* U.S. aviation giant Boeing and Russia's Vsmpo-Avisma, the world's largest titanium producer, signed a memorandum to establish a joint venture
* A court in Central Russia opened hearings on charges of tax evasion against executives of Samaraneftegaz, a subsidiary of embattled oil company Yukos
* Vneshtorgbank Vice President Alexei Kiryakov said VTB Retail Financial Services planned to increase the volume of its portfolio of loans to small business by 75% to 14 billion rubles ($505.4 million) by the end of 2006
* Dutch soccer coach Guus Hiddink signed a two-year contract worth 4 million euros to take over as coach of the Russia's national soccer team
* Flagship Russian carmaker GAZ said it had signed an agreement with DaimlerChrysler on licensed production of two of the U.S.-German company's vehicle models
* Anatoly Aksakov, a deputy head of the State Duma's financial markets committee, said state-owned oil company Rosneft would launch an IPO in Russia and abroad in June
* Former world No.1 tennis player Marat Safin, who recently recovered from a long-term knee injury, advanced to the semifinals of the $410,000 IV Open de Tenis Comunidad Valenciana
* Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia's national carrier Aeroflot would join the SkyTeam alliance in a move that will boost the country's competitiveness globally
* The Federal Space Agency said the launch of a Progress M-56 cargo vehicle aboard a Russian Soyuz-U carrier rocket was scheduled to take place from the Baikonur space center April 24
