The latest: Russia, France Condemn Israeli Strikes in Lebanon

13.07.2006
Russia, France Condemn Israeli Strikes in Lebanon
Paris and Moscow on Thursday sharply condemned Israeli strikes in Lebanon as a dangerous escalation of the Middle East conflict but Washington, while urging restraint, said Israel had the right to self defense.

13.07.2006
UN Sanctions Against Iran Will Not Affect Russian Military Cooperation With Tehran — Official
Possible UN sanctions against Iran will not affect Russian-Iranian military cooperation, Russia’s foreign minister said Thursday.

13.07.2006
Bush Will Respectfully Press Putin on Democracy
U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday said he would press Russian President Vladimir Putin privately on democracy and the need for non-governmental groups to be able to operate without intimidation.

13.07.2006
Russian Cameraman Records Flight of UFO
An unidentified flying object has appeared over the Yeysk Spit (Krasnodar region of Russia). Inexplicable phenomena have occurred in Krasnodar Territory before, for instance, circles in the fields allegedly not made by the humans. But now a local TV Channel has an irrefutable evidence of non-human activity as a professional cameraman has recorded the appearance of a UFO over Yeysk.

13.07.2006
Hackers Use Putin Death Hoax to Spread Virus-Expert
A new spam campaign that poses as a breaking news report about the death of Russian President Vladimir Putin is actually an attempt by hackers to infect computer users with a virus.

13.07.2006
Seagulls Peck to Death Russian Swimmer
Seagulls have pecked to death an careless Russian swimmer who tried to approach a small island covered with the birds’ nests. Birds soared above Michael Nikonov, swooped down on him, and with loud cries dove into the water around him. Bystanders who gathered on the bank of the river could not help the man.

13.07.2006
Rights Group Criticizes Russia for Silencing Critics, Urges Other G8 Members to Pressure Putin
The U.S.-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch called on Russia to stop trying to silence critics, and urged the other G8 nations to press President Vladimir Putin to better respect human rights. “Russia’s attempts to stifle an independent gathering speak louder than the lip service it pays to democracy,” an HRW official said.

13.07.2006
Russia Warned of Georgia’s Planned Offensive in Breakaway South Ossetia Region — FSB
Russia’s top domestic security body — Federal Security Service (FSB) — has said it received a tip about Georgia’s plans to launch an offensive against its breakaway province of South Ossetia, to coincide with the G-8 summit that opens in St. Petersburg, Russia, on July 15.

13.07.2006
Ukraine Braced For New Rallies Amid Government Crisis
Ukraine is bracing for more demonstrations after supporters of a candidate for prime minister on Wednesday called for the start of nationwide protests.

13.07.2006
Tenants Evacuated in Moscow From Booby-Trapped House
Tenants had to leave their apartments in northern Moscow after a booby-trap constructed with a grenade was discovered at the door of one of the apartments, officials reported Thursday.

13.07.2006
UN Has No More Food for Chechen Refugees
The UN World Food Program has only a three-month food supply for Chechen refugees. The Program’s representative in Russia told journalists that if there is no additional financial assistance, in October there would be no food left.

13.07.2006
170 Foreign Workmen Poisoned in Russia
170 builders of an IKEA shopping center in Yekaterinburg (Ural region) have been hospitalized due to poisoning, representative of the city’s health ministry said Wednesday.

13.07.2006
U.S. Suffers Winner’s Complex — Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev is generally regarded as the man who broke down the “iron curtain” that separated the communist world from the West and thawed the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Now, 15 years after a coup removed him from power and the Soviet Union dissolved, he has some stern words for the United States.

13.07.2006
Flight Attendant Honored for Saving Lives
Literally overnight, Viktoria Zilberstein became a hero after she opened the emergency hatch in the rear of the burning A-310 plane that crashed on landing in Russian Siberia on July 9. The young flight attendant helped at least 10 passengers to escape.

13.07.2006
Inflatable Spacecraft Launched From Russia to U.S.
A Russian rocket blasted off carrying an experimental inflatable spacecraft to an American entrepreneur who dreams of building a commercial space station, officials said. The launch was a first for Bigelow Aerospace, founded by Las Vegas real estate mogul Robert Bigelow, who owns the Budget Suites of America hotel chain.

13.07.2006
Russia’s Aeroflot Cancels Flights to Beirut After Israeli Strike
Russian flagship airline Aeroflot has canceled flights to the Lebanese capital Beirut after the airport there was damaged by Israeli air strikes.

13.07.2006
U.S. Senators Warn Bush They Would Oppose Russia Nuclear Deal
Top lawmakers on the U.S. Senate Energy Committee told President George W. Bush on Wednesday they would oppose a deal allowing Russia to sell more highly enriched uranium as fuel to U.S. nuclear power plants. Russia’s Vladimir Putin said earlier he will urge Bush at the G8 meeting to allow Russia to ship more enriched uranium to the U.S.