The latest: U.N. Security Council Approves Iran Statement, Russia and China Oppose Sanctions

30.03.2006
U.N. Security Council Approves Iran Statement, Russia and China Oppose Sanctions
The U.N. Security Council demanded Wednesday that Iran suspend uranium enrichment, the first time the powerful body has directly urged Tehran to clear up suspicions that it is seeking nuclear weapons. Russia and China said, however, they still opposed imposing sanctions on Tehran.

30.03.2006
Russia Rejects Report on Sharing Intelligence With Iraq
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has verified and rejected reports on sharing intelligence with Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein.

30.03.2006
Russian Soyuz Lifts Off, Carries U.S.-Russian-Brazilian Crew to ISS
A Russian Soyuz rocket streaked into the skies over the Central Asian steppe on Thursday evening, launching a U.S.-Russian-Brazilian crew on a mission to the ISS. Brazil’s first man in space, Marcos C. Pontes, will stay at the station for nine days before returning to Earth on April 9 with the station’s current crew.

30.03.2006
Russia Urges Iran to Obey UN Security Council
Russia has urged Iran to heed “in the fullest way” possible the call by the UN Security Council for Tehran to end uranium enrichment activities.

30.03.2006
Winner of Ukrainian Village Election Beaten to Death
The winner of a village election in Ukraine has died after being beaten.

30.03.2006
Man Accused of Killing Tajik Girl Walks Free, Others Sentenced for Hooliganism
Seven suspects on trial over the killing of a nine-year-old Tajik girl two years ago in Russia’s second largest city St. Petersburg were found guilty of hooliganism and handed prison terms of 18 months to 5.5 years. Their accomplice, originally seen as the key suspect in the case, was fully acquitted.

30.03.2006
19 Suspected Members of Banned Islamist Group Extradited From Russia to Uzbekistan
Russia has extradited 19 suspected members of the banned Islamic group Hizb-ut-Tahrir to Uzbekistan this year.

30.03.2006
H5N1 Found in Southern Russia
The H5N1 strain of bird flu virus has been found in dozens of dead birds in Russia’s southern province of Volgograd, local officials reported. Preventive work including disinfection is being carried out, they said.

30.03.2006
Council of Europe Asks Moscow to Lift Gay Pride Ban
The Council of Europe has called on the mayor of Moscow to reinstate the city’s Gay Pride parade.

30.03.2006
NATO to Review Partnership Pact With Belarus
NATO has put an 11-year-old partnership pact with Belarus under review, an alliance spokesman said. The review was prompted by the presidential election in Belarus, which the West denounced as flawed.

30.03.2006
U.S. Bush Rejects Call to Boycott Russia G8 Summit
President Bush expressed concern Wednesday about the Kremlin’s crackdown on internal dissent but declared “I haven’t given up on Russia” and said he would not boycott a summit in St. Petersburg. “I still think Russia understands that it’s in her interests to be West, to work with the West and to act in concert with the West,” he said.

30.03.2006
Russian Participation in NATO Summit Undesirable Says Latvia
Russia’s presence at the NATO summit in Riga is undesirable, Latvia’s President Vaira Vike-Freiberga has said.

30.03.2006
Belarus Prosecutors Set to Charge Defeated Opposition Activists Over Unrest
Belarus’ top prosecutor promised Wednesday to bring more trials of opposition activists who protested the disputed March 19 presidential election. Prosecutor General said more than 500 people, including 21 foreigners, had been detained during the rallies following Alexander Lukashenko’s landslide victory.

30.03.2006
2 Injured in Crash Landing at Moscow Airport
A Russian-built Ilyushin-62 plane belonging to a Libyan airline made an emergency landing at a Moscow airport on Wednesday night, injuring two crew members onboard.