Ukraine faces early elections or a protracted conflict Yesterday, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine continued the hearing of the case on the constitutionality of President Viktor Yushchenko’s decree on the dissolution of the Rada and holding early parliamentary elections on May 27, which began a week ago.

CLUBS Earl Gray Smokers , Cheese People . Art Garbage , 19.00. Dave Kikoski (keyboards), Seamus Blake (saxophone), Eric Revis (double bass), Jeff Watts (drums, USA). Igor Butman Club , 20.00. Dmitry Prigov. Literary readings. Bilingua , 21.30. Creative evening of Sergei Gandlevsky . At the Praktika Theater, 20.00.

Transport investors prefer ports over highways Private investment in Russia's transport infrastructure last year was twice as high as government investment in this area, Deputy Minister of Transport Alexander Misharin told Vremya Novostey yesterday. According to him, the total volume of investments in the infrastructure of railways and roads, air and water ports reached 594 billion rubles in 2006. Of these, 194 billion rubles. accounts for investments from government sources.

They want to explain to the police the national and religious traditions of the Russian peoples The Public Chamber demonstrates amazing faith in the power of the printed word. Yesterday at a meeting of the OP commission on issues of tolerance and freedom of conscience, it was decided to burn out disrespect for national and religious minorities from Russian police officers .

The State Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes recommended yesterday that amendments to the law “On Currency Regulation and Currency Control” be adopted in the first reading, allowing currency transfers without restrictions on the amount between close relatives. These amendments will also be considered by the State Duma Banking Committee today.

British Barclays valued ABN Amro at $91.2 billion The purchase of the Dutch ABN Amro by the UK's third largest bank, Barclays, for more than 67 billion euros ($91.2 billion) will become the largest transaction in the global banking market. According to experts, the acquisition price was quite high. Meanwhile, it is unknown whether two large financial structures will be able to establish effective interaction.

Putin received it Gurbankuly Berdymukhammedov will probably remember his first visit to Moscow as President of Turkmenistan for a long time. His Boeing was still in the air yesterday on its approach to Vnukovo when it became known about the death of Boris Yeltsin. Strange coincidences accompany Berdymukhammedov on his presidential path. He gained power on Stalin's birthday, December 21, 2006, when Turkmenbashi died suddenly . And on the day of his visit to Moscow, Yeltsin died suddenly.

While he was there, modern history was still going on in Russia. Now it is over, irrevocably replaced by the period of political postmodernism. Stories need heroes. Yeltsin was the Last Hero. Now there are just people left. With all the ensuing consequences from this circumstance.

Russia suspects the Pentagon of double play An exciting military-political game has begun between Russia and the United States. The Americans seem to be inviting the Russians to participate in the construction of their missile defense system in Europe. And the Russians seem to agree. But both sides do it in such a way that the result is unlikely to result in cooperation.

It’s one thing to write about an abstract crisis of overproduction, another thing to come face to face with the enemy. On Friday evening, following a long-established tradition, I went to the Moscow store in order to get acquainted with the new products that had arrived during the week. Two hours of fruitless rushing from rack to rack convinced me that any more and I would definitely go crazy.

“He was a direct and courageous national leader” Vladimir PUTIN, President of Russia: — Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin, the first president of Russia, has died. With this title, he forever entered the history of the country and the whole world. The man who helped begin an entire era has passed away. A new, democratic Russia was born - a free state open to the world. A state in which power truly belongs to the people.

The bank determined the preliminary price for placement of shares The VTB Supervisory Board has determined a preliminary price corridor for the placement of shares . According to a source close to the bank, it will range from 11.3 to 12.9 kopecks. per share. Banking analysts consider the proposed price justified, although until recently many of them expected it to be less.

Tbilisi and Sukhumi exchange Georgians Tbilisi and Sukhumi yesterday decided to exchange prisoners. Georgia, on the basis of a procedural agreement, released the head of the administration of the village of Bargebi in the Gali region of Abkhazia, Fridon Chakaberia, while maintaining a suspended sentence for him for a period of five years.

The Russian interdepartmental working group led by Assistant to the Prime Minister Gennady Bukaev will begin today to get acquainted with the situation in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict . Moscow, in particular, is interested in how its assistance is spent on the restoration of various facilities. Vremya Novostei sources in Tskhinvali reported that with Russian funding, several medical facilities, a concert and sports hall, and a school have already been restored in recent months.

The trial of Grigory Grabov has begun The Tagansky Court of Moscow yesterday began consideration of the merits of the criminal case against the “living triune god,” “magician and sorcerer,” “saint,” “messiah,” and “healer” Grigory Grabovoi , accused by the prosecutor’s office of fraud. It was expected that the indictment would be read out in court that day, after which the parties would begin studying evidence and questioning witnesses, but the usual court hearing did not happen yesterday.