Driver dies in head-on collision with gas pipeline:
A driver lost control of his car and hit a plug of the gas pipeline running along the Novorizhskoye Highway near Moscow. He died in the fire.
Russian govt. to sell stakes purchased during crisis:
The Russian government intends to sell the shares in companies it has purchased during the crisis, Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said on Tuesday.
Sochi Olympics to get $7.6 bln from Russian budget in 2010:
Russia is to allocate 228 billion rubles ($7.6 bln) from the state budget in 2010 for the construction of sports facilities for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, a deputy finance minister said on Tuesday.
Russian special services to limit rights of Internet users:
Russia’s Justice Ministry has posted for public discussion a draft law which will increase state control over the Internet, a government daily reported on Tuesday.
Iran test launches Shahab-3 and Sajjil missiles:
Iran tested its most advanced missiles on Monday to cap two days of war games, raising more international concern and stronger pressure to quickly come clean on the newly revealed nuclear site Tehran was secretly constructing.
Sochi Olympics construction to cost over 1 trillion rubles:
More than 1 trillion rubles ($33 billion) will be spent on the preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Russian resort city of Sochi, a Russian business daily said on Tuesday.
NATO secretary general not sure of success in Afghanistan:
Victory in Afghanistan is not guaranteed, and NATO needs to change its strategy in the country, the alliance’s secretary general said Monday at a Washington-based think tank.
Uzbekistan urges checks of hydro plants over Siberian dam accident:
Independent inspections should be carried out at a number of hydroelectric power plants in connection with the recent deadly accident at a Siberian hydroelectric station last month, Uzbekistan’s foreign minister said.
Medvedev congratulates Merkel on election victory:
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has congratulated German Chancellor Angela Merkel on election victory in a phone conversation, the Kremlin press service said in a statement.
Russia concerned over Iran missile launches, calls for restraint:
Russia is concerned over Iran’s missile launches against the backdrop of the Islamic Republic’s unresolved nuclear issues, but Moscow is calling for restraint, the Russian foreign minister said Monday.
Medvedev pledges to recreate strong Navy in 10 years:
Russia will recreate a powerful Navy in the next ten years, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday at a meeting with military personnel who took part in the Zapad 2009 drills.
Russia to help Abkhazia with postal, telecommunications services:
Abkhazia and Russia have signed a memorandum that will see the former Georgian republic establish its own independent telecommunication and postal services, the Abkhaz Apsnypress news agency said on Monday.