A presidential aide at a conference for investors admitted that there could have been another company in place of YUKOS Russian Presidential Aide Igor Shuvalov admitted yesterday that the Yukos trial is of a demonstrative nature. It is noteworthy that the presidential aide made these statements at the annual conference “The Economic Situation and Investment Climate in Russia,” organized by the American Chamber of Commerce.

The prosecution demanded 10 years in prison for Khodorkovsky and Lebedev The former head of YUKOS, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and the head of the Mentatep MFO, Platon Lebedev, each deserve 10 years in a general regime colony. This opinion was expressed yesterday by state prosecutor Dmitry Shokhin, who spoke at the debate in the Meshchansky District Court of the capital.

CLUBS Tamara Kozhekina & Free Company . 60's blues rock. "Oracle of the Divine Bottle" , 22.00. Dog Korolenko. “OGI Project” , 22.00. Alex Rostotsky. Le Club , 20.00. "Utah". "B2" , 21.00. "Arkhip and his Alice." Presentation of the new album “So it happened.” “Chinese pilot Zhao Da” , 23.00. “Inhabitants of Heaven” with their debut album. "Sixteen tons", 22.00. Zaitsev Brothers Quintet . Club on Brestskaya . 19.30. DJ Sanchez. "Musical Landscapes". KEKS , 20.00. CONCERTS "World Jazz Revue" .

More than half of Russians support the appointment of regional heads, although they do not believe in the effectiveness of the appointed governors The reform of Russia's political system, initiated by President Putin after the events in Beslan and causing lively discussions in the expert community, is gaining momentum.

Leaders will change in many qualifying groups Today in Tallinn, after the Russian national team's match with the Estonians, it can be decided whether Georgy Yartsev's team will continue to fight for a ticket to the final part of the 2006 World Cup. And if so, under whose leadership. However, in fairness it is worth noting that even a defeat in the match with Estonia leaves the Russian team with a chance to take second place in the group, which entitles them to the play-offs.

The new leaders are ready to consider Akaev president so that he can resign Askar Akayev, who has turned up in Russia, considers himself a legally elected president and “sees no reason to resign” from the post of president of Kyrgyzstan. He stated this yesterday in an interview with the Ekho Moskvy radio station. At the same time, Mr. Akayev made several other important statements, in particular that he would not return to Kyrgyzstan until he felt safe.

Another series of exhibitions opened at Art Strelka The star of the March Art Strelka was Elena Kovylina. Her Live concert was composed exclusively of natural ingredients: a black piano, a pianist in a bowtie, classical music and a naked lady on the piano - completely motionless and beautiful. Unlike other masterpieces known to us, she breathed, reviving in the memory of the assembled odalisques, machs, danae and other naked beauties glorified by the great artists of the past.

Bahrain is preparing for the next Grand Prix Usually, a change of scenery, familiar at the first stages of the Formula 1 racing season, is expected at the first European stages. This time, everything may change in the coming days in Bahrain, where participants of the next Grand Prix are already flocking. After the first two Grand Prix of the season, there are only surprises in Formula 1. Renault was not expected to be in the lead.

An African was detained for violating the passport and visa regime after his photo appeared in newspapers Law enforcement officers in the Voronezh region recently detained the most famous homeless person in the region and an illegal migrant rolled into one. Rwandan citizen Joseph Habiman, who was taken to the police station for violating the passport and visa regime, was the only black inhabitant of the Voronezh outback, and, naturally, could not go unnoticed by the local media.

North in law The Ministry of Regional Development is developing a bill according to which the territories of the North and the Arctic zone will be allocated in Russia. According to the head of the Ministry of Regional Development Vladimir Yakovlev, the document may be submitted to the State Duma for consideration before the end of the year.

The Ministry of Natural Resources draws up criteria for limiting access to Russian subsoil The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) this week promised to tell which companies will be able to apply for the development of strategic deposits.

Mikhail Pletnev will no longer head RNO Pianist, conductor, winner of many Russian and international awards Mikhail Pletnev left the post of artistic director of the Russian National Orchestra. His farewell statement explained his reasons for leaving.

Police officers will be recording applications from citizens on video. The leaders of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs seem to have finally become convinced that departmental instructions alone cannot force ordinary police officers to carefully respond to every statement and complaint of citizens. The number of crimes and offenses that are not registered by internal affairs bodies today, so as not to spoil the detection rate statistics, apparently remains high.

Basketball. NBA. Regular season . "Orlando" - "Atlanta" - 109:102, "Charlotte" - "New Jersey" - 91:95, "Detroit" - "Dallas" - 88:95, "New Orleans" - - Cleveland - 108:109 (OT), Milwaukee - Indiana - 76:90, Chicago - Memphis - 94:86, Phoenix - Denver - - 123:114, Utah - Houston - 85:99, Portland - Washington - 106:114, Sacramento - Philadelphia - 118:109, Golden State " -- "New York" -- 108:100.

Abashidze's four-legged pets are waiting for a buyer The fate of 75 dogs of unique breeds that belonged to the former leader of Adjara Aslan Abashidze depends on the results of the tender. Applications for the right to manage a nursery in the Khelvachauri region of the autonomous republic for 49 years are accepted until tomorrow. While the animals survive on meager rations from the tables of Adjarian veterinarians and dog handlers.