1. At the Geneva Motor Show, Wolfburg engineers demonstrated a conceptual car that radically changed the Bentley concept and image.

After an almost yearlong debate, the German auto giants BMV and VW have divided the old English car families in half between them. Now, respectable gentlemen who prefer cars with a winged B to all others can give a sigh of relief, as the premier of a new production model designed in the traditional Bentley vein has put an end to all speculations. The Red Label version of Arnage Js proves that the company’s foster parents have taken good care of it, further reinforcing the strong points of the model and restructuring its week technical base, a serious flaw of all present – day Bentleys.

With all the these improvements, Arnage Red Label has once again consolidated Bentley’s past image of being a de-luxe quality car with high society traditions and a sporting past.

The only thing is , however, that today’s version seems to have in common with its progenitor is the basic arrangement, as the cooling, lubrication and air supply systems have all been modified.

State-of-the-art steering and control systems have also been incorporated. As a result, the 6.8 litre engine can generate 450 hp.

The weight of the improved limousion has increased by 224 kg and is now 2.520 kg.

2. The group of Russian financiers, in January 1996, was united by a common interest, vitally important to every one, namely: preservation of the status quo in the political, economic and, correspondingly, personal life. In the name of this interest they were ready to loosen their purse strings and share money, brains, and mass media with the “party of power” – although not really on a gratuitous basis. They magnanimously forgave each other’s sins and acted as a single front for a whole six months. They even put up with Berezovsky’s leadership – he became a liaison between capital and the ruling authority. The end justified the means. As of July 1996 the main sponsors of the presidential race began to gather dividends. But the “united front” did not last long.

The first to collapse was the myth about the unity of the banking select team. By September 1996 it transpired that the collective game was up.

The inter-banking strife came to a head with the Svyazinvest sell-off auction. Squabbles between the erstwhile political partners came out into the open: Serials with the exposure of Potanin and the Unexim group were aired every evening on two nationwide TV channels (controlled by LogoVAZ and Most, respectively). The second to crash was the myth about the oligarch’s influence.

And finally, the main illusion collapsed – the one about the financial omnipotence of the banking clan. in August 1998, the greater part of Russian banks went bankrupt.

3. The discontent with the drop in the standard of living, the corruption of state officials, the rise in prices - all of this laid a good foundation for extremism. Islam, which calls for justice, equality, and brotherhood, is always a social and political alternative to secular rule.

For now, the Uzbek authorities have the situation under control. But Islam Karimov fears that external forces might provoke an outbreak of discontent.

The president has announced that the republic would approach democracy in its own way: First the court system will be reformed, and then there will be freedom of the press. But the social and political climate in the republic hasn’t changed. The president’s excuse for this is its Asian nature. In a way, he has put his finger on the value orientation and expectations of society.

And the grievances of rank-and-file citizens against the powers aren’t about their authority and rigidity, but rather have to do with the high prices, the lack of goods, the corruption, the arbitrary rule of officials and the police, and the poorly – organized public health system. By focusing on the West, Uzbekistan is simultaneously becoming an increasingly closed society where patriarchal traditions are growing stronger.

The republic is in the power of mutually-exclusively forces, which is why it seems to have two faces. This is a contradiction not just of the post- Soviet totalitarian society, but of the personality of Karimov himself, who is trying to upgrade Uzbekistan, while at the same time remaining true to the historical tradition of the strong sovereign.

4. It was announced at a press conference on March 21 in Kyiv that TNK-Ukrayina company had received a syndicated loan worth US$ 50 million from a group of banks headed by West Deutsche Landesbank (Germany). The whole loan will be used for buying raw materials for the production of petroleum products at the Lysychansk-based oil refinery Lynos.

TNK – Ukrayina holds a 67 % stake in Lynos. “The loan will allow us to turn Lynos into the biggest producer of petroleum products in Ukraine”, Oleksandr Horodetskyi, TNK – Ukrayina President, said on March 21. At present Ukraine’s leadership in terms of fuel production is UkrTatNafta oil refinery, Kremenchuk. According to Bernd Gliman, the representative of the German lending bank in Ukraine, this loan is the biggest loan that has ever been given to a private Ukrainian company without attracting governmental guarantees.

TNK- Ukrayina signed the loan agreement with the Westdeutsche Landesbank on February 12, 2001 for a one-year term. Oleksandr Horodetskyi said that this loan is “ a revolving one”, i.e. funds will be transferred in tranches , then a certain amount of oil is to be purchased; then this oil will be refined, the petroleum products sold and the borrowed money repaid, while the oil refinery receives another tranche of the loan.

5. On Dec.15, in line with Ukraine’s international commitments, a decommissioning ceremony was held as the Chornobyl NPP. The order to shut down CNPP was given by Ukraine’s President. Speaking at the ceremony, the president proposed to use the CNPP and its areas as an international research center to develop new nuclear safety technologies and relief measures in case of emergencies at NPPs.

“By closing the CNPP, we have deprived ourselves of many things, but we do not expect any applause for this, we expect to be treated by our business partners with respect”, the President stressed.

Ukraine’s total expenses related to the Chornobyl nuclear disaster have topped US$130 billion.

By closing CNPP, Ukraine will lose up to 5% of its electricity generating capacity. The president compared the closure of CNPP to Ukraine’s earlier refusal to have nuclear arms on its territory.

Ukraine’s Minister for Fuel and Energy expressed hope that the completion of two compensatory nuclear reactors at Rivne and Khmelnytsky NPPs, requiring US$1.4 billion, will be achieved in 2003-2004.

Ukraine is to allocate UAH 1.7 billion in the next 8 years for social programs arising from the closure of CNPP.

6. On Feb. 20, Ukraine’s lawmakers will consider the bill on the privatization of Rivneazot mineral fertilizer plat. The bill submitted by Volodymyr Cherniak may entail considerable financial losses for Ukraine, State Property Fund (SPF) deputy head Leonid Kalnychenko claimed, addressing a press conference on Feb.19.

According to the SPF official, there is no need to enact this bill because it will automatically suspend the on-going international tender to sell a 53.86% satke in Rivneazot, reduce competition among investors and lead to the fragmentation of the shareholding. All this will affect the price of Rivneazot stock and will be another blow to Ukraine’s investor attractiveness.

Under the bill, either Rivneazot or its employees have preemptive rights to buy stock. The price of stock to be sold is to be based on current price for Rivneazot stock as registered at the RFTS trading system, spanning Jan. 1 and June 1, 2000.

Among the participants of the tender, 12 in all, are well-known European companies from Italy and Germany which are actively involved on international chemical products markets.

Tender advisor’s representative, Dmytro Kryshchenko, said he doubts Rivneazot chances to modernize itself independently, due to a 10% drop in nitrogen fertilizer production in 2000, while other manufacturers have increased their turnout, the Styrol concern up by 13,5% and the Cherkasy-based Azot up by 2.3%.