Democracy in the country is under protection Yesterday, the chairman of the Ukrainian Central Election Commission, Sergei Kivalov, fired the head of the computer department of the Central Election Commission “for slow processing of election results.” In the five days that passed after the first round of the presidential elections, only 97.67% was processed, but not all 100%.

Lukashenko criticizes Washington On Thursday, Alexander Lukashenko took a walking tour around Minsk. The president walked surrounded by security, who, according to eyewitnesses, quite politely asked passers-by to make way. Lukashenko did not stop to talk to residents. He ceremoniously cut the ribbon on the restored city hall building, went to a newly opened brasserie and talked to reporters, commenting on relations with Russia and the United States.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues a 40-day period of mourning, declared immediately after the death on November 2 of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, who had ruled the state since its creation in December 1971. In this regard, civil servants were given eight-day leave, private firms closed for three days as a sign of grief.

The actor spent six million to sue photographers Hollywood celebrity couple, 34-year-old Catherine Zeta-Jones and 59-year-old Michael Douglas, won a long-running lawsuit against the British tabloid magazine Hello! The scandal began immediately after the wedding, which Katherine and Michael played at the New York Plaza Hotel in November 2000 and which cost the newlyweds $2.4 million.

President Alexander Lukashenko said the other day that the most important task of Belarusian humanitarians is the development of state ideology. The head of state first raised the issue of the national idea in April last year, but there is still no basic textbook on ideology (it was recommended to be taught not only in public but also in private institutions). The second round of the competition for the best textbook on this subject will take place next month.

The publication of Zhukovsky's diaries has been completed - the 13th volume of the Complete Works and Letters (about it, see “Vremya Novostei” of March 3) was followed by the 14th volume.

On November 2, the governors of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Evenkia and Taimyr officially notified the Russian President of their intention to unite into one federal subject. The governors of Taimyr and Evenkia, Oleg Budargin and Boris Zolotarev, have already outlined their arguments in favor of unification in an interview with Vremya Novostei.

Russian lawyer won't help Sedy The materials of the criminal case of the former commander of the presidential guard of Tajikistan, Gafor Mirzoev, who was arrested on August 6, will now be classified as “secret”. The former field commander of the Popular Front, who acted on the side of the government during the civil war, is better known by his nickname Gafor Gray.

Russian Railways intend to set tariffs independently Railway workers have submitted proposals to deregulate tariffs for freight transportation to the Federal Tariff Service. This was announced at yesterday's briefing by the head of the All-Russian Research Institute of Railway Transport (a branch of Russian Railways) Ivan Besedin. Russian Railways expects that a decision on freight tariffs will be made before the end of the year.

Today in Sofia, representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE (the trio mediating in the Transnistrian settlement) are to discuss the possibility of resuming negotiations between Chisinau and Tiraspol. The dialogue broke down at the end of last year after Moldova refused to sign the initially approved memorandum on the foundations of a united Moldovan state, proposed by Moscow. The new OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passi, helped organize the meeting.

Today in Sochi the Prime Minister of Georgia Zurab Zhvania and the President of the unrecognized republic of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity will hold talks. This meeting, mediated by Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), had been expected since the summer, when shootings began again in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone. At first, Vladikavkaz was chosen as the meeting place.

The Central Bank bought more than $3 billion from banks in a day Despite the fact that the inflation rate will exceed the 10% planned by the government, at least this year, the Bank of Russia continues to buy dollars, preventing the strengthening of the ruble and creating the preconditions for an increase in the price index. Yesterday, during a single trading session on the MICEX, the Central Bank bought more than $3 billion, which became an absolute historical record.

If in response to the annoying question of a customs officer at the airport, “What is this in your luggage?” you'll want to respond with a joke, "A bomb!" - then restrain yourself and answer as politely as possible. Cases in recent days show that seemingly innocent jokes of this kind (verbal or written in the form of threatening notes) or indecent gestures towards border and customs services can result in a large fine or even imprisonment.

The All-Russian Athletics Federation has summed up the results of this season. Tatyana Lebedeva (triple, length) was recognized as the best athlete of the year, Elena Isinbaeva (six) took second place, and Yuri Borzakovsky took third (800 m run). In mid-November, the state coach of the Russian national team, Valery Kulichenko, flies to Irkutsk in order to negotiate with the regional authorities on preparing athletes for the next Olympics in Beijing.

FIRST NOVEMBER 8 , MONDAY 6.00, 10.00, 12.00, 18.00 News 6.10 “The desire to fly.” Doc. movie 6.30 “THE EARTH BEFORE TIME.” Hood. movie 7.40 “STITCHES-ROADS”. Comedy 9.00 Speckled Ribbon 10.10 Bad Notes 10.30 While everyone is at home 11.10 Secrets of the century 12.10 “THE CASTER OF MARY OF MEDICI.” Hood. movie 14.00 “Death squads against Pablo Escobar.” Doc. movie 15.00 “MOSCOW SAGA”. Series 18.10 Double holiday. Alexander Maslyakov and KVN-2004 21.00 Time 21.45 "OUTGATE". Hood.