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Main news of February 22

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* The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Iran had become more transparent about its nuclear program, but had failed to provide credible answers to suspicions... 22.02.2008, Sputnik International

2008-02-22T19:03+0000

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Main news of February 22

19:03 GMT 22.02.2008

* The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Iran had become more transparent about its nuclear program, but had failed to provide credible answers to suspicions about the real nature of its nuclear program

* The UN Security Council condemned attacks on the U.S. embassy in Belgrade by rioters protesting against Kosovo's independence

* A new UN Security Council resolution calling for sanctions against Iran over its refusal to halt its nuclear program was officially introduced by France and Britain, the U.K.'s UN envoy said

* Protests against Kosovo's independence, the largest in Serbia's history, turned into running street riots in Belgrade overnight leaving over 150 people injured

* Turkey has launched a large-scale ground operation targeting Kurdish insurgents in the north of Iraq, the top military command said

* Five children have died in the northern Indian state of Bihar after eating stale food left as offerings at a local temple, a spokesman for the state's health authorities said

* The unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo will have a negative effect on Russia-NATO relations, Russia's envoy to the alliance said

* The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) confirmed on Friday that it would send a 25-member delegation to monitor Russia's March 2 presidential elections

* Rosneft (LSE: ROSN) has received a $3 billion loan from an international banking group, the Russian state-run oil company said

* Norway's leading ship-owner Odfjell has cancelled its contract with Russia's Sevmash shipyard for the construction of 12 tankers, the Norwegian company said

* U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has requested an urgent meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to discuss a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, an Israeli newspaper said

* Ukraine's Cabinet believes a joint venture between Naftogaz and Gazprom to sell gas on Ukraine's domestic market would be impractical, the first deputy prime minister said

* Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) signed on Friday an exploration and production sharing agreement on an oil and gas field with Russian energy giant Gasprom, the Libyan company said

* Russia's envoy to NATO said on the alliance is not currently considering admitting the former Soviet states of Georgia and Ukraine

* The Russian Culture Agency said on Friday that if the famous Amber Room stolen by the Nazis has been found, there should be no problems in returning it to Russia

* Iran Six negotiators will meet on February 25 in Washington to discuss Iran's controversial nuclear program, a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry said

* President Vladimir Putin said that Russia's foreign policy in the Commonwealth of Independent States would remain unchanged if Dmitry Medvedev wins the presidential election on March 2

* Russia's foreign minister expressed concern to his Serb counterpart that riots in Belgrade would harm diplomatic efforts to settle the Kosovo problem, Serbia's Foreign Ministry said

* UC RusAl, the world's largest aluminum and alumina producer, has launched the Alscon smelter in Nigeria, the company said in press release

* Russia's government approved a draft agreement on a visa-free regime with Israel, introduced by the Foreign Ministry and coordinated with other ministries

* A passenger aircraft crashed in a mountainous jungle area in Venezuela 30 minutes after takeoff on Friday, killing all 46 people on board, rescuers said