Recently, the Federation Council supported amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences, significantly toughening the punishment for driving while intoxicated. The bill still has to pass the last instance - to receive the approval of the president, so that for drunk drivers in the Code of Administrative Offenses there remains only one severe punishment: deprivation of rights for a period of one and a half to two years.

On sending contingents from the “Muslim countries” of the CIS to Iraq Yesterday, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Elizabeth Jones arrived in Moscow for a short working visit. The program of her stay in Moscow includes meetings at the Russian Foreign Ministry and Security Council. According to Vremya Novostei, on Smolenskaya Square she will hold consultations with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak, who oversees relations with the United States.

CLUBS “Pakawa It.” One of the best “Balkan” dance groups. The group became famous in Russia after performing at Moscow street festivals (like many other Russian groups, Pakava first became famous in Europe - at the same street festivals). Recently, I accidentally managed to listen to a group rehearsal - the musicians gathered in the park next to the Central House of Artists and, to the great delight of those walking, they rehearsed in the open air, among bushes and sculptures. "B2" , 22.00.

Tajik aluminum smelter diversifies alumina suppliers Viktor Vekselberg's holding SUAL can oust its eternal competitor, Oleg Deripaska's holding RUSAL, from an important milestone - the Tajik aluminum smelter. TadAZ, whose design capacity is 517 thousand tons, produces just over 300 thousand tons of primary aluminum per year and is the only aluminum producer in Central Asia and the fourth after Bratsk, Krasnoyarsk and Sayanogorsk in the CIS.

A unique air show awaits Russia Such a picture can be observed only once in half a century - five commanders-in-chief of the Air Force gathered at one table, one of whom is currently serving - Hero of Russia, Army General Vladimir Mikhailov.

Moscow accused Tbilisi of missing personal belongings Russian and Georgian militaries continue their public dispute over movable and immovable property. At times it begins to take on bizarre forms. Just yesterday morning it seemed that the incident with the “invasion” of the Georgian military on the facilities of the Group of Russian Forces in Transcaucasia (GRVZ), which took place several days ago, was settled.

A unique crisis situation has persisted in the banking market for more than a month: a number of banks are paying nothing to clients, creditors, or depositors, but at the same time retaining their Central Bank license. Yesterday, the Bank of Russia decided to improve the situation a little and announced the revocation of licenses from four small Moscow banks at once - Promeximbank, Commercial Savings Bank (KBS), RICOM Bank and Moszhilstroybank.

The Central Moscow Depository suspended operations The story of the search at OJSC Central Moscow Depository (CMD), which the Vremya Novostei newspaper described in detail in the last issue, received a new continuation yesterday. Representatives of the Central MD stated that they were forced to suspend operations for an indefinite period of time, since employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation confiscated servers, computers and documents from them.

President Signed changes to the law on investing funds to finance the funded part of the labor pension. Article 34 of the relevant law has been amended to establish the deadline for transferring pension savings to the state management company (GMC). Earlier in this article, only the transfer of funds to private management companies was mentioned.

The government plans a new reform of higher education Minister of Science and Education Andrei Fursenko, it seems, plans to radically change the education system in universities: reduce their number, return to the practice of distributing graduate students to jobs and reorient the emphasis of curricula from fundamental to applied pragmatic education. He announced these theses yesterday during a business breakfast with journalists.

In the postponed match of the 17th round of the Russian Championship, Spartak managed to achieve victory over Rostov. Having a game advantage during the match, the Muscovites were able to score only in the time compensated by the referee - 1:0. The only goal after a corner was scored by Pavlyuchenko. Thanks to this victory, Spartak rose from 13th place in the standings to eighth. In this match, Dmitry Alenichev entered the field for the first time.

Negotiations on Transnistria are unlikely to resume in the near future, since the Moldovan authorities no longer see the current administration of Transnistria as an equal party.

Business unions have finally reached an agreement Today the long-awaited establishment of the coordination council of three business organizations will take place - the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Business Russia and OPORA. The heads of the associations, Arkady Volsky, Sergei Generalov and Sergei Borisov, will put their signatures on the agreement, according to which the council will include three representatives from each organization.

Italian Prime Minister provokes vote of confidence Yesterday, until late in the evening, the Italian parliament, which went on summer vacation in two days, voted on a vote of confidence in the cabinet of Silvio Berlusconi. The vote was initiated by the prime minister himself, who by hook or by crook is trying to push through the bill on pension reform planned for 2008. Upon receiving a vote of confidence, Berlusconi automatically gains the right to carry out reform.

The division of powers between levels of government will make the monopoly dependent on municipalities Three working days separate Gazprom from major troubles in the field of gas payments and, in general, in working with non-industrial consumers.