North China building collapse kills 17
At least 17 people were killed when a building collapsed in the Hebei province in northern China, the Sina news agency said
// Aug. 04, 2009 - 15:09 GMT
Damage from Volga oil spill could exceed $450,000 - watchdog
The damage from a mid-July oil spill on the Volga River has been estimated at 14 million rubles (over $450,000), a spokesman for the Russian consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said on Tuesday.
// Aug. 04, 2009 - 15:14 GMT
South Russian police seize 9 kg of heroin from fruit truck
Police in south Russia's Rostov Region, south Russia, have found 9 kilograms (19 lbs) of heroin hidden in a minivan carrying fruit, a local drug police spokesperson said on Tuesday.
// Aug. 04, 2009 - 15:43 GMT
Honest Vienna cop returns lost cash case to couriers
A plainclothes police officer in Vienna found a case stuffed with 150,000 euros ($216,000) that had fallen out of a cash couriers' van, and immediately returned the money, Austria's largest newspaper reported on Tuesday.
// Aug. 04, 2009 - 15:51 GMT
What the Russian papers say
MOSCOW, August 4 (RIA Novosti)Russian Foreign Ministry concerned about Tbilisi remilitarization / Strategic Missile Forces: change of commander / Russia is promised oil renaissance / Industrial production declines, prices rise in CIS countries
// Aug. 04, 2009 - 16:00 GMT
Chronology of Events: the South Ossetia Conflict of August 2008
The situation in the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict zone rapidly deteriorated after Tskhinval and a number of other residential districts and villages in South Ossetia were attacked in the evening of August 1. Combat with the use of small arms, grenade launchers and mortars ensued in the conflict zone for several hours. It resulted in the first human losses and substantial destruction. South Ossetia began evacuating its citizens to North Ossetia. In the first two days after the shelling, 2,500 residents left their homes.
// Aug. 04, 2009 - 16:27 GMT
International expedition to set off around North East Passage
An international expedition is due to set off from the north Russian port of Murmansk Wednesday to follow the North East Passage around the Russian coast to highlight global warming, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
// Aug. 04, 2009 - 16:32 GMT
South Ossetia’s envoy to Russia discusses political changes
On Tuesday, South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity dismissed Prime Minister Aslanbek Bulatsev over health problems. A decree signed by the president says that due to the premierâ™s dismissal, the governmentâ™s powers have also been terminated. Dmitry Medoyev, South Ossetiaâ™s ambassador to Russia, commented on the political process. </p>
// Aug. 04, 2009 - 17:38 GMT