Belarus cannot expect any serious Italian capital investments due to the position the EU sticks to, said Italian ambassador in Belarus Jovanni Cherutti on January 4, answering journalists` questions after his meeting with the Belarusian PM Vladimir Ermoshin.

---

In 2001 Belarus and Russia will start developing another facet of their cooperation, dealing with aircrafts and spaceships. With this purpose the Ministry of Economy of Belarus is preparing the materials to sign an agreement with Russia on setting up an international financial group "Aerospace equipment".

---

Highest Tolls in Colombia, Russia, and Sierra Leone
Of the 24 journalists killed for their work in 2000, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (New York), at least 16 were murdered, most of those in countries where assassins have learned they can kill journalists with impunity. This figure is down from 1999, when CPJ found that 34 journalists were killed for their work, 10 of them in war-torn Sierra Leone.

---

Another session of the Coordination Council of democratic forces will take place January 5 in Minsk. The delegates will continue deliberations on the process of singling out one common candidate for the presidential elections 2001. At the moment there are three names on the list - "Regional Belarus" leader Syamon Domash, former country`s PM Mikhail Chigir and FPB leader Vladimir Goncharik. Potential nominees have already launched consultations with the leaders of versatile political parties, members of the CCDF.

---

33-year old Sergei S., charged with assassinating ORT correspondent Dmitry Zavadsky, Belarusian leader of RNU Gleb Samoilov, the whole Azerbaijani family and many other crimes pleads not guilty. He denies involvement in these crimes in his letter to relatives from the pre-trial confinement (his family asked us not to mention the man`s last name).

---

In 1999-2000 Mogilev regional council exceeded the funds, designed for maintaining its personnel. In 1999 Mogilev council spent the sum, which was 37% over the size it was supposed to be. Significant means went to purchase the cars, air conditioners, signaling, tape-recorders, cellular phones.

---

Poland demands international inspection to examine allegations that Russians have allocated nuclear missiles in Kaliningrad region, reports January 5 Interfax.

---