Russian tanker escapes from pirates near India.

MOSCOW, February 18 (Itar-Tass) -- A Russian tanker succeeded to
escape from sea pirates in the Arabian Sea near the Indian coast, the
Russian trade union of seamen said on Thursday.
It specified the incident took place on Wednesday when NS Century
tanker with the home port of call in Novorossiisk spotted three boats with
six to eight people in each approaching the vessel.
The captain ordered to maneuver while an armed group onboard opened
warning fire. The pirates stopped and fled, the trade union said.
It added the people in the boats did not fire at the tanker however
their actions were qualified as "suspicious approach with all signs of sea
piracy."
It praised the shipowner that hired an armed group to ensure security
of the vessel.
"Experts say the incident shall cause concern not only of Indian
authorities as NS Century could have been attacked close to their coast,
but also of the whole shipping industry as the incident occurred in an
area recommended for navigation to vessels in order to avoid attacks by
pirates," the trade union said.

.Russia indignant at US university welcoming wanted militant.

MOSCOW, February 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia said it was indignant by the
decision of the Johns Hopkins University in the United States to give the
floor to former Chechen militant Ilias Akhmadov who was an aide-de-camp of
killed terrorist warlord Shamil Basayev.
"We were surprised and indignant to learn that the distinguished Johns
Hopkins University gave the floor to former militant who served as an
aide-de-camp to international terrorist Basayev," foreign ministry
spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Thursday.
"He is a criminal placed on the international wanted list.
Unfortunately, he is still listed in the United States as a refugee," the
spokesman said.

.Incident with detained Polish reporters exhausted - formin.

MOSCOW, February 18 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian foreign ministry said
on Thursday it considers the incident with the detention of two Polish
reporters exhausted.
Official spokesman Alexander Lukashevich explained the journalists of
the Nasz Dziennik newspaper were detained with equipment while leaving
Russia in the Sheremetyevo airport on February 9.
He said they arrived in Russia with a commercial visa that did not
envisage any journalistic activity. Besides, they attempted unsanctioned
film shooting in a guarded zone which demands a special permission.
"The equipment will be returned to them according to existing
procedures," Lukashevich said adding the journalists left Russia the same
day.


.Russia urges terrorist Umarov to be subject to UN sanctions.

MOSCOW, February 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia said on Thursday it
considers unjustified US objections against the inclusion of Chechen
terrorist warlord Doku Umarov into the list of the UN Al-Qaida and Taliban
Sanctions Committee.
"We consider such an approach unjustified and urge our US partners to
lift their objections in the UN Security Council Committee 1267 against
the Russian application," foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich
said on Thursday.
The inclusion of Umarov into the consolidated sanctions list of the
committee "would meet both the interests of the fight against terrorism in
general and the growing Russian-US anti-terrorist partnership," he added.
The sanctions envisage asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo for
individuals and entities associated with the Taliban and the Al-Qaida.
Umarov took on responsibility for the latest terrorist act in the
Domodedovo airport in Moscow which killed 36 people.
Lukashevich said Russia proposed to include Umarov and his Caucasus
Emirate terrorist organization into the sanctions list yet in November
2010.
"Despite the arguments of the Russian side that convincingly proved
that Umarov and the so-called Caucasus Emirate are closely linked to
Al-Qaida and the Taliban movement the committee postponed the decision on
our application upon a proposal from the US delegation," Lukashevich said.
He recalled that last year the United States listed Umarov as the most
dangerous international terrorist.


.Russian football teams win and lose in Switzerland.

GENEVA, February 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Two Russian football teams played
the UEFA Europa League matches in Switzerland on Thursday and Spartak
Moscow defeated Basel 3:2 while Zenit St. Petersburg lost to Young Boys
from Bern 1:2.
Spartak was losing in the first half 0:2, but succeeded to score
thrice in the second half.
Zenit, on the contrary, led 1:0 in the first half but lost the game in
the final run.
In Athens CSKA Moscow defeated PAOK Salonika 1:0.
Rubin Kazan lost to Twente Enschede 0:2.
-0-nec


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