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A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours 23.03.2012, Sputnik International

2012-03-23T19:59+0000

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Main News of March 23

19:59 GMT 23.03.2012

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

WORLD

* President Dmitry Medvedev will discuss the crisis in Syria and NATO's missile defense plans with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama at a nuclear security summit in Seoul, presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said

* The foreign ministers of the 27-member European Union approved broadened sanctions against Iran, a source with the EU press service said.

* Following the recent execution of two Minsk metro bombers European Union foreign ministers on Friday extended their sanctions on the Belarusian regime

RUSSIA

* Russia is still open for dialogue on a planned U.S. missile shield in Europe, but opportunities for discussion are decreasing as the system moves closer to becoming a reality, President Dmitry Medvedev warned

* NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s adherence to good and stable relations with the North Atlantic organization

* New legislation passed on Friday prohibits persons convicted or formally charged under “extremist” statutes of the Russian penal code from providing commercial services to minors

* The lower chamber of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, unanimously approved a new law on Friday which should make it much easier to set up and officially register political parties

BUSINESS

* Russia has raised the crude export duty to $460.7 per ton from $411.2, the government website announced

SPORTS

* Russia's rugby team kicked off their Hong Kong Sevens campaign with a 15-7 defeat of Japan

*Russia’s Maria Sharapova on Thursday defeated Israel’s Shahar Peer 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, advancing to the third round of the Sony Ericsson Open