* The Russian Economic Development and Trade Ministry said direct foreign investment in the country would double by 2008

// Feb. 11, 2006 - 08:01 GMT

MOSCOW, February 11 (RIA Novosti) – A meeting between the finance ministers of the Group of Eight club of rich nations, of which Russia currently holds the rotating presidency, opened Saturday at the National Hotel in Moscow. The meeting will be closed to the press, and the participants will hold a press conference after the session. The G8 nations are Russia, the United States, Britain, France, Japan, Germany, Canada, and Italy; the European Union has a limited status.

// Feb. 11, 2006 - 08:41 GMT

KRASNOYARSK, February 11 (RIA Novosti) – Around one thousand people gathered in the center of the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk Saturday to protest against a recent hike in housing and utilities rates. The crowd of protesters gathered on a public square outside the town hall, urging the authorities to "implement reforms in the interests of the majority of the population, not just a select few."

// Feb. 11, 2006 - 08:52 GMT

MOSCOW, February 11 (RIA Novosti) – A fire broke out in a Moscow apartment building during the night, killing seven and injuring five, a firefighting official said Saturday.

// Feb. 11, 2006 - 09:55 GMT

MOSCOW, February 11 (RIA Novosti) – The finance ministers of the Group of Eight club of rich nations, of which Russia currently holds the rotating presidency, have concluded their meeting at the National Hotel in Moscow and agreed a communique.

// Feb. 11, 2006 - 10:34 GMT

MOSCOW, February 11 (RIA Novosti) – The finance ministers of the Group of Eight club of rich nations predict that the strong rate of global economic growth will continue during 2006, the ministers said in a joint statement after their meeting in Moscow Saturday.

// Feb. 11, 2006 - 10:44 GMT

MOSCOW, February 11 (RIA Novosti) – A delegation of the Russian parliament's lower house will make an official visit to the central Asian republic of Uzbekistan next week, the State Duma speaker said Saturday.

// Feb. 11, 2006 - 10:48 GMT

MOSCOW, February 11 (RIA Novosti) – The British Chancellor of the Exchequer said the meeting between finance ministers of the Group of Eight club of rich nations held in Moscow Saturday had been very successful.

// Feb. 11, 2006 - 11:20 GMT

Law enforcement structures in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv have found hallucinogenic mushrooms in chocolate bars.

// Feb. 11, 2006 - 11:28 GMT

MOSCOW, February 11 (RIA Novosti) – Financial assistance must be provided to the world's poorest countries to fight the spread of bird flu, finance ministers of the Group of Eight club of rich nations said in a joint statement after their meeting in Moscow Saturday.

// Feb. 11, 2006 - 11:31 GMT