Egyptians hold a protest over the accident in which 1,000 people are missing.

Angry demonstrators set the Danish consulate in Beirut ablaze on Sunday, and the violent turn in protests over publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammed drew condemnation from European capitals and moderate Muslims.

Services Index Declines The country's services activity declined for a third month in January as business confidence weakened to its lowest level since October 2001, the British-based unit of Russia's second-biggest bank said. The seasonally adjusted services index compiled by Moscow Narodny Bank, part of the state-controlled Vneshtorgbank, fell to 57.3 in January from 59.5 in December, the bank said in a statement. A score of more than 50 signals expansion from the previous month, while less than 50 signals a contraction. (Bloomberg) Putin Slams Counterfeiting President Vladimir Putin on Friday called for better protection of intellectual property rights, a major sticking point in talks on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization. The sale and production of pirated films, music, software and even medicine have stalled talks with the United States on Russia's WTO entry, one of Putin's top economic policy aims.

State oil firm Rosneft’s valuation for its planned initial public offering of shares this year will be completed this week, the head of the Federal Property Management Agency was quoted as saying Friday.

Russian Aluminum said Friday that it had signed a deal with the Nigerian government to buy a controlling 77.5 percent stake in Alscon, an aluminum plant, for $250 million.

Interros, the parent firm of metals giant Norilsk Nickel, has won control of Russia's second-largest gold deposit, Nezhdaninskoye, after buying out Celtic's stake in it, the two firms said Friday.

The government wants to gain majority control of diamond monopoly Alrosa by buying out employees' stakes, Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref was quoted as saying on Sunday.