ECONOMICS MINISTER: RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT MISUSES 40 TRILLION RUBLES.

Because of inadequate controls, Russian officials have squandered morethan 40 trillion rubles–$8 billion–in recent years, finance ministerAleksandr Panskov told the Duma last week, Segodnyareported May 26. Hesaid that figure was contained in a recent Control and AuditingAdministration report.

European Union Keeps Russia On Hold.