RUSSIA AND BELARUS ANNOUNCED A LAST-MINUTE DEAL ON GAS PRICES

Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov prepares for a news conference in Moscow on December 31, 2006. Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom and Belorussian government announced a last-minute deal on gas prices early January 1, 2007, moments before Moscow was to start cutting off supplies with potential disruption for customers in Europe. (UPI Photo/Anatoli Zhdanov)