Kiev  - City managers in the Ukrainian capital Kiev on Tuesday began energy conservation measures because of falling supplies of natural gas, officials at the power company Kievenergo said.

Kiev residents, for their part, were resorting to tried and true methods of beating the cold, as yet another gas war with Russia and a vicious cold snap enveloped their city.

"A fur hat is the way to survive the winter," said Vadym Panchenko, a pensioner and taking in the fresh air at Kiev's central Maidan Square. "No one can turn off a fur hat."

Brussels/Prague - Ukraine and Russia remained at loggerheads Thursday over the deployment of international experts to monitor gas flows through Ukraine, European Union officials said.

While both sides have agreed that international monitors could play a role in solving the standoff which has crippled gas supplies to Europe, officials said that no final agreement on a mission had been reached during talks in Brussels.

Vatican City - Israel's ambassador to the Vatican on Thursday denied that "out of line" remarks by a top Holy See official on the Gaza conflict threaten ties with the Jewish state.

Relations are "as good as before" the ANSA news agency quoted Ambassador Mordechai Lewy as saying.

He was referring to Wednesday's newspaper interview in which Cardinal Renato Marino's described Gaza as a "concentration camp".

Vienna  - The Vienna State Opera announced Thursday that French star dancer Manuel Legris was chosen to direct its ballet from 2010.

Legris, 44, will take over from the current ballet chief, the Hungarian Gyula Harangozo, at the same time that Dominique Meyer leaves the Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris to head Austria's leading opera house.

Legris will retire as leading dancer at the Paris National Opera in 2010. In the course of his career, he worked with choreographers such as William Forsythe, John Neumeier and Maurice Bejart.

Islamabad, Jan. 8 : Thousands of Shia Muslims held peaceful Ashura processions amid tight security across Pakistan on Thursday, commemorating the death of the Prophet Mohammed''s grandson Imam Hussein.

Police and paramilitary soldiers escorted the Shia community''s parades in several major cities, and commandos were perched on some rooftops along the routes in a bid to prevent violence, the Dawn reported.

Dhaka, Jan. 8 : Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed on Thursday summoned the first session of the country''s ninth Parliament on January 25 following the swearing-in of Sheikh Hasina-led Government on Tuesday.

"The order of the President has been sent to the Parliament Secretariat. The first session will begin at 3 p. m. local time on January 25," a spokesman at the presidential palace said.

The Parliament Secretariat also issued a press release in this regard.