* President Vladimir Putin said:

// Nov. 22, 2006 - 05:28 GMT

MOSCOW, November 22 (RIA Novosti) – The killing of another Russian banker in Moscow, the third in a few months, is set to draw heightened attention to crime in the country's banking sector.

// Nov. 22, 2006 - 06:07 GMT

MOSCOW, November 22 (RIA Novosti) – Fitch Ratings expects Russia's insurance sector to continue its strong growth, supported by new tougher regulations, retail business development, and regional diversification, the international agency said in a special report.

// Nov. 22, 2006 - 07:09 GMT

MOSCOW, November 22 (RIA Novosti) – Russia's investment index will open Wednesday at 712.13 points, up 1.56% on the previous day's trading, following Tuesday evening's sessions on major world trading floors.

// Nov. 22, 2006 - 07:12 GMT

MOSCOW, November 22 (RIA Novosti) – Credit institutions' balances on correspondent accounts with the Russian Central Bank totaled 349 billion rubles ($13.1 billion at the current exchange rates) at the beginning of the business day, up 11.6% (59.5 billion rubles/$2.23 billion) from Tuesday, the CBR said Wednesday.

// Nov. 22, 2006 - 07:19 GMT

Russia's Natural Resources Ministry said on Tuesday, Nov. 21, that the country should claim compensation through an international arbitration court for environmental damage and lost profits caused by violations in the Shell-led Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project in the Far East.

// Nov. 22, 2006 - 07:41 GMT

Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas said on Tuesday, Nov. 21, that he believes it only natural to support Warsaw in its conflict with Russia, which came as result of Poland's refusal to approve the single mandate for holding negotiations on new partnership agreement between the European Union and Russia.

// Nov. 22, 2006 - 07:42 GMT

TASHKENT, November 22 (RIA Novosti) – Uzbekistan's lawmakers have passed a bill on restoring the Central Asian state's membership in a post-Soviet security alliance, the lower house of parliament said Wednesday.

// Nov. 22, 2006 - 07:45 GMT

Professor Scaramella, Italian contact of Alexander Litvinenkohas denied his role in the assassination attempt on former Russian agent now fighting for his life in a London hospital and revealed details of their conversation at the London sushi bar earlier this month.

// Nov. 22, 2006 - 08:24 GMT

GROZNY, November 22 (RIA Novosti) – Three cows have died in anthrax outbreak in the Republic of Chechnya in Russia's North Caucasus, but there is no threat of the disease spreading, the local epidemiology center said Wednesday.

// Nov. 22, 2006 - 08:36 GMT