censorship was introduced on the state channel.

The press service of the Gorky Automobile Plant for today and does not explain the prospects of even the next future. General Director Viktor Belyaev told reporters: “Now it is difficult to predict how suppliers will behave. Negotiations related to deliveries are carried out daily. Unwinding cars will not be assembled.

US Secretary of State Madlin Albright insists that the current European quick response forces should be closely connected with the NATO Union. Speaking today in Brussels at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Albright emphasized that close relations between NATO and European forces are necessary - first of all, for the security of Europe itself. France actively acts for the independence of the European quick response forces from NATO. The United States and Türkiye sharply object to this.

Mikhail Sokolov: Says Radio Liberty. On the air, the weekly program "Elections 2000". The microphone is Mikhail Sokolov. Residents of Krasnoyarsk re -elected the mayor of the experienced business manager Peter Pimashkov. The unification of his supporters “for Krasnoyarsk” received 34 percent of the vote in the City Council, and the Communists 10. In Krasnoyarsk, the elections of the municipal representation are held as if according to a party principle.

Contrary to the forecasts that appeared on the eve that the budget could be returned to the third reading, the voting “for” was overwhelming - 308 deputies. The budget is planned to be deformable, the inflation rate will be 12 percent. The approximate alignment is this: the costs of defense will almost double the funds allocated for law enforcement, more than five times - for industry, construction and energy, and more than 10 times for agriculture.

Leading Marina Katys Marina Katys: Says Radio Liberty. On the air, the Ecological Program "Forbidden Zone". The microphone has the author and presenter of the program Marina Katys. In early December of this year, an interdepartmental commission was created in the Primorsky Territory to survey objects that have nuclear materials in circulation, as well as radioactive, explosive and potent substances.

Russian political scientist Andrei Piontkovsky comments on the final of the case Edmond Poup - pardon of the American businessman Russian President Vladimir Putin. The leading final information hour is talking to him. Peter Vile: Mr. Piontkovsky, the signs of fabrication in the POUP case are too obvious to treat him as a purely criminal, legal case. What was it still, in your opinion?

The program "Liberty Live" from Washington is conducted by Sergey Danilochkin: Since Tuesday, in one of the Washington suburbs, Frendship Hates, the most severe law in the United States has a law that limits smoking on the street. It provides for a fine of a hundred dollars for smoking or throwing tobacco products in public places. True, violators first receive a warning from law enforcement officers - the only thing.