The best storytellers of the year have been named The Yuri Kazakov Award for “story of the year” will be presented by the New World magazine and the Charitable Reserve Fund for the fifth time. Previously, it was awarded to Igor Klekh, Viktor Astafiev, Asar Eppel and Irina Polyanskaya. Looking at the current shortlist, it is not at all difficult to name the sixth laureate.

FIRST DECEMBER 20 , MONDAY 6.00 Good morning 9.00, 12.00, 15.00, 18.00 News 9.20 Concert 12.10 “THE SMELL OF A WOMAN.” Hood. movie 15.20 Guess the melody (S) 15.50 The Last Hero (S) 17.00 Five evenings 18.20 Boom or bust 19.00 “CLONE”. Series 20.00 Wait for me 21.00 Time 21.30 “BLESS THE WOMAN.” Series 22.40 Special forces 23.30 Night “Time” 23.50 Seekers 0.20 Russian extreme RUSSIA DECEMBER 20 , MONDAY 5.00 Good morning, Russia!

The Old World is preparing to open its arms to Ankara Today, the EU summit in Brussels is making a fateful decision for Turkey. The European Council - a meeting of heads of state and government of 25 EU member states - must determine, and necessarily by consensus, the date for the start of negotiations on Turkey's accession to the European Union. It is expected that the verdict will be positive and negotiations will begin in 2005. True, they can last for years or even decades.

Antoni Gaudi's ideas will be translated into concrete using computers The main attraction of Barcelona - the Sagrada Familia Cathedral - will be completed using computer age technologies. The Sagrada Familia Foundation, which is managing the construction of the cathedral, decided to involve computers in the design of the gigantic building. To do this, the architects had to enter into a contract with several large software firms.

On December 19, the population of five Russian regions will have new bosses Next Sunday, the second rounds of gubernatorial elections will take place in the Kurgan, Kamchatka and Bryansk regions. And in the Republic of Mari El and the Khabarovsk Territory, where the first round will take place, the current heads of regions have no worthy competitors.

The Cabinet of Ministers staged a cultural revolution This was the most exciting meeting in the ten months of the quiet existence of Mikhail Fradkov’s cabinet.

Awarded the "Triumph-Science" Prize Russian scientists, who constantly complain about the lack of budgetary funding for basic research, received help from non-governmental sources. Yesterday in Moscow the ceremony of presenting the prestigious Triumph-Science award took place. The award was founded in 1992 by the Boris Berezovsky Triumph-LogoVAZ Foundation to encourage the highest achievements in the field of literature and art, and, since 2001, scientific achievements.

The Krasnodar governor finally got rid of the former mayor of Sochi President of the Northgas company Farhat Akhmedov has been appointed as a new member of the Federation Council from the administration of the Krasnodar Territory. In the latest list of Russia's richest people, published in the Russian version of Forbes magazine, Mr. Akhmedov, 49, was ranked 74th. His fortune was estimated by the magazine at $330 million. Mr.

Irakli Okruashvili will complete the mission in a century Yesterday, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili theatrically introduced the new Minister of Defense Irakli Okruashvili to the military. First, at three o'clock in the morning, the Kojori rapid reaction brigade near Tbilisi was alerted. After checking her mobilization readiness, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and the new minister went to the ministry, where a meeting with the generals took place.

The Central Bank does not have time to inspect banks for the deposit insurance system The Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA) announced yesterday that 60 of the 100 largest banks in terms of the volume of funds attracted from the population have been accepted into the deposit insurance system.

CSKA finished the first round of the Euroleague without defeat With a home victory over the German club “Skyliners” (86:82), CSKA basketball players completed the first round in Group “C” of the preliminary stage of the ULEB Euroleague. The army team became the only team in the entire tournament that did not suffer a single defeat in seven matches played.

Grozny "Terek" visited its historical homeland for a short time Yesterday the Terek football team met with its fans in the second largest city of Chechnya, Gudermes. The meeting was dedicated to Terek's entry into the Premier League of Russian football. Among the fans were the entire regional leadership, including President Alu Alkhanov. Because of their presence, many who wished had to remain outside the impressive cordon.

Bush decorated Havana with democratic illumination The United States will not remove Christmas decorations from its diplomatic mission in Havana, as required by Cuban authorities. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher stated this in Washington. “We do not intend to remove them until the holidays are over,” he emphasized.

Enterprise "Bal-Ast" revived "Jolly Fellows" Over the past five years, directors have been chewing and reliving the plots of the 30s of the last century in different ways, turning them over in musicals, plays, and films.

CSKA was the last Russian club to finish the season. The army team did this on a high note, defeating the French PSG in the Champions League and managing to take a place that allows them to compete in the UEFA Cup in the spring. CSKA's opponent in this tournament will be determined today during a draw in Nyon, where the headquarters of the Union of European Football Associations is located.