Jeroen van der Veer leaves Royal Dutch Shell The largest oil and gas company in Western Europe, Royal Dutch Shell, announced that in July 2009 it will be headed by a new leader. Instead of Jeroen van der Veer, who reached retirement age last year, the post of executive director will be taken by Peter Voser, who has been in charge of the corporation’s finances for four years.

German bank Hypo Real Estate asks the state for 15 billion euros Hypo Real Estate, the largest German bank financing large-scale real estate projects, yesterday officially announced its intention to receive assistance from the federal government. He asked the newly created Federal Fund for Financial Market Stabilization (SoFFin) for loan guarantees from the Bundesbank in the amount of 15 billion euros. This amount turned out to be necessary to cover short-term liquidity needs.

A cyclone is intensifying over the center of Western Europe. And the strong southwestern high-altitude flow contributes to its rapid shift towards the Baltic. Tomorrow it will cause heavy rains in the Kaliningrad region, as well as in the Pskov, Novgorod and Leningrad regions. In the northwestern region, during heavy rains, the temperature at night is +3...+8оС, during the day +7...+12оС. On Friday, heavy rains will continue, and the wind will also increase to 15 m/s.

The crisis has not yet caused a decline in consumer prices in Russia Rosstat once again noted the acceleration of price growth - by the end of October, inflation is expected to be at 0.9%. Experts interviewed by Vremya Novostei believe that one should not expect a significant slowdown in price growth. The maximum that can be counted on for now is lower inflation rates compared to last year's pre-New Year records.

Vladimir Putin promised not to create a total state economy Prime Minister Vladimir Putin yesterday held a meeting on economic issues - similar to the weekly meetings with the president. The composition of the participants was almost the same, the problems discussed were the same - crisis. This time, the prime minister tried to convince business that government intervention in the economy is temporary.

Pentagon chief advises reaching agreement with Russia on nuclear weapons On the eve of the US presidential elections scheduled for November 4, Russian-American cooperation in the military field has received an important impetus. US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (pictured) gave a keynote speech on Wednesday night Moscow time at the Washington headquarters of the Carnegie Endowment. The Pentagon chief spoke in favor of resuming negotiations with Moscow on concluding a new arms control treaty.

The head of the scientific programs of the Dresden Art Collections, Doctor of Art History Gilbert LUPFER, is known in the German museum environment as a calm, depoliticized professional. He is one of the few West German specialists “seconded” after the unification of Germany into the former GDR, whose appointment to a leadership position and “growing into” the local environment were relatively painless.

A monument to the victims of the “deaf-mute case” was unveiled in St. Petersburg The quietest opening of the monument took place yesterday at the Levashovsky Memorial Cemetery in St. Petersburg. All that could be heard was the rustling of fallen leaves and the quiet sobs of people who came to honor the memory of the leaders of the city society of the deaf, who were shot in December 1937. In complete silence, a white sheet fell and “talking” hands appeared on the smooth marble surface.

Major Russian oil companies announced a reduction in investments due to falling world prices Three of the largest Russian oil companies reported yesterday that due to low oil prices, as well as the financial crisis, they have to significantly reduce their investment programs. LUKOIL Vice President Leonid Fedun said that the company intends to abandon “some refining projects and also reduce the volume of drilling,” which will affect production figures in the near future - in 2010-2011.

United Russia does not intend to take into account the economic crisis and the war in the Caucasus in its party program United Russia is working on a new edition of its party program called “Strategy 2020,” which should correlate with “Putin’s plan,” Russia’s development strategy until 2020. To make the brainstorming more fruitful, the party even rented a dacha in Serebryany Bor.

Diego Maradona leads his country's national team Diego Armando Maradona, world champion 1986 and vice-champion 1990, the best footballer in South America in 1979 and 1980, champion of Argentina with Boca Juniors and two-time champion of Italy with Napoli, returns to big-time football.

The Ukrainian parliament yesterday did not adopt amendments to the state budget that would have allocated money for holding early parliamentary elections. Only four votes were missing; 222 deputies voted to finance the elections, while the required 226. This means that elections this year may not take place, although President Viktor Yushchenko first scheduled them for December 7, and then postponed them to the 14th. However, both dates were not supported by an official presidential decree.

CLUBS Veronica Dolina. “The Wood Grouse’s Nest” , 20.00. White Trainers Community. The last concert of the Perm group playing in the mod-revival genre. CICterna Hall , 20.00. Kirkincho sp. Music of the Andes: traditional Indian, Creole, Afro-Creole, as well as relatively recently formed musical styles based on them. "Tin" , 21.00. “Torba-na-Kruche” with the new album “It Doesn’t Happen.” Ikra , 21.00. "Moral Code". Music Town Club , 22.00. Anadi Nad.

The British minister came to reconcile Moscow and London The visit to Russia by British Minister for Business and Entrepreneurship and former EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, which ended yesterday, at the head of a delegation of British businessmen, could be the beginning of a new thaw in relations between the two countries.

Gagne organized the defeat of Atlanta Gagne organized the defeat of Atlanta Hockey. NHL. Regular season . “Washington” - “Nashville” - 4:3 B - Viktor Kozlov “V” (1+0), Semin “V” (1+1), Sergei Fedorov “V” (0+1), “Atlanta” » -- Philadelphia -- 0:7, Toronto -- Tampa Bay -- 2:3, Montreal -- Carolina -- 3:2 B -- Kovalev "M" (1 +0), Babchuk “K” (1+0), “Calgary” – “Colorado” – 3:0, “Vancouver” – “Boston” – 0:1, “San Jose” – “ Pittsburgh" -- 2:1 -- Malkin "P" (0+1).