MOSCOW

* The State Duma approved in their first reading amendments to a bill that will allow the "ring fence" to be lifted around shares in energy giant Gazprom and foreigners to buy stock

BEIJING, November 26 (RIA Novosti) – The Chinese Foreign Ministry agreed for a team of Russian experts to study the accident site near the chemical plant in Jilin, the Russian ambassador to China said Saturday following a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

BEIJING, November 26 (RIA Novosti) – The Chinese Foreign Ministry agreed for a team of Russian experts to study the accident site near the chemical plant in Jilin, the Russian ambassador to China said Saturday following a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

KRASNOYARSK, November 26 (RIA Novosti) – The sixth congress of the pro-presidential United Russia party has opened in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk Saturday.

VLADIVOSTOK, November 26 (RIA Novosti, Anatoly Ilyukhov) – The environmental situation on the Amur River remains stable, the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry Far East center said Saturday.

MOSCOW, November 26 (RIA Novosti) – Thai Foreign Minister Khantathi Suphamongkon arrives in Moscow Saturday on a three-day official visit, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

KRASNOYARSK, November 26 (RIA Novosti) – The pro-presidential United Russia party may propose three ways of fast and qualitative economic growth of the country, party leader Boris Gryzlov said at the sixth congress in Krasnoyarsk.

KRASNOYARSK, November 26 (RIA Novosti) – Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov said Saturday that United Russia must not ignore the government's failings.

MOSCOW, November 26 (RIA Novosti) – RIA Novosti's Web site won the annual national award for its contribution to the development of the Russian Internet domain (Runet-2005 award) in the State and Society category. The awards ceremony took place at the all-Russia Exhibition Center (VVTs) Friday.