Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer visited Moscow at the end of last week for negotiations with representatives of the largest Russian companies: Gazprom, Sberbank, Russian Aluminum, LUKOIL, YUKOS, Sibneft, SIBUR, etc. Speaking to reporters, he refrained from commenting on the specific results of his meetings, but noted the serious interest shown in Russia in the development and implementation of information technologies. Mr.

Washington and London persuade Moscow, Paris and Beijing Yesterday, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz rejected a draft UN resolution proposed on Saturday by the United States with the support of Great Britain. The reasons for the refusal are clear - Washington and London proposed to radically tighten the conditions for conducting military inspections in Iraq. Under the new draft, Baghdad is given only seven days to open any sites, including presidential palaces, to unrestricted inspections.

It was decided to finish off the militants who came out of Galashki from afar The operation against a large detachment of Chechen militants under the field commander Abdul-Malik, who tried to capture the Ingush village of Galashki on Thursday , began to wane over the weekend.

The Dagestan prosecutor's office has named the first suspects in the murder of the head of the Department for Combating Extremism and Criminal Terrorism of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Dagestan, Akhberdilav Akilov, who was shot on Friday afternoon in the very center of Makhachkala. According to the main version, the attempt on his life was carried out by militants from a sabotage group that organized a bloody terrorist attack in Buinaksk during a military parade on May 9 of this year.

“Fan” on Moscow screens Nice guy Brad Cronin (Jesse Bradford) definitely has nothing to complain about: he is young, handsome, always upholds the honor of his native college in swimming competitions, and he is definitely going to get a scholarship to Stanford. And his personal life is perfectly organized - his girlfriend Amy (Shiri Appleby) almost prays for him.

Deputies determined rules for monitoring suspicious financial transactions Russia has significantly tightened legislation aimed at combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The corresponding amendments to the law “On combating the legalization (laundering) of proceeds from crime” were adopted on Friday by the Russian State Duma, showing rare unanimity. The amendments passed without discussion in the second and third readings.

On Friday, the director of the thermophysical center of the Krasnoyarsk Technical University, Valentin Danilov, accused of treason, was released from custody right in the building of the Krasnoyarsk FSB department. He was released on his own recognizance. In total, the 52-year-old scientist served 580 days in pre-trial detention.

Israeli Prime Minister came to Moscow to get votes Today, Ariel Sharon begins his second visit to Russia since his election as Prime Minister of Israel in February 2001. As the press service of the head of the Jewish state told the Vremya Novostei newspaper, meetings with President Putin and other Russian leaders are scheduled for today. Tomorrow evening Sharon will fly back to Israel. The main topics of the negotiations are traditional for Israel and Russia.

The “Court Hunt” at the Historical Museum was staged in effigies and for effigies The topic of hunting and hunting trophies can be interpreted in different ways. Since the Middle Ages, still lifes with killed game, guns with mother-of-pearl plates and grotesque masks in castles, deer antlers above the fireplace in a Gothic hall had an almost magical meaning. It was a metaphor for the power of a monarch, nobleman, prince or landgrave over his universe-country-land-fief. And not only.

On Friday, the State Duma approved the bill “On Insolvency” (Bankruptcy). The law was adopted on the second attempt - after the president's veto and revision in the conciliation commission. However, even taking into account the presidential comments, the new version largely retains the shortcomings of the current one. The main difference is that it radically increased the responsibility of arbitration managers.

Washington sets a new standard for combating terrorist financing The autumn session of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as well as the meeting of finance ministers and heads of central banks of the G8 countries, which took place over the weekend in Washington, did not bring any particular sensations.

An extended meeting of the YUKOS board of directors was held in Vilnius, dedicated to the company’s international projects. China, the USA and Europe were identified as the most promising areas of work. Over the next five years, YUKOS expects to increase the volume of supplies to America to a level exceeding 5 million barrels per year, transfer European refineries to Russian Urals brand oil and begin developing the Chinese oil and petroleum products market.

A unique project was recently completed in Khabarovsk by a young doctor, graduate student Vadim Ilyashenko, who only graduated from the institute six years ago. The rebirth is now celebrated by Konstantin Roshchin, who on July 27 this year almost literally lost his head while water skiing. The young man was let down by the sharp jerk of the boat at the moment when he was threading the halyard over his head. The ski turned up, hitting the wave, and this halyard actually tore off his head.

A new district is being created in Moscow - a tourist district The capital authorities have begun creating a zone of “increased tourist attention” in the center of Moscow. The other day, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov approved a plan for the reconstruction and development of Kitay-Gorod. This document can be considered the beginning of the first stage of creating a recreational and tourist zone “Golden Ring of Moscow” in the center of the Russian capital.

Moscow authorities again made the theme of the week the restoration of the monument to Felix Dzerzhinsky on Lubyanka Square . The idea of ​​Yuri Luzhkov about a city referendum on the monument, expressed on Saturday, was supported yesterday by the speaker of the Moscow City Duma, Vladimir Platonov. Mr. Platonov believes that the installation and dismantling of any monuments is an exclusively urban planning issue, and therefore a city referendum will be enough to resolve it.