RUSSIA

// Oct. 19, 2007 - 04:54 GMT

I wish to tell you how pleased I am, yet again,with President Putin's courageous stand in the world.In my view he is may be the only statesmen around in the world at present.He has a standing and authority both at home and in the whole world. Consequently I sincerely hope that he will remain, even after March 2008, a central,commanding figure in Russian politics.He is the only leading public figure at present who openly says what millions think and know, i.e. that the present regime in the USA and the past Blair regime in the UK,were and continue to, shamelessly and arrogantly criminaly transgress international law with their brutal imperialistic policies.

// Oct. 19, 2007 - 05:02 GMT

JAKARTA, October 19 (RIA Novosti) – At least 29 people died after a ferry, carrying over 150 passengers, capsized off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, the Antara Indonesian news agency said Friday.

// Oct. 19, 2007 - 06:02 GMT

MOSCOW, October 19 (RIA Novosti) – Russia's Central Bank said Friday the country's narrowly defined money supply (M1) was 3 trillion 749 million rubles ($151.2 billion at the current exchange rate) as of October 15, up 33 billion rubles ($1.3 billion) in the week since October 8.

// Oct. 19, 2007 - 06:12 GMT

MOSCOW, October 19 (RIA Novosti) – Russia's investment index will open Friday at 858.98 points, down 0.60% following Thursday evening's sessions on major world trading floors.

// Oct. 19, 2007 - 06:14 GMT

MOSCOW, October 19 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Finance Ministry plans to repay, ahead of schedule, a $343 million loan to the U.S. on Friday under a 1998 credit agreement for agricultural supplies saving $46.7 million in interest.

// Oct. 19, 2007 - 06:27 GMT

MOSCOW, October 19 (RIA Novosti) – Credit institutions' balances on correspondent accounts with the Russian Central Bank totaled 513.4 billion rubles ($20.6 billion at the current exchange rates) at the beginning of the business day, up 14.1% from Thursday, the CBR said Friday.

// Oct. 19, 2007 - 06:35 GMT

ISLAMABAD, October 19 (RIA Novosti) – Up to 135 people died and about 500 were injured in an explosion that overshadowed the return of former prime minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto, local media said Friday.

// Oct. 19, 2007 - 06:59 GMT

// Oct. 19, 2007 - 07:14 GMT

LONDON, October 19 (RIA Novosti) – The BBC has announced a number of measures to deal with an expected budget shortfall of $4 billion, including laying off around 2,500 staff and the sale of its west London TV center by 2013.

// Oct. 19, 2007 - 07:29 GMT