Morning re-cap of main news, December 20
* President Vladimir Putin:
// Dec. 21, 2006 - 05:27 GMT
Turkmen President Niyazov dies - agencies
MOSCOW, December 21 (RIA Novosti) – The president of Turkmenistan died of a cardiac arrest early this morning at the age of 66, Western agencies said Thursday, citing a government source and national TV.
// Dec. 21, 2006 - 06:25 GMT
Banks' correspondent accounts with CBR decline 4.8%
MOSCOW, December 21 (RIA Novosti) – Credit institutions' balances on correspondent accounts with the Russian Central Bank totaled 477.4 billion rubles ($18.2 billion at the current exchange rates) at the beginning of the business day, down 4.8% (23.9 billion rubles/$910 million) from Wednesday, the CBR said Thursday.
// Dec. 21, 2006 - 06:32 GMT
Russia's Putin Praises Spies' Work at Secret Police Anniversary
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has saluted Russia's resurgent secret services for their role in guarding national interests at celebrations on the anniversary of the founding of Soviet secret police and intelligence service.
// Dec. 21, 2006 - 06:40 GMT
Turkmenistan President Niyazov Dies
Turkmen President-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov has died, a government source said on Thursday without revealing any details.
// Dec. 21, 2006 - 06:47 GMT
Russians With Debts Before State Banned to Leave Country - Report
Russian bailiffs announced a novel way to prod debtors to fork out: bar them from leaving the country for the holidays.
// Dec. 21, 2006 - 06:51 GMT
Litvinenko's Chechen Friend Not Scared by Russian Extradition Move
An exiled Chechen leader and friend of poisoned ex-Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko has accused Moscow of trying to frighten him by resuming a criminal investigation aimed at extraditing him.
// Dec. 21, 2006 - 06:56 GMT
Russian Parliament Passes Bill to Open Up Banks to Foreign Investors
On Wednesday, Dec. 20, the lower house of Russian parliament, the State Duma, has approved legislation that would put foreign and domestic investors on equal footing when buying shares in Russia banks. The law will make it easier for foreigners to gain exposure to this booming sector of the Russian economy.
// Dec. 21, 2006 - 06:56 GMT
Turkmen presidential official confirms Niyazov's death
MOSCOW, December 21 (RIA Novosti) – A senior presidential administration official in Turkmenistan confirmed by phone Thursday that the Central Asian country's leader, Saparmurat Niyazov, has died.
// Dec. 21, 2006 - 06:57 GMT