Media Technologies Center JSC (CMTec) listed among Alisher Usmanov structures has started Newstube video service that aggregates video content of nine Russian TV channels, as well as the resource users. At the moment the service has an experimental character and its owners do not have definite marketing policy. The company has to invest up to $10 million in marketing to compete efficiently with Rutube and Youtube, as experts consider.

Production of “aspheric optical elements on a machine using nano-positioners” became the first investment project of Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (RCNT; Rusnanotekh). NCP Nanotekh company receives €8,66 from RUR 130 billion allotted by the government to nanotechnologies development. . In RCNT assure they had completed documents passing and expect some scale projects would be approved in the nearest future

Russian banks cut growth rates of loans’ volumes given to individuals, as it follows from Bank of Russia statistics. Home loans and mortgage make an exception, as these segments continue to grow rapidly. Experts explain this by banks reorientation towards the more stable segment of the long-term lending.

The international rating agency Moody’s Investors Service had placed the rating of the government obligations of the Russian Federation (RF) (at Baa2 level) under review for the possible upgrade as reported in the agency press-release.

Russia and the USA have finally signed an agreement about atom for peace after they have been negotiating for several years. Now the American market is open for the Russian uranium and atomic equipment as well. However, nuclear fuel supplies are limited till 2020, and the Russian engineers do not consider the USA market prospective

Economic relations of Russia and Singapore do not have a long history. The young republic has been resisting the communist China; therefore the intercourse with the USSR was not a friendly one. The active cooperation has been started in 2006. Then the committee for international trade development of the republic coupled with Troika Dialog has held the first Russian-Singaporean business forum.

South Korea commercial companies are ready to invest funds into Kamchatka tourism development as reported the press-service representative of Kamchatka region governor and government.

Russia is ready to write off Libya’s $4,5 billion debt for the set of large contracts. JSC Russian Railways’ contract for railway construction in Libya will provide the three fourths of the sum - almost $3,5 billion. Moreover, the set of agreements for military equipment supplies is planned also. It is hard to estimate the memorandums signed by Gazprom in money terms yet, but Libya has already confirmed it supports Russia’s energy policy, the initiative to establish the gas OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) in particular

Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) data about the industry state in January-March confirms the recovery of industrial production growth in Russia. It totaled 6,2% in annual terms in 1Q of 2008. The Russian industry grows due to the processing sectors, while oil production has been reducing in Russia. Some economists are convinced that stagnation in the oil industry is predetermined by tax and political pressure on oilmen, and the industry should be already supported by tax deductions and stimuli to deposits exploration.

Previous year the transactions volume of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the metallurgy has upped by 67% - to $144,7 billion, though their total amount has upped by 6,7% only. They have moved form the ferrous metallurgy to the non-ferrous one together with transactions consolidation. Industry analysts consider that 2007 was the peak year and according to its results one should not expect the serious growth of M&A volume in the metallurgy. Thus, the core intrigue takes place in Russia, around the possible amalgamation of OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel with Metalloinvest or United Company Rusal.