Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group said on Sunday a U.S.-hosted Middle East peace conference this week was only a “media show” in support of Israel.

As Arab ministers fly in to Washington for this week’s Annapolis conference on making peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the most notable absentee is Hamas, winner of last year’s Palestinian general election.

According to Russian sources, particularly the newspaper “Kommersant” earlier owned by Boris Berezovsky, the former Minister of CHRI FM Ahmed Zakaev has declared himself the “prime minister” of Ichkeria.

Most Palestinians are skeptical Tuesday’s Annapolis peace conference can speed the creation of a state of their own but many still hope it may lead to improvements in living conditions and security.

Russian riot police beat opposition activists on Sunday and detained nearly 200 people at protest rallies against President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg, Russia’s second city.

The statement is aired by the press service of the Caucasian Emirate.  In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful.

The Soviet Union’s former KGB chief Vladimir Kryuchkov, one of Russia’s most influential hardline spy masters, has died aged 83, Russia’s foreign intelligence service said on Sunday.

Syria said on Sunday it would attend a U.S.-led conference aimed at launching talks to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, giving another boost to U.S. efforts to enlist wide Arab support a new peace drive.

Israel said on Sunday it believed Syria had decided to attend this week’s U.S.-hosted conference about Palestinian statehood.

A mobile group of Mujahideen attacked Russian positions in Zavodsky district of the Chechen capital of Jokhar on the night between September 30-October 1. Two  kafirs (infidels) were killed and not less than 4 others wounded  in the shooting.