The latest: Hamas Deserves a Chance, Says Russian Envoy

20.04.2006
Hamas Deserves a Chance, Says Russian Envoy
A top Russian official insisted Thursday that Hamas, the Islamist organization which took over the Palestian government after winning the January vote, should be given a chance to become a real political force and opt for a political settlement of the long-running Middle East conflict.

20.04.2006
Authorities in North Russia to Unveil Monument of Stalin to Attract Tourists
A memorial featuring a statue of Joseph Stalin is to be rebuilt in a village in the Krasnoyarsk region, North Russia.

20.04.2006
Criminals Use Construction Crane to Steal Tax Inspectors’ Archives
A whole railway container of archive papers was stolen from the Federal Tax Service office in the centre of Moscow. To move it, criminals used a construction crane.

20.04.2006
Khodorkovsky’s Foundation Stops Activity
The “Open Russia” foundation, established by the jailed tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has taken the decision to cease its activity.

20.04.2006
Uzbekistan Returns Bomb-Grade Nuclear Fuel to Russia — IAEA
Uzbekistan has returned to Russia spent nuclear fuel containing enough uranium to make two atom bombs in a secret, high-security operation, the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Thursday.Uzbekistan has returned to Russia spent nuclear fuel containing enough uranium to make two atom bombs in a secret, high-security operation, the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Thursday.

20.04.2006
U.S. Hopes to Come to Agreement With Kyrgyzstan on Air Base
The U.S. Embassy in Bishkek, in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan, says the United States is committed to reaching agreement on the terms of use for Kyrgyzstan’s Manas air base.

20.04.2006
Russia Calls World to Unite Against Internet Crimes
The world should unite against online criminals because they could cause as much damage as weapons of mass destruction, Russia’s interior minister said on Wednesday.

20.04.2006
Russian Atomic Station in Bushehr No Threat to the West — Nuclear Chief
A nuclear power station being built by Russia in Iran presents no threat, Moscow’s top nuclear official has said following a U.S. demand for the project to be shut down.

20.04.2006
Fire Kills 11 Workers Outside Russian Capital
A fire broke out early Thursday in a makeshift barracks for construction workers in the Moscow region, killing 11 and injuring four, Russian news agencies reported.

20.04.2006
U.S. Wants Belarus, Karabakh On St. Petersburg G-8 Summit Agenda
U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns says the United States will press for Belarus and the conflicts in Georgia, Moldova, and Nagorno-Karabakh to be on the agenda of this year’s Group of Eight (G-8) summit.

20.04.2006
Russian Police Detain Young Men for Posing with Nazi Flag
Five young men were detained in St. Petersburg early on Thursday morning for taking pictures under a Nazi flag.

20.04.2006
Russia to Remain Neutral in Case of U.S-Iran Armed Conflict
Russia’s military will not intervene on one side or the other, should the current Iran crisis lead to an armed conflict, the chief of the Russian general staff said.

20.04.2006
President Bush Congratulates Ukraine’s Yanukovich on Winning Elections
George Bush has congratulated Victor Yanukovich, leader of the Party of Regions, on his party’s convincing victory at the parliamentary elections in Ukraine.

20.04.2006
U.S. Demands End to Russia-Iran Nuclear Cooperation
The United States demanded an end to Russia’s cooperation with Iran in building the Islamic republic’s first civilian nuclear power station.

20.04.2006
Indian Student Stabbed in Russia’s Northern Capital St. Petersburg
An Indian student was stabbed with a knife in central St. Petersburg late on Wednesday. The attack came days after the killing of an African student in what investigators are considering a possible hate crime.