The latest: Kadyrov Poised to Become New Prime Minister of Russia’s Chechnya

02.03.2006
Kadyrov Poised to Become New Prime Minister of Russia’s Chechnya
The lawmakers in Russia’s restive province of Chechnya voted on Thursday to support nomination of Ramzan Kadyrov, the widely feared son of Akhmad Kadyrov, slain in May 2004, to the prime minister post vacated after Sergei Abramov stepped down earlier this week.

02.03.2006
Hamas May Reconsider Relationship With Israel Says Envoy to Russia
The Palestinian ambassador to Russia has said that Hamas might reconsider its stance toward Israel in order to advance the interests of the Palestinian people.

02.03.2006
Russia Accuses Berezovsky of Trying to Overthrow Putin, Demands UK Handover
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has opened a new criminal case against an exiled oligarch Boris Berezovsky on charges of engaging in activity aimed at the forcible seizure of power in Russia. Moreover, on March 1 Russian authorities sent documents to the UK Home Office to have Berezovsky extradited.

02.03.2006
Grandson Wants Russian Authorities to Investigate Stalin’s Death
Joseph Stalin’s great-grandson has appealed to the Russian authorities with a request to investigate the circumstances of his great-grandfather’s death.

02.03.2006
Estonian Crisis Hotline Boss Arrested for Child Porn
The executive director of a crisis hotline service in Estonia has been detained for using children in pornography. He filmed porn movies with young boys who phoned the crisis hotline.

02.03.2006
Freezing Russian Takes Hostages in Boiler House Demanding Better Heating
A 58-year-old unemployed man from Western Russia’s Tula region has taken hostage workers of a boiler facility and demanded better heating for his house. Police disarmed and arrested the freezing “terrorist”.

02.03.2006
Opposition Congress Draws G8 Attention to Negative Political Processes in Russia
The All-Russian People’s Congress public union, headed by human rights campaigner Lyudmila Alexeyeva and fomer chess World Champion Gary Kasparov have called on the parliaments on G8 countries to react to the changes in Russia’s social and political life, which the congress called negative.

02.03.2006
Presidential Hopeful Detained in Belarus
An opposition leader Alexander Kozulin was detained in Minsk on Thursday as he was applying for registration as a delegate at the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly.

02.03.2006
Pet Alligator Attacks Drunk Russian Owner
A pet alligator nearly bit his Russian owner’s hand off, when the man tried to give him a special treat of a sausage for a holiday dinner, the Zhizn daily said.

02.03.2006
Israeli Acting PM Believes Russia Would Never Harm Israel
Israeli leader Ehud Olmert said he had been assured by President Vladimir Putin that Russia would “never do anything to harm Israel” despite his invitation to Hamas for talks in Moscow.

02.03.2006
Russian Pilots Voice Concern Over Plans to Shoot Hijacked Planes
Russian civil pilots have voiced alarm over a new bill on combating terrorism allowing the military to shoot down hijacked planes. The controversial draft was approved by the upper house of the Russian parliament this week.

02.03.2006
Iran Blames U.S. of Destroying Russian Efforts to Solve Nuclear Problem
Iran top nuclear negotiators have accused the United States of trying to destroy Russian efforts to solve the Iranian nuclear problem.

02.03.2006
Belarus KGB Says Foreign Diplomats Aided Coup Attempt
The head of the Belarus State Security Service, the KGB, Stepan Sukhorenko, has accused foreign diplomatic services of helping opposition movements in organizing a coup attempt during the upcoming presidential elections.

02.03.2006
Russia Morally Responsible for 1968 of Czechoslovakia — Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday his country bore a moral responsibility for the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. The invasion ended the pro-democracy movement known as the “Prague Spring” and put the country firmly under Moscow’s thumb.

02.03.2006
Gorbachev, Man Who Ended Cold War, Marks 75th Birthday
Mikhail Gorbachev, Russia’s first Soviet president, the man who ended the Cold War and launched democratic reforms in Russia, marks his 75th birthday on Thursday.

02.03.2006
Former Czech President Condemns Russia’s Policy in Chechnya
Former President Vaclav Havel criticized Russia’s policy in Chechnya, calling it a “return to autocracy.” Havel’s letter also signed by former Irish President Mary Robinson, philanthropist George Soros, and six others, appeared in the Czech media on the day of Putin’s visit to Prague.