Russia again finds itself at the bottom of the global anti-corruption rankings Despite the president’s desperate attempts to instill financial discipline in domestic officials and improve anti-corruption legislation, the situation with bribery in Russia is not getting better.

Today marks the end of a two-day working visit to Tbilisi by US Under Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner. The guests came to participate in the work of a bilateral working group on democratic processes, created within the framework of the Charter on Strategic Cooperation signed in January between Georgia and the United States. Georgian oppositionists took the opportunity to draw attention to problems with democracy and media freedom.

The contract for the supply of 7.6 billion cubic meters of gas to the trader will not be extended NOVATEK Chief Financial Officer Mark Jetway said during a conference with investors that the company does not intend to renew the five-year contract for the sale of gas to Itera, which expires at the end of the year. “This does not mean that we will not cooperate with this company at all,” he emphasized.

Türkiye does not want to buy Azerbaijani gas at world prices Ankara rejected Baku's gas ultimatum and continues to rely on fuel purchases at preferential prices. Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz called on Azerbaijan to continue selling gas to it at lower prices. “Our Azerbaijani brothers should not sell us gas at international prices,” Bloomberg quotes the minister’s speech to a parliamentary committee.

The Kremlin slowed down United Russia The base rate of transport tax in Russia will not increase. The Duma majority, which last week hastened to approve the corresponding amendments to the Tax Code, after a recommendation received from the presidential administration, just as quickly changed its opinion to the exact opposite.

American bankers appealed to legislators with objections to expanding the powers of regulators to close and split up large financial institutions. In their opinion, this could harm the economy in the long run. Experts believe that disagreements between the White House, lawmakers, regulators and Wall Street will lead to delays in financial sector reforms. According to many economists and politicians, it is the instability of large banks that poses a threat to the financial system.

US and Chinese regulators are preparing an agreement that aims to give Chinese financial institutions an incentive to invest in small and medium-sized American banks. Experts have no doubt that over time the real expansion of the Celestial Empire into the American financial market will begin.

Belarusian deputies will travel to Abkhazia and South Ossetia with the permission of Tbilisi Yesterday, a working group of the Belarusian parliament began a visit to the Caucasus, which will collect information to consider the issue of recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. 12 Belarusian deputies went on a business trip, which will last until November 20. Six of them will visit Georgia, three each will visit Abkhazia and South Ossetia. “There are a lot of meetings planned.

"A Streetcar Named Desire" was danced in Hamburg The stories written by Tennessee Williams are hard to imagine retold in ballet - his characters constantly talk about the past, return to it, and the dance obliges immediate action. The artistic director of the Hamburg Ballet, John Neumeier, considers Williams one of the most important writers of the twentieth century, Williams' universe is his universe, all the characters are understandable and dear to him.

CONCERTS Pluxus. An electronic project from Stockholm playing live. “16 tons” , 20.00. Alexey Skanavi. "Union of Composers" , 20.30. Eteri Beriashvili. Artcafe "Gallery" , 22.00. CLASSIC Count Murzha (violin), Alexander Bonduryansky (piano). D. Shostakovich, S. Frank. As part of the XVI International Arts Festival "Art-November". Institute of Art History , 19.00. Stockholm Saxophone Quartet (Sweden). I. Bach, G. Handel, D. Nelson, J. Dorsey, M. Yakshieva, S. Dmitriev, V. Sumarokov.

An athlete from Russia was detained for car theft Bronze medalist of the Russian figure skating championship and member of the country's national team Andrei Lutai found himself at the center of a loud scandal flaring up in Lake Placid, America. The police of this town, where the next stage of the Skate America Grand Prix ended last week, claims that the Russian celebrated the end of the competition too vigorously.

Minsk doubts the customs union President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko doubted the advisability of Minsk's participation in the trilateral customs union. The presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus planned to sign documents on its creation on November 27. However, statements by the Belarusian leader at yesterday's meeting demonstrated that the signing may not take place.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the Russian army has learned to fight faster The main task of 2009 - the formation of a new look for the Russian Armed Forces, increasing their mobility and combat readiness - has been completed. The head of the military department, Anatoly Serdyukov, announced this yesterday at an extended meeting of the board of the Ministry of Defense. And he clarified: “mostly” completed. To confirm the veracity of his words, Mr.

Rosneft is recognized as the seventh energy company in the world The Platts agency yesterday presented another international rating of the largest energy companies. As usual, Russian ones are also represented - Rosneft, Gazprom, LUKOIL and TNK-BP. According to Platts, the most successful among them this year was Rosneft, which took seventh place, having, however, decreased by one line in the ranking compared to last year. LUKOIL's position has also deteriorated.

The premiere of Richard Strauss's little-known opera in Russia took place at the Mariinsky Theater “Woman Without a Shadow” by the main German opera composer of the 20th century, Richard Strauss, was initially considered unperformable. Then the opera was staged anyway - in 1919 in Vienna, after waiting until the European land calmed down from the First World War. They unanimously complained about the difficulty of perception, and forgot for a long time.