The Minister of Defense distributed medals and titles to deputies State Duma deputies yesterday celebrated Defender of the Fatherland Day ahead of schedule in the company of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov and other prominent state security officials. From their hands, parliamentarians received awards, memorial signs and military ranks.

Kazakhstan refuses to join the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline Yesterday the New Year holiday happened in Russia - the Year of Kazakhstan began. The President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, personally arrived in Moscow for the opening of this event. Before solemnly announcing the entry into force of the Kazakhstan year at the Bolshoi Theater, Mr. Nazarbayev held a confidential meeting in the Kremlin with the Russian president.

A madman set fire to a South Korean subway Yesterday, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung declared the Jeongangno metro station in the country's third-largest city, Daegu, a “special disaster zone.” At least 52 people were killed and another 138 suffered burns and poisonous fumes as a result of a fire that engulfed two trains. 155 subway passengers and employees are still missing, and most of them are likely dead. The fire started around ten o'clock in the morning as a result of arson.

Investors are waiting for details Markets continue to comprehend the deal concluded a week ago between BP and the shareholders of the Tyumen Oil Company to consolidate oil companies. Political assessments are known. Vladimir Putin and Mikhail Kasyanov, as well as Russian politicians and officials of lower rank, unanimously declared that the oil deal was an unprecedented investment breakthrough of foreign capital into Russia.

Pyongyang fears refusal of 1953 truce Washington's planned imposition of sanctions against the DPRK and the Americans' increase in their presence on the peninsula may prompt Pyongyang to withdraw from the 1953 armistice, which ended the bloody war and led to the split of Korea. North Korean authorities believe that with these measures the United States is preparing a blockade of the DPRK, which is prohibited by the armistice agreement.

According to experts from the Organization of Coffee Producers (OPC), the Russian coffee market in 2002 grew by 12-15%. At the same time, the total volume of coffee consumption amounted to 80-85 thousand tons, including coffee blends. Experts believe that the coffee market growth in 2003 will be at least 10%. Based on the results of the past year, instant coffee remains the most popular among Russians. Its share, including coffee blends, accounts for 86-88% of the coffee consumed in the country.

On the leading Russian trading platforms - MICEX and RTS - secondary trading in shares of mutual investment funds (UIFs) has begun. The shares of four interval funds of the LUKOIL family were brought to the exchange market by the management company NIKoil. Four mutual funds are included in the quotation lists of the RTS and MICEX: LUKOIL First, LUKOIL Second, LUKOIL Third and LUKOIL Professional.

The fear of the creeping expansion of the billion-strong Chinese population is alive among the Russian people to this day. And since the beginning of the 90s, when the borders of the homeland were opened to various kinds of international contacts, this fear took on concrete contours. China's population is increasing every year. And, as luck would have it, there are very few of us, especially where we need them.

Reuters focuses on 'radical restructuring' The unstable economic situation in the world can cause the ruin of not only corporations and banks. As a result of the latest stock market crashes, the Reuters Group news agency is experiencing hard times. On Tuesday, the world's largest financial information provider announced its first large-scale loss in its 150 years of existence.

The Finnish team lost its prima for two races In the first race of the World Ski Championships, which began yesterday in Val di Fiemme (Italy), the Russian team opened the account of the medals won. At a distance of 15 km in the classic style with a mass start, Olga Zavyalova finished third. The gold medal was won by the season's leader, Norwegian Bente Skari, and the silver award went to Estonian Kristina Šmigun.

Candidate Kocharyan - for a European country with enhanced security Today presidential elections will be held in Armenia - the fourth since the declaration of independence. Supporters of the current president are convinced that Robert Kocharyan will win the first round with an obvious advantage. Their opponents claim that “if fair elections are held, the second round, without Kocharyan, is inevitable.” Robert Kocharyan became president by winning early elections in March 1998.

Interros sells non-core assets Vladimir Potanin continues to get rid of non-core businesses. Interros announced yesterday that the holding company managed to sell shares of enterprises of the Perm engine-building complex at a profit. Interros CEO Andrei Klishas told the Vremya Novostey newspaper that the company expects to receive about $50 million for leaving Perm. However, it is not yet clear who will ultimately get these shares. Mr.

Today the capital's Lokomotiv will resume its performance in the Champions League. The first opponent in the new year with whom the Muscovites will play an official match will be the Italian Milan.

Today the head of the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who also heads the Indian part of the intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation, arrives in the Russian capital. On the eve of the visit, Mr. Yashwant SINHA told Vremya Novostei newspaper columnist Alexander LOMANOV about the problems and prospects of bilateral cooperation. -- In December 2002, Vladimir Putin visited India on a state visit.

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein placed Defense Minister Lieutenant General Sultan Al-Ghashem under house arrest. This was reported yesterday by the British The Guardian with reference to the Iraqi opposition. According to her, the purpose of this step is to prevent a military coup and keep the 700,000-strong army in obedience. Saddam fears that the army may refuse to fight American troops if they invade Iraq.