German publisher Axel Springer has acquired the Russian arm of Gruner+Jahr, another German publisher. The Russian titles will continue to operate under the G+J banner, with licensing of the respective names to Axel Springer. The acquisition - the value of which was not disclosed - must be approved by antitrust authorities before it can be finalised.

Axel currently publishes the Russian print editions and Web sites of Forbes, Newsweek, OK and Computer Bild. The merger adds to its list of titles: GEO, GALA Biografia, GEO Traveller, and GEOLenok print magazines as well as GEO.ru, Moi-Roditeli.ru, and MoiZvezdi.ru Web sites.