Tallinn - Estonian residents are obtaining Russian citizenship at nearly twice the rate they are claiming Estonian citizenship, according to figures released Friday.

Newspaper Eesti Paevaleht reported that the Russian embassy in Tallinn had granted Russian citizenship to 3,700 people during the last twelve months, while Estonian government figures showed that 1,600 people had acquired Estonian citizenship since January this year.

The newspaper quoted Russian embassy spokesman Maxim Kozlov who said "Estonia is one of the leading places in the world in terms of adoption of Russian citizenship."

Moscow - Russia watchers were long curious to hear President Dmitry Medvedev's first national address, originally scheduled for October 23. Now, interest has only grown, after a last-minute decision was made to delay it by almost two weeks.

Speculation about the speech, scheduled for November 5, is rampant. For the past eight years, it has been delivered by former president - now Prime Minister - Vladimir Putin.

The president's office provided no reason for the delay. Igor Shuvalov, Putin's chief economic advisor and deputy premier, told daily Vedomosti that Medvedev needed to personally revise the draft.

National media initially speculated that the global financial crisis forced a change to the content of the speech.

Riga - Relations with Russia are likely to be the focus when a generous sprinkling of former presidents, prime ministers and assorted other regional bigwigs descend on the Latvian capital of Riga this weekend for a NATO-sponsored conference.

Topping the bill will be Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, on his first visit to the Baltic region since his country went to war with Russia in August.

Baltic and central European nations gave Saakashvili strong backing during that war and will be heavily represented at the conference. Saakashvili will appear with Latvian President Valdis Zatlers, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko during a November 1 debate titled "A vision of Europe, whole and free."

British telecom firm Vodafone has clinched a strategic partnership with Russia-based Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) OJSC, which includes collaboration on future technological developments.

According to the sources, the non-equity partnership agreement has been signed to offer clientele with high quality communication services.

The pact would also offer Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) access to products, services and devices from Vodafone for its markets of operation in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Armenia.

Moscow - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev named a new acting president of the Ingushetia region Thursday as news services reported that the old regional president had been dismissed from office.

Murat Zyazikov, 51, a former officer in the Soviet KGB secret police who was elected president of Ingushetia in 2002 with the Kremlin's backing, said Thursday he tendered his resignation in anticipation of a new job in Moscow.

Moscow/Astana, Kazakhstan - Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao flew to the Kazakh capital of Astana from Moscow on Wednesday for the last leg of a tour focused on China's energy ties and the global financial crisis.

The official purpose of Wen's visit is a summit meeting on Thursday and Friday of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a security grouping of central Asian states, including Russia.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will also attend. The two leaders will hold talks on the sidelines.