The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday found Russia responsible for the death of three Chechens during an armed raid in the restive province’s capital, and ordered Moscow to pay their relative €60,000 (US,428) in damages.

Last week, Chechen rebel leader Dokka Umarov finally confirmed his decision to declare a Caucasian Emirate (Chechnya Weekly, November 1 and 8). His statement on the Emirate was posted on the Kavkaz-Center rebel website on November 21. Moreover, two days later, Kavkaz-Center posted two videos of Dokka Umarov in which …

OMON (Russian Special Purpose Police Squad) riot police broke up a demonstration against the administration of Ingushetia’s President, Murat Zyazikov, in Nazran on November 24. The organizing committee for the protest, which was planned for November 24, had earlier announced that it would be postponed until December-citing, among other things, …

Voters in Russia’s Far East have begun voting in parliamentary elections that are expected to hand a huge majority to the ruling party which has Vladimir Putin, the president, as a candidate.

RUSSIANS relish President Vladimir Putin’s earthy phrases. Reacting to sharp western criticism of Russia’s parliamentary elections today, Putin, playing `Vlad the Bad’, warned western powers not to ‘poke their snotty noses’ in his nation’s business.

Iran’s potential to shut down nearly 40 percent of the world’s oil trade represents a weapon possibly more powerful than its missiles, gunboats or any arms system Tehran claims to possess. But such a move would cut both ways in any possible military showdown with the United States.The Islamic Republic’s …

Iran’s adversaries cannot harm the strong ties between Tehran and Damascus, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday, a week after Iran appeared to chide Syria for its decision to take part in a Mideast summit in the United States.

Energy minister here Sunday voiced Iran’s readiness to cooperate with Asia-Pacific countries in water and energy sectors.Parviz Fattah made the statement ahead of his departure to Deppu, Oita prefecture, Japan, where he attends the First Asia-Pacific Summit.

Iran‘s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki stressed that there has been no legal basis for referral of Iran’s nuclear case to the United Nations Security Council. 

Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili reiterated Friday that Iran will always maintain its principled stance regarding the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and continues to support cooperation over the country’s nuclear programme.