POLITICS
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned NATO on Saturday that a European missile shield would only be truly effective and feasible if Russia was involved in the project on an equal basis, and asked for reliable guarantees that the missile shield in Europe would not undermine strategic stability or be targeted at any of the parties. (Kommersant, Vedomosti)
Russia’s ruling United Russia party outlined the structure and goals of the nationwide People’s Front in a draft declaration posted on its official website. (Kommersant)
Russian lawmakers officially declared their 2010 incomes. (Rossiiskaya Gazeta)
WORLD
The head of the International Monetary Fund has been charged with a criminal sexual assault and attempted rape, following allegations made by a hotel maid in New York. (Kommersant, Moscow News)
A court in Minsk has sentenced Belarusian opposition leader Andrei Sannikov to five years in high-security prison for inciting mass protests against President Alexander Lukashenko during December elections last year. EU and the United States immediately threatened Minsk with new sanctions. (Kommersant)
U.S. President Barack Obama has allowed U.S. companies to drill oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Arctic. (Moscow News)
ECONOMY BUSINESS
Rosneft and BP are expected to announce their decision on the strategic share-swap deal as the deadline set by Stockholm Arbitration Court is looming. (Kommersant, Moscow News)
Russian Railways prepared a draft transportation project for the 2018 World Cup, to be hosted by Russia. The document envisions construction of two high-speed railways, purchase of 100 high-speed trains and the launch of express trains between airports and cities. The project is estimated at 1 trillion rubles (over $35 billion). No private investors would want to participate in such a costly endeavor, experts believe. (Kommersant)
Vimpelcom board chairman Jo Lunder will take over the post of the company’s CEO from Alexander Izosimov on July 1. (Kommersant, Vedomosti)
Russian banks (with exception of Sberbank) received the accumulated the first quarter pre-tax profit of 153.4 billion rubles ($5.5 billion), or 63 percent more than last year. (Kommersant)
Russia’s state budget has been registering a surplus during the first four months of 2011. (Kommersant)
SOCIETY
The personal driver of Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu was fined and reprimanded for threatening to shoot in the head a motorist who refused to give way. (Izvestia)
CRIME
Morocco has extradited mastermind of the Global Gaming Expo financial pyramid, Russian businessman Alexey Kalinichenko to Russia. The businessman has been charged in Russia with embezzling 1 billion rubles (over $35 million). (Izvestia, Kommersant, Vedomosti)
SPORTS
Russia has won the right to stage the 2016 world ice hockey championship. (Izvestia)
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