Moscow - The mayor of the capital of Russia's North Ossetia region, bordering Georgia, was shot dead in his car outside his home on Wednesday, Russian media reported.
Officials suspected a sniper attack, a police source told the Ria-Novosti news agency.
"There was a single bullet hole in the door of his vehicle. Presumably it was a single sniper shot which proved fatal," the unnamed police source said.
The Vladikavkaz mayor was rushed to an emergency ward after the shooting. Officials at the hospital said he died of a bullet wound to the heart.
Tallinn - The presidents of the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania met near the Estonian capital, Tallinn, Tuesday to discuss relations with Russia among other topics.
In the picturesque, snowbound surroundings of Sausti Manor, President Valdis Zatlers of Latvia and Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania were hosted by their Estonian counterpart, Toomas Hendrik Ilves.
After the meeting the three presidents told journalists that their countries should pursue pragmatic relations with Russia via their memberships of the European Union and NATO.
Rio de Janeiro - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev started Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro a two-day official visit to Brazil that includes a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
According to the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, Lula and Medvedev were set to discuss current bilateral projects during their meeting Wednesday.
They planned to analyse "the expansion of reciprocal investment, including Russia's interest in taking part in infrastructure projects in Brazil in the areas of railways, hydroelectric plants, nuclear energy and gas and oil pipelines."
Moscow - Prosecutors called for the dismissal of the judge in the trial of three men for the murder of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, Russian news agencies reported Tuesday.
Evgeny Zubov, the presiding judge at a Moscow Military Court, has been accused by Russia's General Prosecutor's office of "bias," a participant told the Interfax news agency.
Zubov has been embroiled in controversy ever since he ruled last week that the trial should be closed to the public and media representatives.
Moscow - A Russian naval squadron neared landfall in Venezuela on Tuesday for joint exercises in US-patrolled Caribbean waters - reviving Cold War-era maneuvers dating back to Soviet times.
The war games, which are being closely monitored by the United States, coincide with the two-day visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Caracas on Wednesday.
Medvedev will hold bilateral with avid US critic President Hugo Chavez, whose administration is a key Russian arms client.
Moscow - The mayor of the capital of Russia's North Ossetia region, bordering Georgia, was shot dead in his car outside his home on Wednesday, Russian media reported.
Moscow - Russia's upper house of parliament on Wednesday approved a Kremlin bill to lengthen the presidential term from four to six years.
Rio de Janeiro - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev started Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro a two-day official visit to Brazil that includes a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Moscow - Prosecutors called for the dismissal of the judge in the trial of three men for the murder of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, Russian news agencies reported Tuesday.
Moscow - A Russian naval squadron neared landfall in Venezuela on Tuesday for joint exercises in US-patrolled Caribbean waters - reviving Cold War-era maneuvers dating back to Soviet times.
