The latest: Russia’s Foreign Minister in U.S. to Discuss Iran, Hamas, G8

06.03.2006
Russia’s Foreign Minister in U.S. to Discuss Iran, Hamas, G8
Russia’s top diplomat left for Canada and the United States Sunday on a high-level diplomatic trip that will likely include talks on Iran’s nuclear programs, Israeli-Palestinian relations and Russia’s G8 presidency. In Washington, Lavrov is expected to meet U.S. President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

06.03.2006
Kyrgyz Minister Rules Out Air Base Use for US Attack on Iran
The U.S. cannot use the international air base for antiterrorist coalition forces at Manas airport outside Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital, to attack Iran if an armed conflict sparks between Washington and Tehran, the Kyrgyz Foreign Minister has said.

06.03.2006
Ukrainian Killed in Moscow Garbage Truck
A Ukrainian worker was killed in Moscow after accidentally getting into a garbage truck that crushed the man to death.

06.03.2006
UK Newspaper Pays Libel Compensation to Russian Refugee Businessman Berezovsky
Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky has accepted 20,000 pounds in damages from The Guardian over an article that accused him of being a robber baron.

06.03.2006
Russians Find US Bigger Threat Than Iran — Poll
Most Russians are not going to support any side in an armed conflict between the United States and Iran. 17 percent of the respondents to the poll held by Levada Center company called the United States a definite threat to the world and 40 percent said it was likely so. 9 percent said Iran was the threat, 33 said it was likely so.

06.03.2006
Russian Prosecutors Bring New Murder Charges Against Former Yukos Security Boss
Former security service head of Yukos oil company who is already serving a 20-year prison sentence has faced new charges.

06.03.2006
Russia’s Main Pro-Kremlin Party Posts 1 Million Members
The leader of the main pro-Kremlin party United Russia has said that the number of members of his movement amounted to 1 million and 500 new members are joining its ranks every day.

06.03.2006
Tajik Authorities Demolish Last Synagogue to Build Presidential Complex
The authorities in the central Asian republic of Tajikistan have started to demolish the country’s last synagogue

06.03.2006
Russia’s Refusal to Recognize Katyn Massacre Shocks Polish Leaders
Spokesman for Polish President Lech Kaczynski Maciej Lopinski has said that the Russian chief Military Prosecutor’s Office failure to recognize Katyn crime victims as victims of Stalinist’s repression was “shocking”. He announced that Poland would not cease to bring the truth about Katyn to light.

06.03.2006
Russian Women Win European Indoor Cup
Russia’s women have won five of the nine women’s events in the European Indoor Cup to collect 69 points in the one-day competition. Poland was second with 53 points, followed by Romania with 46.

06.03.2006
Chechens Thank Allah for Kadyrov Kin Survival in Car Crash
People across Chechnya made offerings to Allah and gave shelter to the homeless, after Ramzan Kadyrov’s mother and sister survived a car crash, shortly after the former warlord was named the new prime minister in Russia’s restive southern province. of the new republic’s Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov survived a car crash.

06.03.2006
Uzbek Opposition Leader Sentenced to 10 Years
An Uzbek opposition leader has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison on charges of organizing a criminal group, tax evasion and money laundering.

06.03.2006
Top Energy Official Car Torched After Numerous Blackouts in Russia’s Far East
An energy official’s car has been set on fire in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, in Russia’s Far East, after the city was hit by several outages. Moreover, the power supplier is currently suing the local authority for $8 million in energy debts.

06.03.2006
London Laboratory Confirms Bird Flu in Georgia
The International London Laboratory has confirmed that a wild swan found dead in Georgia nine days ago had been killed by a bird flu virus. A top veterinary official said that tests on the bird came back positive for the H5 strain of the disease, but the dangerous for humans H5N1 strain has not been found.

06.03.2006
Cuba National, Russia’s Best Cigar Maker, Beaten to Death in Moscow
An elderly Cuban, Russia’s best cigar maker, has been beaten to death in downtown Moscow by two teenagers early Sunday, ethnic hatred suspected.

06.03.2006
Israel Decries Russia’s Talks With Hamas
Israel’s acting prime minister has said Russia’s talks with Hamas in Moscow have hurt world efforts to isolate the militant group. During the talks in Moscow, the Russian government urged the leaders of the militant group to recognize Israel and renounce violence.

06.03.2006
Uzbekistan Bans U.S. Rights Group
A court in the capital of Uzbekistan has ruled to ban the activities of Freedom House, a prominent international non-governmental organization.

06.03.2006
3 Dead, 5 Injured in Dormitory Fire in Russia’s Siberia
A fire at a Siberian dormitory has claimed lives of three people, and severely injured five more, three of them children.

06.03.2006
Smelling the Roses--Russia’s Olympic Lessons
Russian athletes have won 22 medals in the Turin Games this year. They made this country feel proud, notwithstanding their failure to live up to expectations of certain sports officials and beat the U.S. team by the number of medals.