The latest: UN Chief Decries Killing, Abductions of Russian Diplomats in Iraq

05.06.2006
UN Chief Decries Killing, Abductions of Russian Diplomats in Iraq
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan denounced Saturday the slaying of a Russian diplomat by Iraqi insurgents and urged the released of four other kidnapped Russian diplomats.

05.06.2006
Iranian Dissident Reporter Awarded Golden Pen of Freedom in Moscow
The World Association of Newspapers and the World Editor Forum presented their prestigious Golden Pen of Freedom award to Akbar Ganji, a prominent Iranian dissident and investigative reporter.

05.06.2006
Russian Boss Punishes Lazy Employee By Chaining Him Naked to a Tree
Russian police are investigating a case of a boss who chained his subordinate naked to a tree in the forest to punish him for badly done work. The man was found after spending almost 24 hours in such condition.

05.06.2006
Khodorkovsky Placed in Punishment Solitary Cell for Third Time
Jailed Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has been transferred to a punishment cell again, his lawyer said Monday, accusing prison authorities of persecuting the jailed oil magnate. The prisoner was placed into the one-man cell on Saturday, the day after a three-day meeting with his wife.

05.06.2006
U.S. Denounces Russian Pirated MP3s Site
A Russian music downloading Web site is exploiting a loophole in the nation’s copyright laws, say U.S. and European music industry officials.

05.06.2006
Russia Hails U.S. Call for Direct Talks With Iran
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed the US offer of direct talks with Iran, saying that Moscow feels no jealousy about the U.S. involvement.

05.06.2006
Attackers Kill 3, Steal $440,000 in South Russia Republic
At least 12 million rubles, over $440,000, has been stolen in an attack that left three people dead in the Russian Dagestan republic.

05.06.2006
World Association of Newspapers Urges Russian Authorities to Give Media More Freedom
President of the World Association of Newspapers Gavin O’Reilly has urged the Russian authorities to promote the development of free mass media.

05.06.2006
Russia Denies Entry to Leader of Ukrainian Pro-Western Movement
Vice-chairman of Ukrainian civic youth organization Pora! (It’s time!) Sergei Evtushenko has been detained Monday at the Moscow airport Sheremetyevo, and has been expelled back to Kiev.

05.06.2006
Russia Can Use Energy as Diplomatic Weapon — Russian MP
Russia could use energy as a diplomatic weapon to achieve foreign-policy objectives but rejects the idea that a new cold war has started, the chairman of the upper chamber of parliament’s international affairs committee Mikhail Margelov has said.

05.06.2006
Lion Kills Intruder in Kiev Zoo Pen
A man was mauled by a lioness at Kiev Zoo Sunday, after he entered lions’ pen. Witnesses say he attempted to preach the gospel to the beasts.

05.06.2006
U.S. Sailors Trapped by Protesters Freed by Ukrainian Troops
Ukrainian troops freed American sailors trapped by anti-NATO demonstrators in Crimea Sunday. Earlier, opposition politicians have threatened to impeach the president, Victor Yushchenko, for allowing the U.S. servicemen into the country.

05.06.2006
Russia Urges NATO to Stop Violence in Afghanistan
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov voiced concern about a surge of violence in Afghanistan, urged NATO to cooperate more closely with Moscow to help combat Afghan drug trafficking, and to intensify efforts to stabilize the country.

05.06.2006
Blasts in Chechnya Leave Five Policemen Wounded
Five law-enforcement officials have been wounded in several explosions staged by the militants in Chechnya.

05.06.2006
Russia to Launch Lunar Mission
Russia, which pioneered and then abandoned robotic exploration of the Moon after losing the Space Race and collapse of the Soviet Union, is starting the development of its first lunar mission in 30 years.

05.06.2006
Moscow Hosts International Press Congress
The 59th World Newspaper Congress, 13th World Editors’ Forum and Info Services Expo 2006 opens in Moscow on Monday. The Russian president Vladimir Putin is scheduled to greet the session.

05.06.2006
Ukraine’s Yushchenko Asks Lawmakers to OK War Games Amid Protests
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has asked parliament to urgently endorse the presence of foreign troops on Ukrainian territory for a multinational military exercise, a request that came amid a weeklong protest sparked by the arrival of a group of U.S. Marine reservists.

05.06.2006
Iran Dissident Allowed to Receive Journalism Award in Russia
Iran has allowed a leading dissident journalist to leave the country to receive a journalism award in Moscow. On Monday, he will collect the World Association of Newspapers’ Golden Pen of Freedom award in Russia’s capital.