France's Total, which three years ago failed in its attempt to acquire a blocking stake in NOVATEK, is again trying to cooperate with Russia's largest independent gas producer. Last Friday , NOVATEK and the production company of the French group Total E&P Activities Petrolieres signed a cooperation protocol.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development is trying to bring together databases on patients and medications Along with the emergence of relatively large amounts of money in Russian healthcare, the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Social Development was faced with the question of creating a unified database that would reflect all the costs of maintaining clinics and hospitals.

The head of drug control received additional powers On Saturday, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree “On additional measures to combat illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors,” which provides for the creation of a new structure - the State Anti-Drug Committee (SAK). The new structure will be headed by the director of the Federal Service for Drug Control (FSKN), Viktor Cherkesov.

“Moscow” drops out of the championship race There are only two real contenders left for the gold medals at the Russian Championship. “Moscow”, having lost to “Spartak” - 1:3, actually abandoned its claims to both “gold” and a place in the Champions League: the “city residents” cannot cover the six-point difference with the leaders over the remaining three rounds. Now Leonid Slutsky's team has one concern - how not to miss the bronze medal.

Russia took advantage of the crisis in the IMF and World Bank The annual meeting of the governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which closes today in Washington, did not bring any clarity to the difficult situation in global financial markets and the prospects for its resolution. Both the IMF shareholders and the finance ministers and heads of central banks of the G7 countries who met on Friday spoke extremely cautiously on this matter.

Reports from the Turkish-Iraqi border The Turks have come very close to one of the options - massive or targeted - of a military operation in the north of neighboring Iraq , the Majlis (parliament) gave permission to the cabinet of Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 17.

The problems of the army and the modernization of China's military-industrial complex occupied an important place in the report of the Secretary General of the CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao at the 17th Party Congress. He called for strengthening the Chinese military through science and technology, turning it into an “informatized” fighting force capable of winning modern warfare.

Instead of a rainy cyclone, a fine anticyclone enters the European territory of Russia from the Baltic. With it, an intensive increase in atmospheric pressure is expected in the north-west and center of Russia. There may be light and short rains in places, but it is relatively warm for the 20th of October. On Monday and Tuesday in the northwest during the day +4...+10оС. Humid air approaches Central Russia from the south, and cold air descends from the north.

The Kaptsov School has always maintained its reputation as an “intellectual school” The post-Soviet leapfrog with changing numbers in the names of secondary schools could not destroy educational traditions that had accumulated over decades. The best schools in Moscow were not known by their numbers, and this was once again confirmed by the anniversary of gymnasium No.

South Africa won the World Cup The England national team lost their World Cup title. The trophy, which is played every four years, has been taken over by South Africa. “Antelopes,” or “gazelles,” as the national team of this country is called in the rugby world, became the strongest on the planet for the second time, defeating their opponents from Foggy Albion 15:6 in the final. The decisive match at the packed Stade de France in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis was not very spectacular.

Iranians called on Khamenei for negotiations with the West Although the Russian authorities do not officially comment on the recent resignation of the Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani, however, according to Vremya Novostey, Russian diplomats perceived it as an alarming sign. And here Russian assessments coincide with similar impressions of Western and Arab countries neighboring Iran.

The first stage of the Figure Skating Grand Prix series starts next Thursday in Reading, America. Before the start of the tournament, Vremya Novostei correspondent Olga ERMOLINA asked about the plans for the season of the President of the All-Russian Figure Skating Federation Valentin Piseev. — Valentin Nikolaevich, which of the skaters who participated in last year’s competitions finished their performances? — Several athletes have completed their performances for the national team.

Israeli Ambassador to Belarus Zeev Ben-Arye left Minsk yesterday for an indefinite period. According to the official version, in connection with the vacation, but most likely due to the scandal that erupted between the two countries after statements by the Belarusian president .

Russia will be the first to test the innovations The European Union has taken a major step towards ending the protracted crisis. On the night of Friday, October 19 in Lisbon, the leaders of 27 countries approved a draft treaty designed to replace a single constitution , on the text of which EU members have not agreed. The agreement necessary to govern the European Union will be signed by heads of state on December 13.

The Venezuelan leader's forecast of a barrel price of $100 may come true this year Oil prices again set a record at the end of last week - at trading in New York on Thursday they crossed the psychological mark of $90 per barrel and settled at $90.07 per barrel. This was enough to frighten the George W. Bush administration.