The Russian law offers three main schemes for sale of real properties at auctions. Historically, the first possibility was introduced by the federal law No. 178 “On privatization of government- and municipally owned properties. The sale both of certain individual real properties and enterprises as a portfolio of assets, which are regarded as real properties by the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, is possible only at public auctions.

The scandalous investigation was initiated this year by former HP board chair Patricia Dunn. According to prosecutors, the organizers of the investigation illegally gained access to private information of individual board members, as well as some journalists and their family members. In addition to Dunn, the prosecutor's office also filed a civil lawsuit against her successor as board chair, CEO Mark Hurd.

“Our ancestors sold Manhattan for some trinkets,” gloated Max Asiela, one of the members of the tribe’s ruling council, at the presentation of the deal at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. He recalled the story of foreign conquerors in 1626, when they exchanged the land under the future New York for things worth a few dollars. The Hard Rock Cafe chain, with its 124 cafes, several hotels, two hotel-casinos, two concert halls and other assets, will cost the 3,000-member tribe $965 million.

Public opinion in the countries leading the anti-terrorist coalition – the US and Britain – is ready to withdraw troops from Iraq. High-ranking military officials and even British Prime Minister Tony Blair publicly doubt victory. New exit strategies, professionally and not so professionally written, appear in the press every day. Only George Bush is still holding on to Iraq.

Alexey Reznikovich awaits the start of negotiations with Telenor / E. Stetsko Yakovitsky believes that the most logical option is one in which both Telenor and Altimo retain a presence in the Russian and Ukrainian cellular markets. This would happen if Altimo exchanged VimpelCom for Kyivstar, retaining 25.1% in the Russian Megafon, and Telenor would receive 57.6% of VimpelCom, which also operates in Ukraine, he argues.

E. Stetsko At the beginning of last year, Alisher Usmanov and Vasily Anisimov bought 97% of the shares of Mikhailovsky GOK, having received a five-year loan of $1 billion from VTB. Soon after, the GOK also acquired Ural Steel (the former Nosta metallurgical plant) from Usmanov’s structures for approximately $600 million. Another GOK and another metallurgical plant until recently belonged to Usmanov together with another partner, Andrey Skoch, through Gazmetall CJSC, in which each owned half.

The previous version of the classification did not exist on the market for even three years. All this time - since 2003, when the previous classification was adopted - it served as an object of criticism and was only an approximate guide for tenants and developers. It did not have the principle of the obligatory nature of this or that criterion, so everyone could interpret the degree of compliance with the specified parameters at their own discretion, which is generally what was done.

By the beginning of the reforms of the 1990s, the Russian state was unitary and, due to its size and diversity, could no longer remain so. Decentralization did not bring happiness. By the beginning of Vladimir Putin's first presidential term, the Russian state was decentralized and could no longer remain so. Corruption, theft from budgets and the inability to provide people with basic public goods testified to the inevitability and necessity of new centralization.

According to Jean-Clair Morel, head of the investment department of the real estate and consulting firm DTZ Holdings in Paris, the total amount of transactions on the French real estate market this year will amount to 22 billion to 25 billion euros. This is 30% more than the results of 2005. The secret of France’s appeal is clear: this year, analysts predict that France will record the highest level of investment returns in Western Europe.

VBD – Troika Dialog Troika Dialog increased the fair price for Wimm-Bill-Dann ADS from $57.9 to $67.5, maintaining its “buy” recommendation. WBD presented strong results for the first nine months of 2006 under US GAAP. EBITDA grew by 74% compared to the same period in 2005, and net profit increased by 3.65 times. As expected, WBD showed excellent results in the production of dairy products and baby food. Positive changes occurred in the juice segment.

The scandal erupted on Friday at a joint meeting of the Prosecutor General's Office and the Ministry of Natural Resources. "Every tenth ton of oil produced is extracted in excess of the established norms," ​​said Minister of Natural Resources Yuri Trutnev. "Violations of environmental legislation have become widespread," continued Chaika. He admits the guilt of his subordinates.

Groves's company, ABC Learning Centres, has become the world's largest publicly traded child care provider, with a market value of about A$3 billion ($2.35 billion, all figures in US dollars from now on – Vedomosti). Groves turned 40 this year. He wears crocodile-skin shoes, hates ties and is ready to fight for a place in the American market, which was once a source of inspiration for him.

And the press secretary of Ingosstrakh, which plans to place 20% of its shares on the London Stock Exchange, Natalia Gorgidze, refused to comment on the possibility of cases of internal abuse in the company “for ethical reasons.” Over the past year, RESO has been successfully combating financial abuses in its branches.

Vnukovo began thinking about choosing a management company in the middle of the year. Currently, the airport's sole agent is Vnukovo Handling, controlled by Vnukovo-Invest. In 2005, its agency fee was 24.3 million rubles, and its net loss was 781,000 rubles. It became an agent without any competition, and its contract is renewed annually.

On Friday, the bureau of the Supreme Council of United Russia discussed and made recommendations to regional political councils on the first three candidates from the party in the March elections. The lists are to be approved today at a meeting of the presidium of the general council of the party. Vedomosti learned the top three candidates of most of the party's election lists (see table). As in 2006, governors are listed as leaders on almost all lists.