A TASS correspondent and a representative of the press department of the French occupation forces in Austria inquire after the purpose of Otto von Habsburg's presence in Austria.

TASS reports on Swedish news stories on Stalin's rumored illness and the Soviet Union's isolation.

TASS reports on a press conference given by United States Secretary of State James Byrnes at which he spoke about conflicts between the Soviet Union and the United States over the control mechanism and Far East Commission in Japan in addition to other foreign policy issues.

TASS reports on French news stories it views as slanderous to Stalin, including stories on his declining health and what it will mean for Russian foreign policy should Zhdanov succeed him.

TASS reports on anti-Communist demonstrations on November 8 in Bucharest, as well as what it sees as unfairly favorable coverage of the demonstrations in the British press.

TASS and the NKID (People's Commisseriat of Foreign Affairs) debate the identity of a French news agency refered to in a Reuters telegram in order to make a decision on the possible expulsion of a France Presse correspondent.

US Ambassador to the Soviet Union Harriman told the press that Stalin was in good condition when they met in Sochi.

Report that the French press has been instructed by the Ministry of Information not to spread any information of foreign policy favorable to the USSR.

Excerpt of a memorandum from Lavrentiy Beria to the CPSU CC Presidium regarding mass defections from the GDR. By early May 1953, declining conditions in the GDR finally started to draw the attention of the Soviet leadership. Lavrentiy Beria’s 6 May report to the CPSU Presidium is one of the first high-level documents to reflect concerns about the situation, in particular the increased flight of farmers and small businessmen brought about by the forced socialization policy. Beria may have been prompted to submit this report by the discussion of the German issue at a CPSU Presidium meeting on 5 May.