The latest: Donald Rumsfeld Concerned About Russia, China Foreign Policies

11.05.2006
Donald Rumsfeld Concerned About Russia, China Foreign Policies
The United States is concerned about Russia’s use of its energy resources as a political weapon and China’s lack of transparency over military spending, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said. Earlier he stressed that U.S. focus was currently on Iraq and Afghanistan but that in the future, its policies would be determined by choices made by other powers such as China and Russia.

11.05.2006
Russian Governor Supports 3rd Presidential Term for Putin
The governor of Russia’s Yaroslavl region said he would support a change to the Constitution to extend Vladimir Putin’s presidential term. He said otherwise Putin would not have enough time to realize his social initiatives.

11.05.2006
Man Detained for Stealing Trolleybus
A 25-year-old man has been detained for stealing a trolleybus in the Russian city of Lipetsk.

11.05.2006
Georgian Students Stage Protest Against Russian Foodstuffs
Georgian students have held a protest in front of the Russian embassy in Georgia, protesting against low-quality Russian foodstuffs on the Georgian market.

11.05.2006
Soviet Hockey Champion Enters IIHF Hall of Fame
Twice Olympic champion as member of the Soviet hockey team, Vladimir Petrov, was inducted into the International Hall of Fame on Thursday.

11.05.2006
Missing Climbers Found Dead on Europe’s Highest Peak
The bodies of several climbers who had gone missing earlier this week have been recovered from the slopes of Europe’s highest mountain, Mt. Elbrus in the northern Caucasus, emergency officials reported Thursday.

11.05.2006
Hingis Ousts Dementieva to Reach German Open Quarters
Martina Hingis has beat fifth-seeded Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals of the German Open.

11.05.2006
Vladimir Putin’s State-of-the-Nation Address
Russian President Vladimir Putin used his annual state-of-the-nation address Wednesday, May 11, to warn that Russia’s population of 143 million was falling by an average of 700,000 each year. He has pledged cash bonuses to Russian women who give birth to two or more children. His speech also focused on the problems of the Russian Armed Forces.

11.05.2006
Jailed Tycoon Khodorkovsky Moved Back to Regular Cell
Russian prison authorities have moved oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky out of a solitary cell where they had placed him after a fellow inmate slashed his face as he slept.

11.05.2006
Acquitted Suspect in Paul Klebnikov Murder Case Detained Again
Moscow-based notary Fail Sadretdinov, whom a jury recently found not guilty of involvement in the killing of Paul Klebnikov, the former editor-in-chief of the Russian version of Forbes magazine, has been detained again.

11.05.2006
Russia’s UN Envoy Says New Strategies Aimed at Iran
Russia’s UN ambassador said Wednesday the confrontational approach to Iran over its nuclear program has changed to a new strategy of offering Tehran broad incentives to suspend uranium enrichment. The key nations involved in the debates seek to achieve a peaceful solution, he said.

11.05.2006
12 Rescued After Russian Helicopter Plunges Into Sea
12 people out of the 13 traveling on board a Russian helicopter that crashed off the island of Sakhalin Thursday have been rescued, sources in the Russian the Far East said. One person later died from his injuries. The accident occured during a joint exercise held by Russia and Japan, aimed at responding to potential oil spills.

11.05.2006
Gorbachev Voices Support for Goals Set by President Putin
Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has voiced his support for the goals set by Russian President Vladimir Putin in his annual address to the Federal Assembly. “The president has the opportunity to begin the implementation of the goals mentioned in his address within the next 12 to 18 months, before his term expires,” Gorbachev said.

11.05.2006
Anti-NATO Activists Stage Protest in Russian City of Vladivostok
An anti-NATO protest has been held in Vladivostok, with more than 100 people taking part. A huge American flag was spread like a carpet strip near the central entrance to the Far Eastern State University, where the main events of NATO-Russia Rally would take place.

11.05.2006
Despite Differences U.S. and Russia Have Open Relationship — State Department
The United States has “differences” of opinion with Russia, but there is an open relationship that allows the two to speak frankly, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. In his state-of-the-nation address Wednesday Putin pointed out the U.S. cared more about its own interests than democracy or human rights.

11.05.2006
Former PM Kasyanov Says Russia Should Never Repeat Gas Standoff
Russia’s former prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov has said that Moscow’s standoff in January over gas prices, which resulted in supplies to Ukraine being cut off by state-owned Gazprom, and which also affected deliveries to Western Europe, was a “big mistake” and must not be repeated.

11.05.2006
Oil Tanks Set Ablaze in Chechnya in Suspected Terrorist Attack
A fire broke out at a railway station in Chechnya in the early hours of Thursday, with oil tanks set ablaze, Russian officials in the restive southern province reported. Local police and emergency officials are convinced that the fire was caused by a terrorist act.

11.05.2006
Russian Dissident Writer Alexander Zinoviev Dies at 83
Alexander Zinoviev, who died aged 83, ranked among the Soviet Union’s best known dissidents after his expulsion for writing his biting satire “The Yawning Heights”, but in his attitude to communism he was less an adversary than a disappointed lover.

11.05.2006
Saakashvili Wants to Promote Georgia’s Wine Overseas
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili on Wednesday served wine to Cabinet ministers — but not to make them feel more relaxed. He intends to try and boost sales after Russia banned Georgian wine imports, claiming pesticides and heavy metals had been found.