PRESS DIGEST - Russia - Nov 20

MOSCOW, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The following are some of the leading stories in Russia's newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

KOMMERSANT

www.kommersant.ru

- Russian companies registered in Cyprus could face tax claims at home and a revision of deals as Russia's market regulator has signed a memorandum of understanding with Cyprus financial officials, the daily says.

- Russia's parliamentarians plan to approve on Friday a new mechanism to calculate oil export duties which will allow the government to review them every month.

- Foreign banks operating in Russia have announced cutting their home loans programs and toughening conditions for creditors.

VEDOMOSTI

www.vedomosti.ru

- Russia's authorities are forecasting the global crisis impacts on the local economy to last for the next two years.

- Russia's finance minister Alexei Kudrin has assured parliamentarians that Russia has enough reserves to afford planned and unexpected budget spending in 2009.

- Norilsk Nickel miner (GMKN.MM) will seek state support in ensuring stable level of production and plans to cut its investment spending, director general Vladimir Strzhalkovsky says in an interview.

- Wage arrears grew in October by 33.4 percent and reached 4,024 billion roubles, the daily quoted official statistics.

NOVYE IZVESTIA