https://sputnikglobe.com/20080818/116117455.html

Main news of August 18

Sputnik International

RUSSIA * Russia withdrew its request for an emergency session of the Russia-NATO Council to address the situation in Georgia's breakaway province of South... 18.08.2008, Sputnik International

2008-08-18T18:12+0000

https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/i/logo/logo-social.png

Sputnik International

feedback@sputniknews.com

+74956456601

MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“

252

2008

Sputnik International

feedback@sputniknews.com

+74956456601

MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“

252

News

en_EN

Sputnik International

feedback@sputniknews.com

+74956456601

MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“

252

Sputnik International

feedback@sputniknews.com

+74956456601

MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“

252

Sputnik International

newsfeed, business

Main news of August 18

18:12 GMT 18.08.2008

RUSSIA

* Russia withdrew its request for an emergency session of the Russia-NATO Council to address the situation in Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia, Moscow's envoy to the military alliance said

* The United States and Britain are hindering work on a UN Security Council resolution on South Ossetia, whitewashing Georgia's role and ignoring the need for talks on the status of its breakaway republics, Russia's Foreign Ministry said

* The Russian president promised a tough response to any aggression against Russian nationals, saying his country was perfectly capable of doing so

WORLD

* Russia began pulling back troops from Georgia in accordance with a plan to resolve the South Ossetia conflict drawn up by the Russian and French presidents, a senior military official said

* President Mikheil Saakashvili said Georgia was ready to settle all issues with Russia through dialogue "based on civilized relations" only after Russian troops withdraw from the ex-Soviet republic

* Nepal's former Maoist militant leader Prachanda was sworn in as prime minister, two years after ending his guerrilla struggle against the former monarchy

* South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity dismissed the government of the Georgian breakaway republic and proclaimed a one-month state of emergency, his spokesman said

* Iran successfully put a dummy satellite into orbit, the Islamic Republic's space agency reported

* Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva won gold in the women's pole vault at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, repeating her feat of four years ago in Athens and setting a new world record

BUSINESS

* Russian telecommunications company Synterra said its audited consolidated net profit calculated to International Financial Reporting Standards grew 250% year-on-year in 2007 to $138 million