The latest: Local Prosecutor Targeted in South Russia Terror Attack, Brother Killed

10.08.2006
Local Prosecutor Targeted in South Russia Terror Attack, Brother Killed
One man died and 13 people were injured after a series of explosions ripped through the home of a local prosecutor in the south Russian province of Ingushetia in the early hours of Thursday morning.

10.08.2006
Russia’s Putin Orders Inventory of All Museums Following Hermitage Scam
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the government to set up a commission by September 1 to conduct an inventory of all cultural treasures in the country’s museums, following a major artwork theft worth millions of dollars from the Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg.

10.08.2006
Russia Strengthens Security at Airports
Russia today tightened security at its airports as British Airways cancelled flights to Moscow following a red terror alert sounded by authorities in the UK. “No restrictions will be introduced but given the situation Russian airports will increase security during passport and luggage control procedures,” a ministry spokesman said.

10.08.2006
Prime-Minister Vows to Quit Smoking if Lithuanians Win World Basketball Championship
Lithuanian prime-minister Gediminas Kirkilas has vowed to quit smoking if his country’s team wins the World Basketball Championship.

10.08.2006
Syrian Ambassador Denies Reports Hezbollah Using Russian Weapons
Syria’s envoy to Russia Hassan Rishah refuted allegations at a news conference in Moscow that Hezbollah was using Russian weapons against Israel.

10.08.2006
Tennis Hero Kafelnikov Downplays 93,000-Euro Swiss Tax Debt
Former tennis champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov has willingly admitted to not having paid 93,000 euros in taxes in Switzerland. He downplayed the incident, saying he had never refused to pay the debt.

10.08.2006
U.S. Diplomat Foresees Political Strife in Ukraine
The U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine said he doubts Ukraine will not experience further political turmoil. William Taylor stressed that it was quite democratic that people in Ukraine believe it is necessary to call fresh elections in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s parliament).

10.08.2006
Hockey Star Malkin Offers Lock-Down Dinners at Prison-Themed Restaurant
Russian hockey star Evgeni Malkin has opened a posh restaurant where visitors can enjoy the cozy atmosphere of a typical Russian jail.

10.08.2006
2 Belarus Citizens Jailed in U.S. Child-Porn Trial
Two Belarus nationals, top officers in Regpay, which prosecutors described as an international child-pornography and money-laundering enterprise, each have received 25 years in federal prison.

10.08.2006
Russian Supreme Court Upholds Not Guilty Verdict in Tajik Girl Murder Case
Russia’s Supreme Court has upheld the verdict in the high-profile killing of a Tajik girl, 9, in 2004. The Court declined to reverse a March lower court decision in which the seven defendants were found guilty of hooliganism and one of them was found not guilty of murder.

10.08.2006
Kyrgyzstan Extradites Uzbek Refugees, Rights Group Says Illegal
The Kyrgyz government has violated international law by forcibly returning four Uzbek refugees and one asylum seeker to Uzbekistan, putting their lives and well-being at risk, Human Rights Watch said.

10.08.2006
Ex-Nikon Researcher, Russian Intelligence Official Accused of Stealing Secret Know-How for Russia
Japanese police have said they believe a former employee of the Nikon Corp. and a Russian official stole sensitive material from the Japanese camera-maker that could have military applications. The official belonged to Moscow’s military intelligence unit, better known by its initials GRU, major Japanese media reports.

10.08.2006
British Airways Suspends Flights to London From Moscow
British Airways said it was suspending flights to London from the Russian capital until 18:00 Thursday, after Britain said it had thwarted a major terrorist attack hours earlier.

10.08.2006
100 Pounds of Weapons-Grade Uranium Sent to Russia From Poland
The U.S. yesterday removed nearly 100 pounds of weapons-grade uranium from a research reactor in Poland, one of the largest recoveries yet of material that could be used to develop a nuclear bomb, and transported it to Russia, government officials said.