New Russian privatisation minister

President Yeltsin has appointed a new privatisation minister to replace Maxim Boiko, who was sacked last month in an alleged corruption scandal.

The new minister is Farit Gazizullin, who was one of Mr Boiko's deputies.

Mr Boiko is one of three ministers who were dismissed after allegations that they and the first deputy prime minister, Anatoly Chubais, received huge fees for their involvement in a book about Russian privatisations.

The deal is alleged to have been a front for money-laundering.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service