* The Russian and Georgian presidents said they had discussed difficulties in bilateral relations, but had made no breakthrough during a meeting in St. Petersburg

// Jun. 15, 2006 - 04:24 GMT

Spain wrecked Ukraine's World Cup debut on Wednesday, trouncing them 4–0 with two goals in each half with the Eastern European side finishing with 10 men. Ukraine's coach blamed the heat, while his players earlier said that frogs in the lake near their hotel were disturbing their sleep.

// Jun. 15, 2006 - 04:45 GMT

Chinese authorities threw a massive security curtain around the country's largest city Shanghai, before a regional meeting that includes Russia and Iran. The annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit starts Thursday.

// Jun. 15, 2006 - 04:54 GMT

The separatist leaders of Georgia's breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and Moldova's Transdniester vowed to support each other's independence aspirations. They also called for the continued deployment of Russian troops on their territories.

// Jun. 15, 2006 - 05:04 GMT

NAZRAN, June 15 (RIA Novosti) – Three gunmen including an alleged notorious militant were killed during an operation in the Ingushetia region in Russia's North Caucasus early Thursday, local security sources said.

// Jun. 15, 2006 - 05:07 GMT

The United States has pledged $2 million for confidence-building measures and economic rehabilitation in Georgia's South Ossetia region, the State Department announced this week. In total, the OSCE will pour more than 10 million euros (approximately $12.5 million) in economic assistance to the region.

// Jun. 15, 2006 - 05:16 GMT

Thousands rallied in Grozny in a march showing the power of pro-Moscow warlord Ramzan Kadyrov who marks his 100th day as a premier this week. Students who took part in the march had been bussed in from all over Chechnya for a 15-minute march staged to back the man who is likely to become the next president of the war-torn province.

// Jun. 15, 2006 - 05:27 GMT

SHANGHAI, June 15 (RIA Novosti) – Russia's president Thursday proposed creating an energy club within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and said Russia could finance some economic projects pursued by the six-nation regional forum.

// Jun. 15, 2006 - 05:33 GMT

SHANGHAI, June 15 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday called for the signing of an agreement on strategic partnership between member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

// Jun. 15, 2006 - 05:40 GMT

Belarus is on the way to joining Burma as the second country in history to get kicked out of the EU's Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) on trade, with the European Commission dropping hints it will recommend the move to member states in June or July. The move is likely to deal a heavy blow to Belarus' economy.

// Jun. 15, 2006 - 05:41 GMT