2005
DECEMBER
December 29
MOSCOW - The last government session in 2005 on the draft program of Russia's socio-economic development for 2006-2008.
ST. PETERSBURG - The opening of a branch of Vneshtorgbank (Foreign Trade Bank). Vneshtorgbank CEO Andrei Kostin and Presidential Envoy to the Northwest Federal District Ilya Klebanov will attend.
December 30
MOSCOW - A New Year's reception at the Kremlin.
December 31
MOSCOW - Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia will conduct a divine service at the Epiphany Cathedral.
MOSCOW - New Year's performances on Red, Tverskaya and Teatralnaya Squares.
LISBON - The 28th Dakar-2006 off-road rally will start.
2006
JANUARY
January 6
MOSCOW - Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia will conduct a Christmas service at the Church of Christ the Savior.
January 7
MOSCOW - Christmas celebration near the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and on Revolution Square.
January 8
NOVOSIBIRSK -The sixth international festival of snow sculptures with Russian, Moldovan, Belarusian, Finnish, Romanian, German, Bulgarian, Italian and French artists.
RIYADH - The beginning of the Hadj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.
January 9
KIEV - The Kiev Court of Appeals will begin open hearings on the case of journalist Georgy Gongadze's murder.
January 10
MOSCOW - Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia will attend a children's Christmas performance at the Rossiya concert hall.
January 11
MOSCOW - The beginning of the spring session of the State Duma (until July 16).
January 13
BERLIN - A Russian delegation's participation in major international agrarian and food exhibition Green Week (until January 22).
WASHINGTON - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Washington and meeting with President George W. Bush.
January 14
LONDON - The second Russian Winter Festival on Trafalgar Square.
January 15
HELSINKI - The first round of presidential elections in Finland (the second round may be held January 29 if necessary).
January 16
MOSCOW - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's state visit to Russia.
January 17
BEIJING - An international conference on fighting bird flu, organized by China, the European Commission and the World Bank (until January 18).
NEW DELHI - The third round of the Indian-Pakistan peace talks (until January 18).
January 22
LISBON - Presidential elections in Portugal.
January 23
MOSCOW - The first plenary session of the Russian Public Chamber.
MOSCOW - The Russian independence Triumph awards ceremony in the sphere of arts and culture.
STRASBOURG, FRANCE - The January session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (until January 27) will begin. It will focus on the observation of human rights in Chechnya.
OTTAWA - Parliamentary elections in Canada.
January 25
PALESTINE - Parliamentary elections.
January 26
NOVOSIBIRSK - An inter-regional banking conference on the topic, Private crediting: market infrastructure and development prospects.
January 27
RIGA - The Senate of the Latvian Supreme Court will consider an appeal by Boris Berezovsky regarding his persona non grata status in the country.
January 28
MOSCOW - The ceremony of the fourth Golden Eagle national film awards.
January 29
MOSCOW - Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia will head the 14th international Christmas readings on the topic, School and Church: traditions and education reform.
