* A U.S. official said the WTO could announce a principal agreement on Russia's accession to the organization at its sixth ministerial conference in Hong Kong December 13-18
* The Russian Finance Ministry had raised its 2006 inflation forecast to 8%-9% from 7%-8.5%
* The Russian Economic Development and Trade Ministry raised its 2005 GDP growth forecast to 6% and inflation forecast to 11-11.5%
* President Vladimir Putin said the state of the Ukrainian economy allowed it to buy Russian natural gas at market prices and that negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian companies on energy supplies should not affect relations between the two countries
* Vyacheslav German, an official with the Ukrainian Ministry of Agricultural Policy, said the dangerous H5N1 bird flu strain, which has led to fatalities in Asia, had been discovered in the Crimea
* Deputy chief of the Russian government staff Mikhail Kopeikin said the Cabinet would postpone its review of Gazprom's 2006 investment program until next year
* Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref supported a proposal by the industry and energy minister Thursday to hold an initial public offering (IPO) of the shares of electric power generating companies in 2006
* Russian Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko said the reform of electricity utility Unified Energy System would be completed by the end of 2008
* The Supreme Court of Russia upheld the 15-year prison sentence given to Issa Gaparkhoyev, convicted of carrying out a terrorist attack in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia that left five soldiers dead in July 2003
* Lawyers of Moscow notary Fail Sadretdinov, accused of involvement in the murder of Forbes Russia Editor Paul Klebnikov, have submitted a petition to the Moscow City Court, requesting involvement in the selection of jurors
