* Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref said Russia had signed a preliminary protocol on the accession to the World Trade Organization with Canada during the WTO Ministerial conference in Hong Kong and would complete all bilateral talks on the issue in early 2006
// Dec. 18, 2005 - 07:22 GMT
Nikolai Valuev has won the World Boxing Association heavyweight title with a controversial majority decision over American John Ruiz to become the first Russian champion in boxing's most glamorous division.
// Dec. 18, 2005 - 08:35 GMT
MOSCOW, December 18 (RIA Novosti) – About 400 police officers will provide security at today's authorized anti-fascist rally in downtown Moscow, the local law enforcement bodies said Sunday.
// Dec. 18, 2005 - 08:47 GMT
The managing director of the Islamic Republic News Agency has called for expansion of media cooperation between Iran and Russia in a meeting with a number of reporters and officials in charge of the Russian television networks.
// Dec. 18, 2005 - 09:06 GMT
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday poured cold water on a proposal to rename Chechnya's ruined capital in honor of an assassinated pro-Kremlin leader. Earlier Chechen lawmakers voted to change the name of Grozny to Akhmadkala in memory of Akhmad Kadyrov, who was killed by a rebel bomb in 2004.
// Dec. 18, 2005 - 09:06 GMT
Russia plans to finalize talks on its accession to the World Trade Organization early next year, a senior Cabinet official has said.
// Dec. 18, 2005 - 09:13 GMT
BERLIN, December 18 (RIA Novosti) – Russia's Nikolai Valuyev (44–0, 31 KO) became the WBA heavyweight Champion of the World following his Saturday victory over John Ruiz (41–6, 28 KO) in Berlin, Germany.
// Dec. 18, 2005 - 09:22 GMT
MOSCOW, December 18 (RIA Novosti) – Trade between Russia and the Czech Republic will rise to the record level of $5 billion in 2005 from $3.7 billion in 2004, an official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said Sunday.
// Dec. 18, 2005 - 10:01 GMT
XIANGANG (Hong Kong), December 18 (RIA Novosti) – Russia and Switzerland are planning to sign a final protocol on the completion of their talks on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) at a world economic forum at Davos in late January 2006, a senior Russian official said Sunday.
// Dec. 18, 2005 - 10:48 GMT