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A Moscow court rejected on Thursday a lesbian...

A Moscow court rejected on Thursday a lesbian couple"s appeal against an earlier ruling upholding a registry office"s refusal to register their marriage.

An 80-year-old man on a flight from the...

An 80-year-old man on a flight from the Philippine capital of Manila to the island of Cebu attempted to break a porthole window during the flight with his cane and leave the aircraft, Suddeutsche Zeitung has reported.

An agreement on the extension of the Russian...

An agreement on the extension of the Russian Black Sea Fleet presence in Ukraine after 2017 might be simultaneously ratified by the Russian and Ukrainian parliaments next Tuesday, a Russian parliamentary speaker said.

A plane carrying players to a Kontinental...

A plane carrying players to a Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) all-stars clash in Minsk, Belarus, landed with only one engine functioning, an airport spokesman told RIA Novosti on Monday.

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de...

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has signed a decree dismissing the head of the country"s central bank after he refused to use currency reserves to pay off foreign debt.

A Russian carrier rocket put a U.S. telecommunications...

A Russian carrier rocket put a U.S. telecommunications satellite into orbit on Sunday morning, the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos said.

A senior Iranian official has slammed President...

A senior Iranian official has slammed President Barack Obama offer of engagement with Tehran, the Ilna news agency reported on Wednesday.

A small plane crashed into a building in...

A small plane crashed into a building in the U.S. state of Virginia on Tuesday; the pilot later died and the passenger was injured, the Roanoke Times reported citing airport officials and eyewitnesses.

At least 9 people were killed on Friday...

At least 9 people were killed on Friday when Taliban militants launched a series of attacks on the Afghan capital Kabul, officials and regional media say.

At least three people were killed and dozens...

At least three people were killed and dozens injured when a car bomb went off in the Iraqi city of Najaf hours before Sunday"s pivotal parliamentary elections, CNN said.

A video recording has appeared in the case...

A video recording has appeared in the case of a car accident involving the chauffeur-driven Mercedes of a vice president of Russia"s largest independent oil company, LUKoil, that resulted in two deaths.

BAKU, September 15 (RIA Novosti) - A two-day...

BAKU, September 15 (RIA Novosti) - A two-day international gas conference that opens Tuesday in Azerbaijan"s capital will in particular discuss the Nabucco pipeline, the event"s organizer said.

Even before official presidential vote results...

Even before official presidential vote results have been announced in Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych has received a flurry of congratulations from Western powers and organizations, as they continue to distance themselves from "orange" leaders.

Former central banker Sergei Tigipko, who...

Former central banker Sergei Tigipko, who came third in the first round of Ukraine"s presidential election, reiterated on Saturday he was ready to be prime minister if either of the two candidates wins a runoff.

Germany is the bookmakers" favorite to take...

Germany is the bookmakers" favorite to take most medals ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Canada, which kick off on Friday evening.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou will...

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou will pay a working visit to Russia on Monday at the invitation of his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said.

Guus Hiddink will leave his post as trainer...

Guus Hiddink will leave his post as trainer of the Russian national football team when his current contract expires in June, the Dutch soccer coach revealed on Saturday in De Telegraaf.

India has plans to introduce into its armed...

India has plans to introduce into its armed forces the new BrahMos missile, the head of the BrahMos Aerospace company, Sivathanu Pillai, told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister spokesman has blamed...

Iranian Foreign Minister spokesman has blamed Western countries in unwillingness over the recognition of Iranian nuclear rights, Iranian official news agency IRNA reported.

Iran said on Wednesday it had successfully...

Iran said on Wednesday it had successfully launched a satellite carrying an "experimental capsule" as part of events to mark the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

MOSCOW, April 11 (RIA Novosti) - Japan will...

MOSCOW, April 11 (RIA Novosti) - Japan will not join the U.S. global missile defense network in the near future despite close cooperation with the U.S. on boosting its own missile defenses, Russia's chief of the General Staff said Friday.

MOSCOW, April 23 (RIA Novosti) - MTS launched...

MOSCOW, April 23 (RIA Novosti) - MTS launched on Thursday wireless internet services through the BlackBerry platform to non-corporate subscribers, the president of Russia's largest mobile phone operator announced.

Moscow city authorities have denied Russian...

Moscow city authorities have denied Russian rights activists permission to hold events in memory of a lawyer and journalist gunned down last year in central Moscow.

MOSCOW, January 23 (RIA Novosti) - The death...

MOSCOW, January 23 (RIA Novosti) - The death toll in Russia from alcohol poisoning in the first eleven months of 2007 totaled 19,031, a 28.1 % decrease from 2006, the National Alcohol Association (NAA) said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, July 16 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian...

MOSCOW, July 16 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Orthodox Church is holding services and processions across the country on Wednesday and Thursday to commemorate the killing of the last Russian tsar and his family 90 years ago. Tsar Nickolas II, his wife, their four daughters and son, and several servants, were shot dead by the Bolsheviks in a basement in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg in the early hours of July 17, 1918. The Romanovs were canonized in 2000. Russia"s Investigation Committee marked the anniversary by confirming Wednesday that the bone fragments exhumed near Yekaterinburg last July belong to the emperor"s son and heir, and one of his four daughters. "The overall data obtained during a DNA analysis ... supports the theory that the remains of Crown Prince Alexei and Grand Princess Maria have been found," the committee said referring to DNA and other tests carried out in Russia, the United States, and other countries. The remains of Nicholas II, his wife Empress Alexandra and three daughters were found in Yekaterinburg in 1991 and reburied in 1998 in St. Petersburg, the Russian imperial capital. The last tsar"s great-grandson, Dmitry Romanov, who heads the Romanovs for Russia foundation, welcomed the news. "It is very important to me. It is an official confirmation... The family had hoped this would happen some day." However, the Russian Orthodox Church, which has doubted the accuracy of similar tests 10 years ago, urged more studies to prove that the remains belong to the tsar"s children. The Russian church leader, Patriarch Alexy II, said Tuesday that "the 1918 atrocity" gave a start to a string of tragic events in Russia in the 20th century - "the horrors of war, fratricidal conflicts, famine, and unprecedented political repressions." The patriarch also called on the government to condemn the killing of the emperor and his family, an appeal the Communist leader described as "provocative" and "an attempt to rewrite history." The Russian Imperial House in exile has sought since 2005 to have the Romanov family exonerated as victims of political repression. Grand Duchess Maria Romanov, who heads the House, insists the killings were a state-sponsored execution rather than murder. Russia"s judiciary has rejected the demands saying the Romanovs never faced any formal charges before being executed by Bolsheviks.

MOSCOW, July 22 (RIA Novosti) - The construction...

MOSCOW, July 22 (RIA Novosti) - The construction of sports facilities for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi will cost Russia 195.3 billion rubles ($6.25 billion), Vice-Premier Dmitry Kozak said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, June 29 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow"s...

MOSCOW, June 29 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow"s most expensive rental apartment costs over 1.5 million rubles ($50,000) per month, a spokesman for the DOKI Real Estate Agency said on Monday.

MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s...

MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s president Friday blasted the Justice Ministry for excessive bureaucracy in issuing real estate titles and formalizing deals.

MOSCOW, May 1 (RIA Novosti) - Around 30,000...

MOSCOW, May 1 (RIA Novosti) - Around 30,000 people are taking part in May Day rallies in downtown Moscow, the chief spokesman for the Moscow police said on Thursday.

MOSCOW, May 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s...

MOSCOW, May 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russia"s largest mobile communications operator Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) has applied to the Russian Antimonopoly Service to buy up to 100% of Moscow"s largest multiservice communications operator, Comstar.

MOSCOW, May 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is...

MOSCOW, May 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is joining as a third party in hearings being held by the European Court of Human Rights over an appeal filed by a World War II veteran against Latvia, the presidential press office said Sunday. Vassily Kononov, a Russian World War II partisan, was convicted by Latvian authorities of war crimes for ordering the killing of several Nazi collaborators in 1944 when Latvia was occupied by German troops. Kononov was sentenced to 20 months of imprisonment but was freed as he had served his term in pre-trial detention. Russia"s envoy to the European Court of Human Rights Pavel Laptev sent a relevant memorandum to the court saying Russia was joining the Kononov versus Latvia case as a third party. Laptev also raised the issue of considering the case as a matter of priority, taking into account Kononov"s age. Kononov was born in 1923 and currently lives in Riga, the capital of Latvia.

MOSCOW, October 14 (RIA Novosti) - Recent...

MOSCOW, October 14 (RIA Novosti) - Recent developments in U.S. missile shield plans are positive, but Moscow still has a number of questions on the issue, a Russian deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, September 27 (RIA Novosti) -- Russian...

MOSCOW, September 27 (RIA Novosti) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that the presence of major global car manufacturers would help develop the domestic auto industry. Speaking on live television and radio, Putin said: "Many foreign companies, such as BMW and some Asian manufacturers, have already arrived on the Russian market and we are holding negotiations with Volkswagen and Mercedes." Russia, however, he said, had to create the appropriate conditions for these companies to enter the domestic market. "The government has recently taken a number of steps that have prompted a varied response," Putin said. "These steps must be balanced...in order to avoid a negative impact on consumers." In spring 2005, the government adopted a decision to assemble foreign cars in Russia and, consequently, lowered import tariffs on foreign car parts.

North Korea has fired several artillery...

North Korea has fired several artillery shells toward a South Korean island in the Yellow Sea following a recent exchange of fire near the disputed maritime border, the Yonhap news agency said Thursday.

North Korea has threatened to stop dialogue...

North Korea has threatened to stop dialogue with South Korean authorities following Seoul"s adoption of a contingency plan in case of instability in North Korea.

One of three newly orbited satellites in...

One of three newly orbited satellites in Russia"s Glonass space satellite navigation grouping has entered service, the federal space agency Roscosmos said on Tuesday.

One person died early on Tuesday when flames...

One person died early on Tuesday when flames engulfed a nightclub in downtown Moscow, emergency services said.

Over 11,000 people are reported to be members...

Over 11,000 people are reported to be members of mafia-type criminal groups across Russia, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

Posters of Joseph Stalin will be put up...

Posters of Joseph Stalin will be put up not only for this year"s Victory Day parade in Moscow, but for other celebrations as well, the city"s mayor, Yury Luzhkov, said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin fielded a...

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin fielded a wide range of questions from the Russian public during his live TV and radio phone-in on Thursday afternoon.

Protesters demanded the premier"s resignation...

Protesters demanded the premier"s resignation at a weekend rally in Eastern Siberia ahead of the official reopening on Monday of the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill after 14 months of inactivity, a Russian newspaper reported.

RUSSIA

Russia could grant amnesty to up to 300,000...

Russia could grant amnesty to up to 300,000 convicts, releasing as many as 45,000 people from prisons, to mark the 65th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, a co-chair of the Russian Association of Lawyers said on Thursday.

Russia has no plans to build new military...

Russia has no plans to build new military facilities anywhere in the world similar to its naval base in Ukraine"s Crimea, the Russian premier said on Thursday.

Russia has paid off the remaining Soviet-era...

Russia has paid off the remaining Soviet-era commercial debt to the London Club of creditors, which was not swapped for Russia"s Eurobonds, the Finance Ministry said on Monday.

Russian champions Rubin Kazan began their...

Russian champions Rubin Kazan began their bid for a third straight title with a 2-0 win over Lokomotiv Moscow, but the home fans had to wait until the dying minutes for the decisive goal.

Russian energy giant Gazprom plans to spend...

Russian energy giant Gazprom plans to spend some 14.9 billion rubles ($505 million) on oil and gas offshore development in India and Vietnam in 2010, a business daily said on Tuesday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered...

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered the interior minister to look into a recent car crash in Moscow involving the LUKoil vice president that killed two doctors, his spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed...

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree abolishing the federal agencies for science and education and giving their functions to the Ministry of Education and Science, the Kremlin press service said on Saturday.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and...

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his Kazakh counterpart Karim Masimov agreed Sunday by phone that Masimov will visit the Russian capital on March 3, the Russian government said.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called...

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called on Thursday for the conservation of endangered polar bears, Caucasian and Far Eastern leopards.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on...

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on April 20 addressed the lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma.

Russian skiers Nikolay Morilov and Alexey...

Russian skiers Nikolay Morilov and Alexey Petukhov won the bronze medal in the men"s cross-country team sprint at the Vancouver Olympic Games on Monday.

Russian state-run oil company Gazprom Neft...

Russian state-run oil company Gazprom Neft signed on Thursday a contract to develop the Badra oil field in Iraq, the company announced.

Russia on Tuesday congratulated Viktor Yanukovich...

Russia on Tuesday congratulated Viktor Yanukovich on his victory in Ukraine"s presidential election, saying that it hoped for better ties with his government.

Russia"s first Formula One racer Vitaly...

Russia"s first Formula One racer Vitaly Petrov has expressed the hope that he would bring Russia closer to hosting an F1 grand prix, according to Autosport.com.

Russia"s head football coach Guus Hiddink...

Russia"s head football coach Guus Hiddink on Wednesday ended his final match at an away friendly game against Hungary in the city of Gyor with a 1-1 draw.

Russia"s law enforcement bodies in 2009...

Russia"s law enforcement bodies in 2009 curtailed the activities of four organized crime groups responsible for a total of 90 murders, the country"s top investigator said.

Russia"s lower house of parliament, State...

Russia"s lower house of parliament, State Duma, adopted in the first reading on Friday a government bill extending a ban on human cloning.

Russia"s new ambassador to Ukraine will...

Russia"s new ambassador to Ukraine will depart for Kiev next week, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Russia"s top investigator voiced alarming...

Russia"s top investigator voiced alarming statistics on Friday saying that the number of crimes against children more than doubled to over 105,000 in 2009 from more than 40,000 in 2002.

The chief of the Russian General staff expressed...

The chief of the Russian General staff expressed on Wednesday concern over the expansion of the U.S. anti-missile shield in Eastern Europe.

The gap between opposition leader Viktor...

The gap between opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has narrowed to 2% and continues to fall rapidly following Sunday"s presidential runoff in Ukraine, while preliminary statistics show several regions supporting one of the two candidates almost unanimously.

The Nigerien military junta leadership has...

The Nigerien military junta leadership has formed a new transitional government following the February 18 military coup that overthrew President Mamadou Tandja, BBC said on Tuesday.

The Russian and Ukrainian governments approved...

The Russian and Ukrainian governments approved on Friday new gas agreements reached by gas monopoly Gazprom and its Ukrainian partners, the Russian government press service said.

The Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers...

The Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers, Vladimir Putin and Mykola Azarov, will hold a meeting in Moscow on Saturday at which they are likely to discuss natural gas and steel pipe issues facing the two countries.

The Russian Armed Forces will be fully equipped...

The Russian Armed Forces will be fully equipped with a new-generation mobile command-and-control system by 2012, an industry expert said Monday.

The Russian military is still working to...

The Russian military is still working to establish the reasons for the misfiring of the troubled Bulava ballistic missile, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Friday.

The Russian Orthodox Church looks set to...

The Russian Orthodox Church looks set to become a major owner of property in Russia after a long-delayed law on returning religious property seized by the Bolsheviks got a push from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Two people were killed and at least 12 injured...

Two people were killed and at least 12 injured in a head-on collision between a minivan taxi and a car in the east of the Russian capital on Thursday, a source in the local police department said.

Two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers...

Two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers that carried out a routine patrol mission over the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans were shadowed by four NATO fighters, the Defense Ministry said on Friday.

Ukraine has consumed much less natural gas...

Ukraine has consumed much less natural gas since mid-December, which may mean Kiev is experiencing difficulty in paying for Russian gas supplies, the CEO of Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Friday.

Ukraine"s Foreign Ministry has received...

Ukraine"s Foreign Ministry has received the Russian embassy"s notification of the arrival of new ambassador Mikhail Zurabov in Kiev, the ministry said on Friday.

Ukraine"s new president, Viktor Yanukovych...

Ukraine"s new president, Viktor Yanukovych, flies to Russia on Friday to improve ties between the two states damaged under his pro-Western predecessor and soured by a series of disagreements ranging from gas transit to Europe to the future of Russia"s Black Sea Fleet base in the Crimean peninsula.