Kavkaz

Ossetians have abducted six ethnic Georgians from the villages of Zerti, Gori district. The men went to the forest for fire wood at 4pm yesterday and the separatist gunmen must have kidnapped them a few hours later.

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Second Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea inaugurated on Monday in Tehran.

TEHRAN (FNA)- A railroad connecting Iran and Armenia will cost at least $1bln, said Vladimir Yakunin, head of Russian Railways (RZD) which operates the Armenian railway network.

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – Russia faces a lingering terrorist threat and cannot drop its guard, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday, a day after a suspected suicide bombing killed 12 people.

There was tension on the streets of the Georgian capital, with a protest against the presidency of Mikhail Saakashvili.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Dmitry Medvedev could resign from his post in 2009 to pave the way for Vladimir Putin to return to the Kremlin, Vedomosti newspaper reported on Thursday, citing an unidentified source close to the Kremlin.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Workgroups from Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia are due to convene in a meeting in Saint Petersburg from 17 to 19 November to discuss a feasibility study over the North-South railway, which is due to link Russia to Iran via Azerbaijan.

TBILISI (Reuters) – Georgia’s parliament endorsed career diplomat Grigol Mgaloblishvili as prime minister on Saturday in a step billed by President Mikheil Saakashvili as the start of a reform drive.

Time’s up for the president of Ingushetia, who has been sacked by President Medvedev.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Azerbaijan has completely covered its electricity arrears owed to Iran.