tass--2020-07-08--Transnistrian parliament urges mediators to help step up talks with Moldova

CHSINAU , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
The parliament of the unrecognized republic of Transnistria said about the degradation of relations with Moldova and urged the mediators to help step up the talks , the parliament ’ s press service said in a statement released on Wednesday .
`` The Supreme Council of the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic calls on international mediators of the 5+2 negotiation process ( Moldova , Transnistria , the OSCE , Russia and Ukraine along with observers from the European Union and the US ) to focus their attention on Moldova ’ s destructive approaches and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dialogue and for the return of the Republic of Moldova to the negotiating table , '' the statement says .
Divisions between Chisinau and Tiraspol have worsened amid the restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Moldova insists that Transnistria ease border restrictions and also insists on control over the epidemic situation in the republic .
In the meantime , Tiraspol blames Chisinau for delays in deliveries of cargoes with medicines and industrial goods , for problems with companies ’ bank accounts and for blocking international bank cards .
Moldovan President Igor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning to focus on those issues along with others at their meeting in July .
Transnistria , a largely Russian-speaking region , broke away from Moldova following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 .
Its relations with Moldova ’ s central government in Chisinau have been highly mixed and extremely tense at times ever since then .
In 1992 and 1993 , tensions erupted into a bloody armed conflict that claimed the lives of hundreds of people on both sides .
The fratricidal war was stopped after a peace agreement was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peacekeepers were brought into the conflict area .
Negotiations on the conflict ’ s peace settlement known as the 5+2 talks ( involving Moldova and Transnistria as parties to the conflict , Russia , Ukraine and the European security watchdog OSCE as mediators and the United States and the European Union as observers ) started after that .

CHSINAU, July 8. /TASS/. The parliament of the unrecognized republic of Transnistria said about the degradation of relations with Moldova and urged the mediators to help step up the talks, the parliament’s press service said in a statement released on Wednesday.
"The Supreme Council of the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic calls on international mediators of the 5+2 negotiation process (Moldova, Transnistria, the OSCE, Russia and Ukraine along with observers from the European Union and the US) to focus their attention on Moldova’s destructive approaches and to boost efforts for the facilitation of systemic dialogue and for the return of the Republic of Moldova to the negotiating table," the statement says.
Divisions between Chisinau and Tiraspol have worsened amid the restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Moldova insists that Transnistria ease border restrictions and also insists on control over the epidemic situation in the republic. In the meantime, Tiraspol blames Chisinau for delays in deliveries of cargoes with medicines and industrial goods, for problems with companies’ bank accounts and for blocking international bank cards.
Moldovan President Igor Dodon and Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky are planning to focus on those issues along with others at their meeting in July.
History of conflict
Transnistria, a largely Russian-speaking region, broke away from Moldova following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Its relations with Moldova’s central government in Chisinau have been highly mixed and extremely tense at times ever since then. In 1992 and 1993, tensions erupted into a bloody armed conflict that claimed the lives of hundreds of people on both sides.
The fratricidal war was stopped after a peace agreement was signed in Moscow in 1992 and Russian peacekeepers were brought into the conflict area. Negotiations on the conflict’s peace settlement known as the 5+2 talks (involving Moldova and Transnistria as parties to the conflict, Russia, Ukraine and the European security watchdog OSCE as mediators and the United States and the European Union as observers) started after that.


tass--2020-07-08--COVID-19 cases in Tajikistan climb to 6,364

DUSHANBE , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Confirmed coronavirus cases in Tajikistan have risen by 49 to 6,364 in the past day , the country ’ s Ministry for Health and Social Protection of the Population said on Wednesday .
`` Tajikistan has registered 49 new cases of COVID-19 ( the disease caused by the novel coronavirus - TASS ) .
Overall , the country has 6,364 people infected with the coronavirus , '' the statement says .
According to the Healthcare Ministry , for the past day one fatality was registered , bringing the death toll to 54 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 5,011 people have recovered from the disease , or 78.7 % of all the cases .
Forty-six patients were discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours , but 220 people are still under medical supervision .
The coronavirus-related situation has been stabilizing in Tajikistan , with the daily increase being about 60 .
The country reported its first 15 coronavirus cases on April 30 .
After the epidemic situation had improved , the non-food markets , shopping malls , hotels , public catering outlets and beauty salons reopened on June 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear face masks in public places .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe , including Russia .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 11,965,900 people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 6,913,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .

DUSHANBE, July 8. /TASS/. Confirmed coronavirus cases in Tajikistan have risen by 49 to 6,364 in the past day, the country’s Ministry for Health and Social Protection of the Population said on Wednesday.
"Tajikistan has registered 49 new cases of COVID-19 (the disease caused by the novel coronavirus - TASS). Overall, the country has 6,364 people infected with the coronavirus," the statement says.
According to the Healthcare Ministry, for the past day one fatality was registered, bringing the death toll to 54.
The ministry added that up to now, 5,011 people have recovered from the disease, or 78.7% of all the cases. Forty-six patients were discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours, but 220 people are still under medical supervision.
The coronavirus-related situation has been stabilizing in Tajikistan, with the daily increase being about 60. The country reported its first 15 coronavirus cases on April 30. After the epidemic situation had improved, the non-food markets, shopping malls, hotels, public catering outlets and beauty salons reopened on June 15. However, people are requested to wear face masks in public places.
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 11,965,900 people have been infected worldwide and more than 547,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 6,913,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.


tass--2020-07-08--Putin to chair Board meeting of Agency for Strategic Initiatives on July 9

MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Russian President Vladimir Putin will chair the Supervisory Board meeting of the Agency @ @ @ @ @ 9 , presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Wednesday .
`` Yes , @ @ @ @ @ this event , '' Peskov said .
The Supervisory Board of the Agency is chaired @ @ @ @ @ The Supervisory Board acts on a permanent basis and the Chairman convenes its meetings as @ @ @ @ @ least once per quarter .

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will chair the Supervisory Board meeting of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives on July 9, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Wednesday.
"Yes, the President plans to hold this event," Peskov said.
The Supervisory Board of the Agency is chaired by the Russian President. The Supervisory Board acts on a permanent basis and the Chairman convenes its meetings as the need arises, at least once per quarter.


tass--2020-07-08--Serbian leader accuses foreign intelligence of stirring up protests in Belgrade

BELGRADE , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has accused foreign intelligence services of inciting protest rallies that spilled into the streets of Belgrade late on Tuesday near the national parliament , he said Wednesday in a special address to the nation .
`` We witnessed an aggressive political protest that was illegal , was not agreed with the police and was held in defiance of legislation .
Members of right-wing radical affiliation , pro-Fascist organization extremists attacked the National Assembly ( parliament - TASS ) , were violently attacking Serbian police officers for a few hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them and beat them .
The police only retaliated after they stormed into the parliament hall , the protestors used knives , stones and Molotov cocktails .
The protest was well organized , there were influence of foreign factors and foreign services , our police will carefully look into it , '' Vucic noted .
The Serbian leader linked the protests and clashes with the police with the upcoming talks chaired by the EU on the issue of unrecognized Kosovo .
`` The Serbian delegation is heading to the talks on Kosovo under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be there as strong as we could have been , '' he lamented .
At the same time , the president underlined that no one can scare Serbia into submission .
`` We will not allow anyone to destroy Serbia ’ s future and everything that has been built and created here , '' he emphasized .
On Tuesday , Vucic announced a curfew between Friday evening and Monday morning in the Serbian capital due to the worsening coronavirus epidemic .
Moreover , a state of emergency was imposed in Belgrade , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Wednesday morning , all public gatherings of over five people are banned .
Currently , Serbia has 16,719 coronavirus cases , while fatalities caused by the virus jumped to 330 .
Vucic will meet with French leader Emmanuel Macron in Paris on July 9 to discuss the problem of unrecognized Kosovo .
The meeting between the two presidents will take place ahead of an online summit attended by the leaders of Germany , France , the European Union , Serbia and Kosovo , scheduled for July 10 .
On July 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kosovo Avdullah Hoti will hold a meeting as part of high-level dialogue mediated by the EU for the first time since November 2018 .

BELGRADE, July 8. /TASS/. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has accused foreign intelligence services of inciting protest rallies that spilled into the streets of Belgrade late on Tuesday near the national parliament, he said Wednesday in a special address to the nation.
"We witnessed an aggressive political protest that was illegal, was not agreed with the police and was held in defiance of legislation. Members of right-wing radical affiliation, pro-Fascist organization extremists attacked the National Assembly (parliament - TASS), were violently attacking Serbian police officers for a few hours, insulted them, threw stones at them and beat them. The police only retaliated after they stormed into the parliament hall, the protestors used knives, stones and Molotov cocktails. The protest was well organized, there were influence of foreign factors and foreign services, our police will carefully look into it," Vucic noted.
The Serbian leader linked the protests and clashes with the police with the upcoming talks chaired by the EU on the issue of unrecognized Kosovo. "The Serbian delegation is heading to the talks on Kosovo under a lot of pressure, we will not be there as strong as we could have been," he lamented.
At the same time, the president underlined that no one can scare Serbia into submission. "We will not allow anyone to destroy Serbia’s future and everything that has been built and created here," he emphasized.
On Tuesday, Vucic announced a curfew between Friday evening and Monday morning in the Serbian capital due to the worsening coronavirus epidemic. Moreover, a state of emergency was imposed in Belgrade, the hardest hit region in the country. On Wednesday morning, all public gatherings of over five people are banned. Currently, Serbia has 16,719 coronavirus cases, while fatalities caused by the virus jumped to 330.
Vucic will meet with French leader Emmanuel Macron in Paris on July 9 to discuss the problem of unrecognized Kosovo. The meeting between the two presidents will take place ahead of an online summit attended by the leaders of Germany, France, the European Union, Serbia and Kosovo, scheduled for July 10. On July 12, Vucic and Prime Minister of unrecognized Kosovo Avdullah Hoti will hold a meeting as part of high-level dialogue mediated by the EU for the first time since November 2018.


tass--2020-07-08--Lawyers did not see classified information in journalist Safronov’s case file

MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Lawyers of the detained advisor to the head of Russia ’ s Roscosmos space agency Ivan Safronov did not see any classified information in his criminal case materials , therefore they declined to sign an agreement on non-disclosure of investigation data , lawyer Ivan Pavlov said .
`` They were trying to obtain such an agreement from us yesterday but we simply didn ’ t give [ it ] .
We signed a non-disclosure agreement on state secrets but we didn ’ t see [ any ] state secret [ s ] , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he told the Ekho Moskvy radio station .
However , the lawyer didn ’ t exclude the possibility that the defense will , most likely , have to sign an agreement on non-disclosure of investigation data .
Last morning , Safronov was apprehended by the Russian Federal Security Service ( FSB ) officials upon leaving the house on suspicion of communicating confidential state secrets to a representative of one of NATO ’ s intelligence services .
A criminal case was opened charging the detainee under Article 275 of the Criminal Code @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
According to the lawyers , the case was opened on July 6 , and it already consists of seven volumes .
The FSB suspects Safronov of communicating to the Czech intelligence the information about Russian arms deliveries to the Middle East and Africa .
Moscow ’ s Lefortovo court has arrested him for two months , he is being held at the Lefortovo ’ s detention center .

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. Lawyers of the detained advisor to the head of Russia’s Roscosmos space agency Ivan Safronov did not see any classified information in his criminal case materials, therefore they declined to sign an agreement on non-disclosure of investigation data, lawyer Ivan Pavlov said.
"They were trying to obtain such an agreement from us yesterday but we simply didn’t give [it]. We signed a non-disclosure agreement on state secrets but we didn’t see [any] state secret[s], so there is simply nothing to disclose," he told the Ekho Moskvy radio station. However, the lawyer didn’t exclude the possibility that the defense will, most likely, have to sign an agreement on non-disclosure of investigation data.
Last morning, Safronov was apprehended by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officials upon leaving the house on suspicion of communicating confidential state secrets to a representative of one of NATO’s intelligence services. A criminal case was opened charging the detainee under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (High treason). According to the lawyers, the case was opened on July 6, and it already consists of seven volumes. The FSB suspects Safronov of communicating to the Czech intelligence the information about Russian arms deliveries to the Middle East and Africa. Moscow’s Lefortovo court has arrested him for two months, he is being held at the Lefortovo’s detention center.


tass--2020-07-08--Maiden flight of Il-114 passenger plane scheduled in September

MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
The first flight of the Il-114-300 turboprop passenger aircraft is scheduled in September @ @ @ @ @ Industry Oleg Bocharov said on Wednesday .
`` We will have the maiden flight of @ @ @ @ @ TASS ] at the turn of September , '' the official said .
Series production @ @ @ @ @ to start in 2023 .
Up to twelve aircraft are planned for production annually .

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. The first flight of the Il-114-300 turboprop passenger aircraft is scheduled in September 2020, Deputy Minister of Industry Oleg Bocharov said on Wednesday.
"We will have the maiden flight of the aircraft [Il-114 - TASS] at the turn of September," the official said.
Series production of the Il-114-300 is anticipated to start in 2023. Up to twelve aircraft are planned for production annually.


tass--2020-07-08--R-Pharm registers Koronavir drug to treat COVID-19

`` The R-Pharm group of companies completed the process of registration of the Koronavir , a drug for treatment of light and moderate forms of the COVID-19 infection , '' the statement noted .
MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
The R-Pharm group has registered the Koronavir drug for the treatment of the novel coronavirus infection , the R-Pharm statement made public on Wednesday said .
As the company explained , the drug production , organized with the participation of the Industrial Development Fund , will be implemented at the R-Pharm factory in Yaroslavl .
According to the research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day of the therapy was observed in 55 % patients receiving Koronavir .
According to company ’ s data , the research has also established that the patients had good tolerance of the drug : gastrointestinal reactions and lab abnormalities were mainly observed among side effects , while in the outpatient population all side effects were mild .
It is planned that immediately upon obtaining the registration certificate , the drug will be shipped to the regions and will be administered in the leading hospitals of Moscow , St. Petersburg , Yaroslavl , @ @ @ @

"The R-Pharm group of companies completed the process of registration of the Koronavir, a drug for treatment of light and moderate forms of the COVID-19 infection," the statement noted.
MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. The R-Pharm group has registered the Koronavir drug for the treatment of the novel coronavirus infection, the R-Pharm statement made public on Wednesday said.
As the company explained, the drug production, organized with the participation of the Industrial Development Fund, will be implemented at the R-Pharm factory in Yaroslavl. According to the research data, clinical improvement on the seventh day of the therapy was observed in 55% patients receiving Koronavir.
According to company’s data, the research has also established that the patients had good tolerance of the drug: gastrointestinal reactions and lab abnormalities were mainly observed among side effects, while in the outpatient population all side effects were mild.
It is planned that immediately upon obtaining the registration certificate, the drug will be shipped to the regions and will be administered in the leading hospitals of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl, and other cities.


tass--2020-07-08--Museum or mosque? Turkey sparks debate over fate of Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia , a UNESCO World Heritage Site , is one of Turkey 's most visited monuments .
The change @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Hagia Sophia is now being debated in the country and it could be @ @ @ @ @ The CNN Turk TV earlier reported that Turkey ’ s Council of State had discussed @ @ @ @ @ on instructions from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan .
The Hagia Sophia is an example @ @ @ @ @ 532-537 on the orders of the Emperor Justinian I .
After the fall of the @ @ @ @ @ was converted into a mosque in 1453 .
In 1935 , under a decree signed @ @ @ @ @ Turkish state Mustafa Kemal Ataturk , the cathedral became a museum .
In 1985 , @ @ @ @ @ the UNESCO World Heritage List .

Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Turkey's most visited monuments. The change in the status of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia is now being debated in the country and it could be reconverted into a mosque. The CNN Turk TV earlier reported that Turkey’s Council of State had discussed the issue on July 2 on instructions from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Hagia Sophia
The Hagia Sophia is an example of Byzantine architecture built in 532-537 on the orders of the Emperor Justinian I. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire, the cathedral was converted into a mosque in 1453. In 1935, under a decree signed by founder of the modern Turkish state Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the cathedral became a museum. In 1985, the building was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.


tass--2020-07-08--Serbian leader calls on citizens to not join protest to avoid infections

BELGRADE , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has urged Serbians to abandon protest rallies to break chains of coronavirus transmission , he said in a special address to the nation .
`` I ask people not to protest so that it does not come to new terrible infections .
We have 11 people who died in the past 24 hours , while 118 people are already put on ventilators .
I ask people to behave responsibly and do not hold protests but not because it is inconvenient to some , if it ’ s a peaceful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your neighbors .
No one can do something with Serbia in a violent manner , '' the president noted .
Speaking of tougher lockdown measures and the introduction of a curfew , which sparked the protest , Vucic underlined that the decision will be made together with specialists .
`` I back introduction of a curfew , but my colleagues [ Prime Minister ] Ana Brnabic and [ Health Minister ] Zlatibor Loncar believe that it is possible to introduce restrictions without resorting to a curfew .
We ’ ll see what specialists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our team , we make decisions together , '' the leader said .
`` All perpetrators will be punished , there will be no compromise with hooligans .
Violence will not pass , we will safeguard peace and stability .
I will fight for Serbia in Brussels , '' Vucic concluded .
On Tuesday , Vucic announced a curfew between Friday evening and Monday morning in the Serbian capital due to the worsening coronavirus epidemic .
Moreover , a state of emergency was imposed in Belgrade , the hardest hit region in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all public gatherings of over five people are banned .
Currently , Serbia has 16,719 coronavirus cases , while fatalities caused by the virus jumped to 330 .
Serbia has tested 455,604 people for coronavirus since the epidemic broke out .

BELGRADE, July 8. /TASS/. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has urged Serbians to abandon protest rallies to break chains of coronavirus transmission, he said in a special address to the nation.
"I ask people not to protest so that it does not come to new terrible infections. We have 11 people who died in the past 24 hours, while 118 people are already put on ventilators. I ask people to behave responsibly and do not hold protests but not because it is inconvenient to some, if it’s a peaceful protest, but because you can infect your neighbors. No one can do something with Serbia in a violent manner," the president noted.
Speaking of tougher lockdown measures and the introduction of a curfew, which sparked the protest, Vucic underlined that the decision will be made together with specialists. "I back introduction of a curfew, but my colleagues [Prime Minister] Ana Brnabic and [Health Minister] Zlatibor Loncar believe that it is possible to introduce restrictions without resorting to a curfew. We’ll see what specialists will decide, this is the strength of our team, we make decisions together," the leader said.
"All perpetrators will be punished, there will be no compromise with hooligans. Violence will not pass, we will safeguard peace and stability. I will fight for Serbia in Brussels," Vucic concluded.
On Tuesday, Vucic announced a curfew between Friday evening and Monday morning in the Serbian capital due to the worsening coronavirus epidemic. Moreover, a state of emergency was imposed in Belgrade, the hardest hit region in the country. On Wednesday morning, all public gatherings of over five people are banned. Currently, Serbia has 16,719 coronavirus cases, while fatalities caused by the virus jumped to 330. Serbia has tested 455,604 people for coronavirus since the epidemic broke out.


tass--2020-07-08--Lithuanian regulatory commission bans Russian TV broadcasts

VILNIUS , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
The radio and television commission of Lithuania , accountable to the parliament , which controls the activities of radio and television broadcasters in the country , has banned the broadcasting of the Russian RT Group TV channels , chairman of the regulatory commission Mantas Martisius told reporters on Wednesday .
`` Considering the recommendations of the Foreign Ministry , the commission decided to halt the retransmitting of five RT programs on Lithuanian territory , '' he said .
The regulatory commission ’ s decision will come into effect after its publication on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will happen on Thursday , '' the chairman added .
He also said that the representatives of the RT Group were not invited to the meeting where the decision on the ban was made .
According to him , `` we are not talking about violations , '' which the commission normally discusses with the representatives of the other side , but about the sanctions imposed by the EU Council `` against the RT Director General Dmitry Kiselyov who controls this structure . ''
Kiselyov is the director general of MIA Rossiya Segodnya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channel , its HD version , as well as RT Spanish , RT Documentary , and RT Documentary HD .
Russian TV channels in Lithuania are accessible only to cable users and satellite TV dishes owners .
Earlier , on June 30 , Latvia ’ s National Electronic Mass Media Council decided to ban the transmission of seven Russian channels of the RT Group in the country .
Commenting on the move , Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on international structures to provide a reaction to the actions of the regulating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discriminatory steps taken by Latvian officials against Russian media resources and the attempts to rid the informational space of alternative points of view are a blatant violation of international law , namely the law of freedom of opinion and equal access to information .

VILNIUS, July 8. /TASS/. The radio and television commission of Lithuania, accountable to the parliament, which controls the activities of radio and television broadcasters in the country, has banned the broadcasting of the Russian RT Group TV channels, chairman of the regulatory commission Mantas Martisius told reporters on Wednesday.
"Considering the recommendations of the Foreign Ministry, the commission decided to halt the retransmitting of five RT programs on Lithuanian territory," he said. The regulatory commission’s decision will come into effect after its publication on the commission’s website. "It will happen on Thursday," the chairman added.
He also said that the representatives of the RT Group were not invited to the meeting where the decision on the ban was made. According to him, "we are not talking about violations," which the commission normally discusses with the representatives of the other side, but about the sanctions imposed by the EU Council "against the RT Director General Dmitry Kiselyov who controls this structure." Kiselyov is the director general of MIA Rossiya Segodnya.
The ban will include the RT channel, its HD version, as well as RT Spanish, RT Documentary, and RT Documentary HD. Russian TV channels in Lithuania are accessible only to cable users and satellite TV dishes owners.
Earlier, on June 30, Latvia’s National Electronic Mass Media Council decided to ban the transmission of seven Russian channels of the RT Group in the country. Commenting on the move, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on international structures to provide a reaction to the actions of the regulating body. According to her, such discriminatory steps taken by Latvian officials against Russian media resources and the attempts to rid the informational space of alternative points of view are a blatant violation of international law, namely the law of freedom of opinion and equal access to information.


tass--2020-07-08--Experts confirm technical readiness for study of 5G’s effects on Moscow residents

MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Experts from the Radio Research and Development Institute ( NIIR ) conducted an independent audit of the stand , assembled to study the effect of cellular communications , including the fifth generation , on human body and the city environment , Moscow IT Department announced Wednesday .
The study itself would be conducted by the Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Health .
The stand includes a complete set of 2G to 5G equipment .
`` An independent audit was necessary to make sure that the stand was assembled and set up properly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to receive confirmation that it complies with the fifth generation networks ’ standard .
The quality of the experiment depends largely on this .
The NIIR specialists have confirmed that the presented laboratory base fully complies with the tasks and goals of our the research , '' the IT Department press service said .
The Department explained that the scheduled study must reveal , what level of radiation of various standards is safe for humans .
This scientific data will be used to calculate corresponding norms .
The results will then be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing ( Rospotrebnadzor ) for final decision-making .
`` For over 40 years , NIIR has acted as an industry competence center on electromagnetic safety , our specialists were directly involved in development of almost all documentation on the public electromagnetic safety from the telecommunication networks .
This provided for a long-standing conflict-less operation of telecommunication equipment .
The accumulated unique experience allows us to act as independent auditors of the methodology of the medical and biological experiment , performed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s initiative , '' the Department press service quoted NIIR CEO Mikhail Spodobayev as saying .
The research was approved by the Ministry of Communications , the Ministry of Health and the Digital Economy Program working group .
It will take place during 2020 , and its results would be announced to the public in early 2021 .
Earlier , the Izmerov Institute specialists have developed and presented for expert review the methodology of research of the 5G ’ s effect on human bodies .
In a bid to form this methodology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sanitary standards , the latest measurements of electromagnetic fields in Moscow , and researched the modern methods of control of electromagnetic radiation levels .

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. Experts from the Radio Research and Development Institute (NIIR) conducted an independent audit of the stand, assembled to study the effect of cellular communications, including the fifth generation, on human body and the city environment, Moscow IT Department announced Wednesday.
The study itself would be conducted by the Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Health. The stand includes a complete set of 2G to 5G equipment.
"An independent audit was necessary to make sure that the stand was assembled and set up properly, that the measuring equipment is correct, and to receive confirmation that it complies with the fifth generation networks’ standard. The quality of the experiment depends largely on this. The NIIR specialists have confirmed that the presented laboratory base fully complies with the tasks and goals of our the research," the IT Department press service said.
The Department explained that the scheduled study must reveal, what level of radiation of various standards is safe for humans. This scientific data will be used to calculate corresponding norms. The results will then be forwarded to the Ministry of Health and the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) for final decision-making.
"For over 40 years, NIIR has acted as an industry competence center on electromagnetic safety, our specialists were directly involved in development of almost all documentation on the public electromagnetic safety from the telecommunication networks. This provided for a long-standing conflict-less operation of telecommunication equipment. The accumulated unique experience allows us to act as independent auditors of the methodology of the medical and biological experiment, performed by the Izmerov Institute on the Moscow IT Department’s initiative," the Department press service quoted NIIR CEO Mikhail Spodobayev as saying.
The research was approved by the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Health and the Digital Economy Program working group. It will take place during 2020, and its results would be announced to the public in early 2021.
Earlier, the Izmerov Institute specialists have developed and presented for expert review the methodology of research of the 5G’s effect on human bodies. In a bid to form this methodology, the experts analyzed the international practice of sanitary standards, the latest measurements of electromagnetic fields in Moscow, and researched the modern methods of control of electromagnetic radiation levels.


tass--2020-07-08--Russian space agency to transfer new Angara rocket to military personnel for flight tests

MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s latest Angara-A5 heavy carrier rocket will be transferred to the @ @ @ @ @ tests , Head of the State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said on Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ Moscow Space Rocket Plant of the Khrunichev Center [ part of Roscosmos ] will deliver @ @ @ @ @ , ahead of which now all the documents are being formalized , '' the Roscosmos @ @ @ @ @ the Proton-PM enterprise in Perm .
The new carrier rocket is ready , Rogozin said @ @ @ @ @ to send it to the spaceport in Plesetsk in coming weeks . ''
There are @ @ @ @ @ any new item , Rogozin said , adding that it was necessary to `` bring @ @ @ @ @ of efficiency , accumulate statistics of safe and accident-free launches and gain the experience in @ @ @ @ @ The Roscosmos chief announced in late May that the flight tests of an Angara-A5 heavy @ @ @ @ @ the autumn of 2020 .

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. Russia’s latest Angara-A5 heavy carrier rocket will be transferred to the military in July for flight tests, Head of the State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said on Wednesday.
"This month, the Moscow Space Rocket Plant of the Khrunichev Center [part of Roscosmos] will deliver the rocket to the military, ahead of which now all the documents are being formalized," the Roscosmos chief said as he visited the Proton-PM enterprise in Perm.
The new carrier rocket is ready, Rogozin said. "We are planning to send it to the spaceport in Plesetsk in coming weeks."
There are a lot of questions to any new item, Rogozin said, adding that it was necessary to "bring it up to the state of efficiency, accumulate statistics of safe and accident-free launches and gain the experience in maintaining the item."
The Roscosmos chief announced in late May that the flight tests of an Angara-A5 heavy carrier rocket might resume in the autumn of 2020.


tass--2020-07-08--UN Independent Commission on Syria cannot guarantee credibility of its data, says Lavrov

MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic , which reported crimes of the official Damascus in Idlib , can not guarantee the credibility of the information it disseminates , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday following a videoconference with his counterparts from the African Union trio ( Democratic Republic of the Congo , Egypt and South Africa ) .
`` We believe that all issues regarding the Syrian or any other conflict must be viewed and solved only based on concrete facts , on information that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Lavrov said .
`` This independent commission can not be held responsible for its own statements , which has been proven repeatedly . ''
The Russian top diplomat recalled that the commission was established by a non-consensus decision , and that it is tasked with finding compromising information against Damascus and its allies .
Besides , the commission itself never visited Idlib , he added .
`` This so-called commission uses facts taken from the social networks , from unknown sources they ask to leave anonymous , citing safety measures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those are the same methods used by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ; these very days our Western colleagues seek to enforce the adoption of a resolution , based on a report , prepared in blatant violation of the Convention on Chemical Weapons . ''

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, which reported crimes of the official Damascus in Idlib, cannot guarantee the credibility of the information it disseminates, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday following a videoconference with his counterparts from the African Union trio (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt and South Africa).
"We believe that all issues regarding the Syrian or any other conflict must be viewed and solved only based on concrete facts, on information that the relevant organization can be held responsible for," Lavrov said. "This independent commission cannot be held responsible for its own statements, which has been proven repeatedly."
The Russian top diplomat recalled that the commission was established by a non-consensus decision, and that it is tasked with finding compromising information against Damascus and its allies. Besides, the commission itself never visited Idlib, he added.
"This so-called commission uses facts taken from the social networks, from unknown sources they ask to leave anonymous, citing safety measures," the top diplomat said. "Those are the same methods used by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; these very days our Western colleagues seek to enforce the adoption of a resolution, based on a report, prepared in blatant violation of the Convention on Chemical Weapons."


tass--2020-07-08--Leaders of Russia and China discuss cooperation in fuel and energy, aircraft industry

MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of China Xi Jinping discussed cooperation between @ @ @ @ @ projects in hydrocarbon supplies , nuclear industry and civil aviation , the Kremlin ’ s @ @ @ @ @ after the telephone conversation between leaders of the two countries .
`` The endeavor was @ @ @ @ @ of economic interaction based on large-scale projects in the spheres of hydrocarbon supplies , peaceful @ @ @ @ @ well as scientific-technical and innovation cooperation , '' the press service said .

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of China Xi Jinping discussed cooperation between the two countries based on projects in hydrocarbon supplies, nuclear industry and civil aviation, the Kremlin’s press service said on Wednesday after the telephone conversation between leaders of the two countries.
"The endeavor was underscored to continue proactive buildup of economic interaction based on large-scale projects in the spheres of hydrocarbon supplies, peaceful atom and civil aviation as well as scientific-technical and innovation cooperation," the press service said.


tass--2020-07-08--First launch of Angara-A5 heavy carrier rocket with new RD-191M engine scheduled for 2023

MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
A new modification of the RD-191 engine for Angara-A5 heavy carrier rockets will be developed by 2023 and the rocket ’ s first flight tests will take place that year , CEO of Energomash Research and Production Association ( the producer of rocket engines ) Igor Arbuzov said on Wednesday .
`` We have set the task of developing a new modification of the RD-191M engine for the future family of the carrier rockets Angara-A5M , Angara-A5V and Angara-A5P ( the crewed version ) by 2023 and have made a decision that all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produced at the production site in Perm [ at the Proton-PM enterprise ] .
In 2023 , the first engine for flight tests should be ready at the Perm enterprise , '' the chief executive said .
The first launch of the Angara carrier rocket with the new engine is also scheduled for 2023 , he specified .
The carrier rocket will orbit a new Oryol manned spacecraft in its crewless option so far , he said .
Simultaneously , efforts are underway to work out the design documentation and assimilate specific mechanisms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Proton-PM specialists , he said .
`` I oversee the process very closely and every two months we are assessing the pace of the construction .
We can not say today that it is perfect in terms of compliance with the schedule and a whole number of other decisions but , nonetheless , we are moving towards beginning the transportation of equipment and organizing a full technological cycle from the middle of next year , '' the Energomash chief said .
The baseline RD-191 is a single-chamber engine with a vertical turbine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in late 1998 .
This engine with oxidizing gas afterburning is designated for the family of Angara domestic carrier rockets .
The engine ’ s design is based on the layout of RD-170/171 engines .
Head of Russia ’ s State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin earlier said that the first Angara-A5P carrier rocket intended for the launches of Oryol new manned spacecraft would be produced at the Omsk-based Polyot enterprise by 2024 .
The Angara is a family of next-generation Russian space rockets .
It consists of light , medium and heavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 37.5 tonnes .
The new family of rockets uses environmentally-friendly propellant components .
So far , Russia has carried out only two Angara launches , both of them from the Plesetsk spaceport : a light Angara-1.2PP blasted off in July 2014 and its heavy version lifted off in December 2014 .

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. A new modification of the RD-191 engine for Angara-A5 heavy carrier rockets will be developed by 2023 and the rocket’s first flight tests will take place that year, CEO of Energomash Research and Production Association (the producer of rocket engines) Igor Arbuzov said on Wednesday.
"We have set the task of developing a new modification of the RD-191M engine for the future family of the carrier rockets Angara-A5M, Angara-A5V and Angara-A5P (the crewed version) by 2023 and have made a decision that all the engines for this series must be produced at the production site in Perm [at the Proton-PM enterprise]. In 2023, the first engine for flight tests should be ready at the Perm enterprise," the chief executive said.
The first launch of the Angara carrier rocket with the new engine is also scheduled for 2023, he specified. The carrier rocket will orbit a new Oryol manned spacecraft in its crewless option so far, he said.
Simultaneously, efforts are underway to work out the design documentation and assimilate specific mechanisms and equipment, including with the participation of Proton-PM specialists, he said.
"I oversee the process very closely and every two months we are assessing the pace of the construction. We cannot say today that it is perfect in terms of compliance with the schedule and a whole number of other decisions but, nonetheless, we are moving towards beginning the transportation of equipment and organizing a full technological cycle from the middle of next year," the Energomash chief said.
The baseline RD-191 is a single-chamber engine with a vertical turbine pump. The work on it began in late 1998. This engine with oxidizing gas afterburning is designated for the family of Angara domestic carrier rockets. The engine’s design is based on the layout of RD-170/171 engines.
Head of Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin earlier said that the first Angara-A5P carrier rocket intended for the launches of Oryol new manned spacecraft would be produced at the Omsk-based Polyot enterprise by 2024.
The Angara is a family of next-generation Russian space rockets. It consists of light, medium and heavy carrier rockets with a lifting capacity of up to 37.5 tonnes. The new family of rockets uses environmentally-friendly propellant components. So far, Russia has carried out only two Angara launches, both of them from the Plesetsk spaceport: a light Angara-1.2PP blasted off in July 2014 and its heavy version lifted off in December 2014.


tass--2020-07-08--Union State secretary hopes Russia, Belarus will sign updated military doctrine

MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Secretary of State of the Russia and Belarus Union State Grigory Rapota has @ @ @ @ @ will sign an updated joint military doctrine .
`` We [ the Union State ] @ @ @ @ @ , right now it is being updated , and I hope it will be approved @ @ @ @ @ , we introduce some changes that take into account the current events , '' he @ @ @ @ @ `` Current issues of the Union State ’ s development '' held by the Alexander @ @ @ @ @ Rapota noted the high level of cooperation between Russian and Belarusian defense ministries .
He @ @ @ @ @ regional military formation , which includes the Belarusian Armed Forces and Russia ’ s Western @ @ @ @ @ doctrine of the Union State is being developed in accordance with the priority areas of @ @ @ @ @ the further development of the Union State for the years 2018-2022 .

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. Secretary of State of the Russia and Belarus Union State Grigory Rapota has expressed hope that both countries will sign an updated joint military doctrine.
"We [the Union State] have a joint military doctrine, right now it is being updated, and I hope it will be approved. From time to time, we introduce some changes that take into account the current events," he said during an online lecture "Current issues of the Union State’s development" held by the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund.
Rapota noted the high level of cooperation between Russian and Belarusian defense ministries. He reminded that there is a regional military formation, which includes the Belarusian Armed Forces and Russia’s Western Military District.
The military doctrine of the Union State is being developed in accordance with the priority areas of development and the plans for the further development of the Union State for the years 2018-2022.


tass--2020-07-08--China's Hainan bettering poverty alleviation methods

HAIKOU , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Hainan has used various methods over the recent years to eradicate rural poverty .
According to CGTN , the methods for improving economic conditions varied depending on the specifics of the province 's areas .
Thus , over the past decade , residents of the village of Bohou , located by the sea , in a hilly area in Hainan 's north , had to stop agricultural activity : frequent typhoons have changed the coastline and made the soil unsuitable for agriculture .
The residents took advantage of the picturesque natural landscape and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the B & B format have attracted a lot of attention on social networks in China , the channel reported .
Over the past seven years , the average per capita income in Bohou has increased from 5,000 to 24,000 yuan ( from about $ 700 to $ 3,460 ) .
The village of Qili is also located in the hills and rivers of Hainan 's north .
It was famous for forest ecotourism .
This settlement is surrounded by fragrant mangroves of corymbose barringtonia , and that bloom attracts many tourists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occupies an area of about 27 hectares .
According to experts , the oldest tree of this species is about 800 years old .
In recent years , the volume of investments in the infrastructure of Qili village and the development of tourism , which provided jobs for the locals , has exceeded 30 million yuan ( more than $ 4.2 million ) .
Along with tourism , agrarian practices contribute to improving the living standards of Hainan 's rural population .
For example , in the Shicha settlement ( central Hainan ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given the economy a great boost .
The per capita income here last year amounted to approximately 24,000 yuan ( about $ 3,460 ) , while seven years ago this figure stood at 3,600 yuan ( about $ 500 ) .
In the village of Fushan ( north of the island ) , the economic life is focused on coffee plantations with an area of about 267 hectares , which annually produce 795,000 tonnes worth 31.8 million yuan ( about $ 4.5 million ) .
Since 2012 , about 650,000 rural residents of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more , according to the data provided by the Chinese State Statistical Office quoted by the Hainan Daily newspaper .
As of the end of 2019 , the newspaper writes , the poverty rate in the province decreased to 0.5 % .
In 2012 , this indicator stood at the level of 11.4 % .
By the end of 2019 , the provincial authorities were able to fulfill the targets for poverty alleviation in rural Hainan areas ahead of schedule .
The disposable income per capita in rural areas was brought up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is by 1,244 yuan ( about $ 177 ) more than in 2018 .
Over the past 10 years the local authorities have been able to significantly improve living standards in rural areas through various measures of supporting local farmers .
It was the agricultural sector in 2019 that became the main source of income for the poor in rural districts .
In February , the Hainan authorities announced they completed their anti-poverty efforts in the province and vowed to continue working in that direction , said Meng Li , head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the official , the cities of Wuzhishan and Baisha-Li autonomous county in the central part of the island as well as Lingao county in the island 's north are no longer considered poor and economically disadvantaged .
Thus , the region implemented one more task on the Chinese 13th five-year plan ( 2016-2020 ) .

HAIKOU, July 8. /TASS/. Hainan has used various methods over the recent years to eradicate rural poverty. According to CGTN, the methods for improving economic conditions varied depending on the specifics of the province's areas.
Thus, over the past decade, residents of the village of Bohou, located by the sea, in a hilly area in Hainan's north, had to stop agricultural activity: frequent typhoons have changed the coastline and made the soil unsuitable for agriculture. The residents took advantage of the picturesque natural landscape and switched to hotel business. Local hotels of the B&B format have attracted a lot of attention on social networks in China, the channel reported. Over the past seven years, the average per capita income in Bohou has increased from 5,000 to 24,000 yuan (from about $700 to $3,460).
The village of Qili is also located in the hills and rivers of Hainan's north. It was famous for forest ecotourism. This settlement is surrounded by fragrant mangroves of corymbose barringtonia, and that bloom attracts many tourists here during the summer. The forest occupies an area of about 27 hectares. According to experts, the oldest tree of this species is about 800 years old. In recent years, the volume of investments in the infrastructure of Qili village and the development of tourism, which provided jobs for the locals, has exceeded 30 million yuan (more than $ 4.2 million).
Along with tourism, agrarian practices contribute to improving the living standards of Hainan's rural population. For example, in the Shicha settlement (central Hainan), the large-scale cultivation of orchids has given the economy a great boost. The per capita income here last year amounted to approximately 24,000 yuan (about $ 3,460), while seven years ago this figure stood at 3,600 yuan (about $500). In the village of Fushan (north of the island), the economic life is focused on coffee plantations with an area of about 267 hectares, which annually produce 795,000 tonnes worth 31.8 million yuan (about $ 4.5 million).
Poverty alleviation
Since 2012, about 650,000 rural residents of Hainan are not considered as poor any more, according to the data provided by the Chinese State Statistical Office quoted by the Hainan Daily newspaper.
As of the end of 2019, the newspaper writes, the poverty rate in the province decreased to 0.5%. In 2012, this indicator stood at the level of 11.4%. By the end of 2019, the provincial authorities were able to fulfill the targets for poverty alleviation in rural Hainan areas ahead of schedule. The disposable income per capita in rural areas was brought up to 12,789 yuan (about $ 1,800), which is by 1,244 yuan (about $ 177) more than in 2018.
Over the past 10 years the local authorities have been able to significantly improve living standards in rural areas through various measures of supporting local farmers. It was the agricultural sector in 2019 that became the main source of income for the poor in rural districts.
In February, the Hainan authorities announced they completed their anti-poverty efforts in the province and vowed to continue working in that direction, said Meng Li, head of the regional office for poverty alleviation. According to the official, the cities of Wuzhishan and Baisha-Li autonomous county in the central part of the island as well as Lingao county in the island's north are no longer considered poor and economically disadvantaged. Thus, the region implemented one more task on the Chinese 13th five-year plan (2016-2020).


tass--2020-07-08--AV-Comparatives Announce Best-performing Consumer Antivirus Programs H1 2020

INNSBRUCK , Austria , July 8 , 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AV-Comparatives have announced the best-performing security products for home users over the first six months of this year .
17 popular antivirus programs were put through a series of 3 tests , to determine how effectively they protect against threats , and what effect they have on system performance .
For each test , 3 categories of award were given : Advanced+ , Advanced , and Standard .
`` Ransomware , Phishing , Malware , Zero-Days .
Cybercriminals use lot of different threats to attack your computer .
We highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your device . ''
- Peter Stelzhammer , co-founder , AV-Comparatives Overall , the test series provides an in-depth analysis of the protection and usability qualities of the tested programs .
Individual test reports for the three tests can be downloaded free of charge from AV-Comparatives ' website .
The three tests in the series were as follows .
The Real-World Protection Test simulates the actions of a typical user , who inadvertently encounters malware while online .
The test allows all the protection components of the tested programs to be used , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , heuristics , local and cloud-based signatures , and behavioural detection .
For each malware sample , a tested product is credited with a pass if at any stage it prevents the system being infected .
The Malware Protection Test considers malicious programs entering the system from sources such as USB flash drives or the local area network .
Again , all relevant protection mechanisms can be used , and a tested program will pass if it ultimately prevents the computer being infected .
The Performance Test investigates what effect each program has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A potential problem with antivirus software is false alarms , i.e .
detecting harmless , legitimate programs as malware .
With both the Real-World Protection Test and Malware Protection Test , false-positives tests are conducted , to ensure that the tested programs do not plague the user with false alarms .
Products with high levels of false positives have their award levels reduced .
`` Cybercriminals are catching up .
It is more important than ever to protect your device , no matter if it is a laptop , a workstation or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , co-founder , AV-Comparatives : Additionally , several other test reports covering various security aspects have been released in the first half year , such as a VPN Security Test , Router Security Test , Stalkerware Test , Mac Security Test , Android Security Test and Parental Control Test .

INNSBRUCK, Austria, July 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AV-Comparatives have announced the best-performing security products for home users over the first six months of this year. 17 popular antivirus programs were put through a series of 3 tests, to determine how effectively they protect against threats, and what effect they have on system performance. For each test, 3 categories of award were given: Advanced+, Advanced, and Standard.
"Ransomware, Phishing, Malware, Zero-Days. Cybercriminals use lot of different threats to attack your computer. We highly recommend using an antivirus software to protect your device." - Peter Stelzhammer, co-founder, AV-Comparatives
Overall, the test series provides an in-depth analysis of the protection and usability qualities of the tested programs. Individual test reports for the three tests can be downloaded free of charge from AV-Comparatives' website.
https://www.av-comparatives.org/tests/real-world-protection-test-february-may-2020/
https://www.av-comparatives.org/tests/malware-protection-test-march-2020/
https://www.av-comparatives.org/tests/performance-test-april-2020/
Products tested:
Avast Free Antivirus, AVG Free Antivirus, Avira Antivirus Pro, Bitdefender Internet Security, ESET Internet Security, F-Secure SAFE, G DATA Internet Security, K7 Total Security, Kaspersky Internet Security, McAfee Total Protection, Microsoft Windows Defender, NortonLifeLock Norton 360 Deluxe, Panda Free Antivirus, Total AV Antivirus Pro, Total Defense Essential Antivirus, Trend Micro Internet Security, VIPRE Advanced Security
The three tests in the series were as follows. The Real-World Protection Test simulates the actions of a typical user, who inadvertently encounters malware while online. The test allows all the protection components of the tested programs to be used, e.g. URL blockers, reputation services, heuristics, local and cloud-based signatures, and behavioural detection. For each malware sample, a tested product is credited with a pass if at any stage it prevents the system being infected.
The Malware Protection Test considers malicious programs entering the system from sources such as USB flash drives or the local area network. Again, all relevant protection mechanisms can be used, and a tested program will pass if it ultimately prevents the computer being infected.
The Performance Test investigates what effect each program has on the speed of everyday computer usage.
A potential problem with antivirus software is false alarms, i.e. detecting harmless, legitimate programs as malware. With both the Real-World Protection Test and Malware Protection Test, false-positives tests are conducted, to ensure that the tested programs do not plague the user with false alarms. Products with high levels of false positives have their award levels reduced.
"Cybercriminals are catching up. It is more important than ever to protect your device, no matter if it is a laptop, a workstation or a smartphone." - Peter Stelzhammer, co-founder, AV-Comparatives:
Additionally, several other test reports covering various security aspects have been released in the first half year, such as a VPN Security Test, Router Security Test, Stalkerware Test, Mac Security Test, Android Security Test and Parental Control Test.
Contact: Peter Stelzhammer
e-mail: media@av-comparatives.org
phone: +43 720115542


tass--2020-07-08--‘Regrettable’ mindset: Lavrov castigates Pentagon’s ‘containment’ policy of China, Russia

MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
The remarks made by US Defense Secretary Mark Esper regarding Washington ’ s successful `` containment '' of alleged aggression of Russia and China sparked regret in Moscow , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday following a videoconference with his counterparts from the African Union trio ( Democratic Republic of the Congo , Egypt and South Africa ) .
`` If the Pentagon chief believes that the containment of Russia and China is the main goal of its agency , then this means that the same philosophy is practiced by the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a desire to contain everyone but itself , seeking to eliminate everything that limits its freedom of action or even freedom , say , of impunity by the US administration on the global arena — be it the INF Treaty , the Treaty on Open Skies , the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty , the activity of UNESCO , of the UN Human Rights Council or the World Health Organization , '' he noted .
`` This sort of attitude and philosophy of the Pentagon chief is regrettable , because we are interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including , of course , the US . ''
Having chided Esper ’ s remarks , the chief diplomat went on to point out that the military usually `` exhibits more cautiousness in situations that could lead to conflict , especially hot ones . ''
`` These days , in their dialogue with us , the Americans seek to drop the very term ‘ strategic stability ’ and replace it with ‘ strategic competition ’ , '' he continued .
`` Therefore , this philosophy itself suggests that the Americans are preparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek to protect its interests .
This is bad , bad for the US itself , '' Lavrov cautioned .
The top diplomat speculated that , by embellishing some threats from Russia and China , Washington seeks to deflect the American public ’ s attention from the current domestic strife that has been intensifying .
“ Perhaps , election campaign concerns are playing their role , in addition to the fact that political points have to be scored , '' he added .
`` However , this is unfortunate if this is done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global arena , or by giving various ventures free reign in order to win additional votes . ''
`` We would like any country to build its foreign policy , to set its priorities not on containing someone , but to ensure strategic stability based on a balance of interests of all nations , including , of course the leading global powers , '' Lavrov stressed .
`` We advocate dialogue , strategic stability , as proposed by President Putin , including within the framework of our initiative to call the UN Security @ @ @ @ @ @

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. The remarks made by US Defense Secretary Mark Esper regarding Washington’s successful "containment" of alleged aggression of Russia and China sparked regret in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday following a videoconference with his counterparts from the African Union trio (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt and South Africa).
"If the Pentagon chief believes that the containment of Russia and China is the main goal of its agency, then this means that the same philosophy is practiced by the current US administration, which is literally obsessed with a desire to contain everyone but itself, seeking to eliminate everything that limits its freedom of action or even freedom, say, of impunity by the US administration on the global arena — be it the INF Treaty, the Treaty on Open Skies, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, the activity of UNESCO, of the UN Human Rights Council or the World Health Organization," he noted. "This sort of attitude and philosophy of the Pentagon chief is regrettable, because we are interested in fostering a normal dialogue with all countries, including, of course, the US."
Having chided Esper’s remarks, the chief diplomat went on to point out that the military usually "exhibits more cautiousness in situations that could lead to conflict, especially hot ones." "These days, in their dialogue with us, the Americans seek to drop the very term ‘strategic stability’ and replace it with ‘strategic competition’," he continued. "Therefore, this philosophy itself suggests that the Americans are preparing for conflict with any country that would seek to protect its interests. This is bad, bad for the US itself," Lavrov cautioned.
The top diplomat speculated that, by embellishing some threats from Russia and China, Washington seeks to deflect the American public’s attention from the current domestic strife that has been intensifying.
“Perhaps, election campaign concerns are playing their role, in addition to the fact that political points have to be scored," he added. "However, this is unfortunate if this is done by eliminating checks and balances on the global arena, or by giving various ventures free reign in order to win additional votes."
"We would like any country to build its foreign policy, to set its priorities not on containing someone, but to ensure strategic stability based on a balance of interests of all nations, including, of course the leading global powers," Lavrov stressed. "We advocate dialogue, strategic stability, as proposed by President Putin, including within the framework of our initiative to call the UN Security Council permanent members summit."


tass--2020-07-08--Turkey working with Libya’s GNA to reach ceasefire agreement, says Lavrov

MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Turkey , along with Libya ’ s Government of National Accord , is working to reach a ceasefire agreement in Tripoli , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday on the outcomes of the talks with his colleagues from the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Egypt and South Africa in the format of a video conference .
`` Our Turkish colleagues are working in this direction ( reaching a ceasefire - TASS ) with the Government of National Accord .
I hope that they will be able to reach this solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the current conditions , '' he said .
Lavrov added that the Russian Foreign Ministry and its Turkish colleagues are working on approaches that would ensure the immediate declaration of a ceasefire in Libya .
The work is held within the framework of the dialogue approved by the Russian and Turkish leaders .
`` We are sending a clear signal that the first necessary and only step is the declaration of a full ceasefire , '' Lavrov stressed .
Currently , Libya has two parallel bodies of executive power : the internationally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) headed by Fayez al-Sarraj , and Abdullah Abdurrahman al-Thani ’ s interim government , operating in the country ’ s east together with parliament and supported by the Libyan National Army ( LNA ) , led by Commander Khalifa Haftar .
For over a year , the warring parties have been fighting for Libya ’ s capital Tripoli .
On January 19 , an international high-level conference on Libya took place in Berlin , with at least ten heads of state and government attending the event including Russian President Vladimir Putin .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a call to ceasefire , as well as the call for foreign countries to refrain from intervening in Libya ’ s affairs , while it also proposes creation of a single government and launch of reforms to restore statehood that was demolished by NATO almost ten years ago .
The conflict sides also agreed to establish a special ceasefire monitoring commission .

MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. Turkey, along with Libya’s Government of National Accord, is working to reach a ceasefire agreement in Tripoli, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday on the outcomes of the talks with his colleagues from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt and South Africa in the format of a video conference.
"Our Turkish colleagues are working in this direction (reaching a ceasefire - TASS) with the Government of National Accord. I hope that they will be able to reach this solution, which is the only correct one in the current conditions," he said.
Lavrov added that the Russian Foreign Ministry and its Turkish colleagues are working on approaches that would ensure the immediate declaration of a ceasefire in Libya. The work is held within the framework of the dialogue approved by the Russian and Turkish leaders. "We are sending a clear signal that the first necessary and only step is the declaration of a full ceasefire," Lavrov stressed.
Currently, Libya has two parallel bodies of executive power: the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, and Abdullah Abdurrahman al-Thani’s interim government, operating in the country’s east together with parliament and supported by the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Commander Khalifa Haftar. For over a year, the warring parties have been fighting for Libya’s capital Tripoli.
On January 19, an international high-level conference on Libya took place in Berlin, with at least ten heads of state and government attending the event including Russian President Vladimir Putin. The conference’s final communique includes a call to ceasefire, as well as the call for foreign countries to refrain from intervening in Libya’s affairs, while it also proposes creation of a single government and launch of reforms to restore statehood that was demolished by NATO almost ten years ago. The conflict sides also agreed to establish a special ceasefire monitoring commission.


tass--2020-07-08--Dreame announced today the launch of the V11 cordless stick vacuum

MOSCOW , July 8 , 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dreame , a premium home-tech lifestyle brand that is part of the global Xiaomi ecosystem , announced today the launch of the V11 cordless stick vacuum .
With several industry-leading features , including a 125,000 RPM motor and 90-minute runtime , the Dreame V11 is designed to make it easy for consumers to maintain a clean and sanitary home .
The Dreame V11 will retail for $ 424.99 ( USD ) , but starting from July 9th at 1:01 a.m. until July 12th at 12:59 a.m. ( MSK ) the vacuum cleaner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 293.99 ( USD ) on .
The V11 offers one of the industry 's fastest brushless motors with an output of 125,000 RPM , a 12-cone cyclone filtration system that can remove micro-particles – such as bacteria , dust , pollen and even allergens from pet fur , and price affordability as a result of being up to 33 % cheaper than competing premium vacuums .
Improving on the performance , power and filtration of the Dreame V10 stick vacuum , the Dreame V11 has been re-engineered to include a 25 % improvement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motor , and a 50 % increase in runtime to 90 minutes via a 3000mAh battery .
`` The debut of the Dreame V11 offers consumers a new premium vacuum cleaner to choose from that provides literally the same functionality and power as competing products but with improved reliability and in some cases at a price point of 33 % less , '' said Mr. Roc Woo , a co-founder of Dreame .
Dreame Technology was established in 2015 with the goal of becoming one of the most well known home-tech lifestyle brands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-performing home cleaning technology at a competitive price point .
The company is based in Asia and is part of the Xiaomi ecosystem .
Dreame is led by Mr. Hao Yu , the CEO and founder , who studied computational fluid mechanics at Tsinghua University in China where he previously founded the `` Sky Workshop , '' which was funded by Boeing .
More information about the brand can be found , including , , and .

MOSCOW, July 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dreame, a premium home-tech lifestyle brand that is part of the global Xiaomi ecosystem, announced today the launch of the V11 cordless stick vacuum. With several industry-leading features, including a 125,000 RPM motor and 90-minute runtime, the Dreame V11 is designed to make it easy for consumers to maintain a clean and sanitary home. The Dreame V11 will retail for $424.99 (USD), but starting from July 9th at 1:01 a.m. until July 12th at 12:59 a.m. (MSK) the vacuum cleaner will go on pre-launch sale for $293.99 (USD) on AliExpress .
The V11 offers one of the industry's fastest brushless motors with an output of 125,000 RPM, a 12-cone cyclone filtration system that can remove micro-particles – such as bacteria, dust, pollen and even allergens from pet fur, and price affordability as a result of being up to 33% cheaper than competing premium vacuums.
Improving on the performance, power and filtration of the Dreame V10 stick vacuum, the Dreame V11 has been re-engineered to include a 25% improvement in suction power using a 150AW high-speed motor, and a 50% increase in runtime to 90 minutes via a 3000mAh battery.
"The debut of the Dreame V11 offers consumers a new premium vacuum cleaner to choose from that provides literally the same functionality and power as competing products but with improved reliability and in some cases at a price point of 33% less," said Mr. Roc Woo, a co-founder of Dreame.
About Dreame
Dreame Technology was established in 2015 with the goal of becoming one of the most well known home-tech lifestyle brands in the world by developing reliable, high-performing home cleaning technology at a competitive price point. The company is based in Asia and is part of the Xiaomi ecosystem. Dreame is led by Mr. Hao Yu, the CEO and founder, who studied computational fluid mechanics at Tsinghua University in China where he previously founded the "Sky Workshop," which was funded by Boeing.
More information about the brand can be found here , including Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter .
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1201942/Dreame_PRNewswire_Image.jpg
CONTACT: David Splivalo, (+1) 515.444.1073, pr@dreame.tech


tass--2020-07-08--Putin stresses significance of Palestinian unity in phone call with Abbas

Palestine to negotiate with Israel only if it freezes annexation , says ambassador MOSCOW , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed issues regarding the Middle Eastern peace process with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a phone call on Wednesday , the Kremlin press service reported .
`` The Russian side has reaffirmed its principal stance in support of a just and long-term solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict in accordance with the existing international legal base , '' the message says .
`` In this context , it has stressed the importance of strengthening inter-Palestinian unity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ exchange of opinions on Middle Eastern regulation . ''
Besides , they discussed `` the current issues of Russian-Palestinian cooperation taking into account the agreements on the outcomes of the meeting between both leaders in Bethlehem in January 2020 , '' the Kremlin informed .
Putin and Abbas have agreed `` to continue cooperation in the fight against the coronavirus infection . ''
The Palestinian leader congratulated his Russian colleague and the Russian people on the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and on the outcomes of the national vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held at the initiative of Palestine .

Palestine to negotiate with Israel only if it freezes annexation, says ambassador
MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed issues regarding the Middle Eastern peace process with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a phone call on Wednesday, the Kremlin press service reported.
"The Russian side has reaffirmed its principal stance in support of a just and long-term solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict in accordance with the existing international legal base," the message says. "In this context, it has stressed the importance of strengthening inter-Palestinian unity."
The presidents held "a substantive exchange of opinions on Middle Eastern regulation." Besides, they discussed "the current issues of Russian-Palestinian cooperation taking into account the agreements on the outcomes of the meeting between both leaders in Bethlehem in January 2020," the Kremlin informed. Putin and Abbas have agreed "to continue cooperation in the fight against the coronavirus infection."
The Palestinian leader congratulated his Russian colleague and the Russian people on the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and on the outcomes of the national vote on constitutional amendments. The conversation was held at the initiative of Palestine.


tass--2020-07-08--Hainan's Haikou ranks first among top-10 Chinese cities with best quality of life

HAIKOU , July 8 .
/TASS/ .
The administrative center of Hainan , Haikou , topped the rating of the 10 best cities with best quality of life in China .
According to the Haikou Daily newspaper , it retains the championship for the sixth year in a row .
The rating was jointly created by the Chinese State Statistical Office , the China Post and the Institute for National Development at Beijing University .
Three key criteria were taken into account : the feeling of satisfaction of the city residents , happiness and prosperity , as well as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these key criteria , 21 related criteria were mentioned , among which the satisfaction of city residents with the quality of water , air , medical services , education , environment , Internet connection 's quality , etc .
Apart from Haikou , the top-10 list included Beijing , Shanghai , Changsha ( the central province of Hunan ) , Changchun ( the northeastern province of Jilin ) , Qingdao and Jinan ( the eastern province of Shandong ) , Kunming ( the southwestern province of Yunnan ) , Shenzhen ( southern Guangdong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the news outlet , a survey was conducted to compile the rating with over 130,000 participants .
Over the years , Haikou has also become a leader in air quality among China 's cities .
According to the results of the first quarter of 2020 , the city took first place in this category among the 168 largest settlements in China .
Last year , the city of Lhasa , the administrative center of the Tibet Autonomous Region ( Southwest China ) , topped the ranking .
For several years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the title of the city of China with best air quality .
In the ranking of 2018 , Haikou was the winner .

HAIKOU, July 8. /TASS/. The administrative center of Hainan, Haikou, topped the rating of the 10 best cities with best quality of life in China. According to the Haikou Daily newspaper, it retains the championship for the sixth year in a row.
The rating was jointly created by the Chinese State Statistical Office, the China Post and the Institute for National Development at Beijing University. Three key criteria were taken into account: the feeling of satisfaction of the city residents, happiness and prosperity, as well as a sense of security. In addition to these key criteria, 21 related criteria were mentioned, among which the satisfaction of city residents with the quality of water, air, medical services, education, environment, Internet connection's quality, etc.
Apart from Haikou, the top-10 list included Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha (the central province of Hunan), Changchun (the northeastern province of Jilin), Qingdao and Jinan (the eastern province of Shandong), Kunming (the southwestern province of Yunnan), Shenzhen (southern Guangdong) and Xiamen (eastern Fujian).
According to the news outlet, a survey was conducted to compile the rating with over 130,000 participants.
Over the years, Haikou has also become a leader in air quality among China's cities. According to the results of the first quarter of 2020, the city took first place in this category among the 168 largest settlements in China. Last year, the city of Lhasa, the administrative center of the Tibet Autonomous Region (Southwest China), topped the ranking. For several years, Haikou and Lhasa have been competing for the title of the city of China with best air quality. In the ranking of 2018, Haikou was the winner.


tass--2020-07-09--Khabarovsk governor named as organizer of several murders of entrepreneurs

`` During the preliminary investigation , we have established perpetrators of a series of crimes and one of the crimes ’ organizers .
As a result of the right investigative tactics , the co-conspirators have given statements against Sergei Furgal , naming him as an organizer of all these crimes , '' she said .
The case also involves witness and victim statements .
`` We have verified these statements during the investigation , collecting sufficient evidence to detain the governor of the Khabarovsk Region , '' Petrenko noted .
MOSCOW , July 9 .
/TASS/ .
Suspects accused of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Far East have given statements against Governor of the Khabarovsk Region Sergei Furgal , naming him as an organizer of the crimes , Russian Investigative Council Spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko told reporters on Thursday .
The criminal case against Furgal comes as a result of the work of investigators on solving the crimes committed in 2004-2005 on the territory of the Khabarovsk and Amur Regions against local entrepreneurs , the spokesperson added .
A source in the law enforcement told TASS that a criminal case under Article 210 of the Russian Criminal Code ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened .
The source added that Furgal is allegedly behind the murders of two business competitors and the attempted assassination of an entrepreneur from the Amur Region .
`` These crimes have been committed by a group of persons in collusion , they involve assault , extortion and gang violence , '' the source said , adding that a killer was hired to conduct those crimes .
In 2004 , entrepreneur Yevgeny Zorya was shot in Khabarovsk on the street .
In 2005 , businessman Oleg Bulatov was shot .
Sergei Furgal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eastern Khabarovsk Region , was detained near his house in the region ’ s administrative center of Khabarovsk , his press service informed earlier on Thursday .
He has been transported to Moscow for questioning .

"During the preliminary investigation, we have established perpetrators of a series of crimes and one of the crimes’ organizers. As a result of the right investigative tactics, the co-conspirators have given statements against Sergei Furgal, naming him as an organizer of all these crimes," she said. The case also involves witness and victim statements. "We have verified these statements during the investigation, collecting sufficient evidence to detain the governor of the Khabarovsk Region," Petrenko noted.
MOSCOW, July 9. /TASS/. Suspects accused of murders of entrepreneurs in Russia’s Far East have given statements against Governor of the Khabarovsk Region Sergei Furgal, naming him as an organizer of the crimes, Russian Investigative Council Spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko told reporters on Thursday.
The criminal case against Furgal comes as a result of the work of investigators on solving the crimes committed in 2004-2005 on the territory of the Khabarovsk and Amur Regions against local entrepreneurs, the spokesperson added.
A source in the law enforcement told TASS that a criminal case under Article 210 of the Russian Criminal Code (Founding a criminal organization) might be opened. The source added that Furgal is allegedly behind the murders of two business competitors and the attempted assassination of an entrepreneur from the Amur Region. "These crimes have been committed by a group of persons in collusion, they involve assault, extortion and gang violence," the source said, adding that a killer was hired to conduct those crimes. In 2004, entrepreneur Yevgeny Zorya was shot in Khabarovsk on the street. In 2005, businessman Oleg Bulatov was shot.
Sergei Furgal, the governor of Russia’s Far Eastern Khabarovsk Region, was detained near his house in the region’s administrative center of Khabarovsk, his press service informed earlier on Thursday. He has been transported to Moscow for questioning.


tass--2020-07-09--Khabarovsk governor’s arrest part of big political case, says opposition party leader

`` We are outraged by the fact that our governor Sergei Ivanovich Furgal was arrested in the morning .
We will continue to defend him , to take part in all elections and seek victory , '' Zhirinovsky said .
`` This is a very big political case . ''
MOSCOW , July 9 .
/TASS/ .
The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia ( LDPR ) is outraged over the detention of Khabarovsk Region Governor Sergei Furgal , and it aims to defend its fellow party member , LDPR head Vladimir Zhirinovsky said on Thursday ahead of the Russian State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plenary session .
The lawmaker expressed confidence that the arrest of the region ’ s head `` will encourage our voters to vote for LDPR . ''
According to Zhirinovsky , Furgal ’ s arrest is related to the good results he achieved as governor from an opposition party .
`` If there had been murders in 2004 , 2005 , and if Sergei Ivanovich Furgal had allegedly been involved , why did you wait 15 years ? ''
Zhirinovsky asked , noting that since then , Furgal has taken part in several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the information about its candidates with the Russian law enforcement .
Sergei Furgal , the governor of Russia ’ s Far Eastern Khabarovsk Region , was detained near his house in the region ’ s administrative center of Khabarovsk , his press service informed earlier on Thursday .
He has been transported to Moscow for questioning .
A source in the law enforcement told TASS that a criminal case under Article 210 of the Russian Criminal Code ( Founding a criminal organization ) might be opened .
The source added that Furgal is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competitors and the attempted assassination of an entrepreneur from the Amur Region .
`` These crimes have been committed by a group of persons in collusion , they involve assault , extortion and gang violence , '' the source said , adding that a killer was hired to conduct those crimes .
In 2004 , entrepreneur Yevgeny Zorya was shot in Khabarovsk on a street .
In 2005 , businessman Oleg Bulatov was shot .

"We are outraged by the fact that our governor Sergei Ivanovich Furgal was arrested in the morning. We will continue to defend him, to take part in all elections and seek victory," Zhirinovsky said. "This is a very big political case."
MOSCOW, July 9. /TASS/. The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) is outraged over the detention of Khabarovsk Region Governor Sergei Furgal, and it aims to defend its fellow party member, LDPR head Vladimir Zhirinovsky said on Thursday ahead of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) plenary session.
The firebrand lawmaker insisted that the arrest of the region’s head "will encourage our voters to cast their ballots for LDPR."
According to Zhirinovsky, Furgal’s arrest is related to the good results he achieved as governor from an opposition party. "If there had been murders in 2004, 2005, and if Sergei Ivanovich Furgal had allegedly been involved, why did you wait 15 years?" Zhirinovsky asked, noting that since then, Furgal has taken part in several election campaigns, and LDPR always checks the information about its candidates with the Russian law enforcement.
Sergei Furgal, the governor of Russia’s Far Eastern Khabarovsk Region, was detained near his house in the region’s administrative center of Khabarovsk, his press service informed earlier on Thursday. He has been transported to Moscow for questioning.
A source in the law enforcement told TASS that a criminal case under Article 210 of the Russian Criminal Code (Founding a criminal organization) might be opened. The source added that Furgal is allegedly behind the murders of two business competitors and the attempted assassination of an entrepreneur from the Amur Region. "These crimes have been committed by a group of persons in collusion, they involve assault, extortion and gang violence," the source said, adding that a killer was hired to conduct those crimes. In 2004, entrepreneur Yevgeny Zorya was shot in Khabarovsk on a street. In 2005, businessman Oleg Bulatov was shot.


tass--2020-07-09--Putin praises organization of nationwide vote on constitutional amendments

`` This year , the situation was special [ due to the coronavirus pandemic ] ; of course , I @ @ @ @ @ work was organized .
And it was organized with high quality , in a modern @ @ @ @ @ for the people to say their word on the constitutional amendments , '' the head @ @ @ @ @ meeting with the Central Electoral Commission head Ella Pamfilova , which happened in a video @ @ @ @ @ was set up in the most democratic way and , as far as I understand @ @ @ @ @ of irregularities , '' Putin underscored .

"This year, the situation was special [due to the coronavirus pandemic]; of course, I closely watched at how the work was organized. And it was organized with high quality, in a modern way; it provided options for the people to say their word on the constitutional amendments," the head of state said during his meeting with the Central Electoral Commission head Ella Pamfilova, which happened in a video conference format.
"Everything was set up in the most democratic way and, as far as I understand, with the minial number of irregularities," Putin underscored.


tass--2020-07-09--Russia to fine legal entities violating security rules at fuel-and-energy facilities

MOSCOW , July 9 .
/TASS/ .
Russian authorities are going to introduce tougher fines for legal entities violating security rules the facilities of fuel and energy complex .
The measures are taken after at a massive fuel spill and a fire took place at the CHPP-3 combined heat and power plant near Norilsk in Russia ’ s Arctic region .
On Thursday , the State Duma , lower house of parliament , has adopted the draft law imposing administrative fines for violation of requirements to ensure security and anti-terrorist protection at the facilities of fuel-and-energy complex .
In particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Code set a fine for legal entities in the amount of 50,000 ( $ 708 ) to 100,000 rubles ( $ 1,415 ) if violations was revealed at a `` low hazard '' facility .
The current version of the Code does not envisage any fines for violations at this category of facilities .
At the same time the amendments also change ceiling amounts of fines for individuals and officials .
For a low hazard category , the fine for citizens will vary from 3,000 ( $ 42 ) to 4,000 rubles ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5,000 rubles ( $ 70 ) ) .
Fines for officials will vary from 30,000 ( $ 424 ) to 40,000 rubles ( $ 565 ) ( now up to 50,000 rubles ( $ 708 ) .
Penalties also envisage disqualification for a period of six months to one year ( now it is up to three years ) .
For violations of security requirements at facilities of a high or medium hazard category , the fine for citizens will be from 4,000 to 5,000 rubles ( $ 56-70 ) , for officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 565-708 ) or disqualification for a period of one year to three years .
The fine for legal entities will vary from 200,000 to 300,000 rubles ( $ 2,831-4,246 ) .
The current version of the Administrative Offenses Code does not provide for differentiation of fines depending on the category of the facility .
On May 29 , a concrete pad and tank collapse , on the premises of CHPP-3 ( owned by the Norilsk-Taimyr Energy Company , a member of the Norilsk Nickel Group ) , sending over 21,000 cubic meters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 180,000 square meters of soil and bodies of water .

MOSCOW, July 9. /TASS/. Russian authorities are going to introduce tougher fines for legal entities violating security rules the facilities of fuel and energy complex. The measures are taken after at a massive fuel spill and a fire took place at the CHPP-3 combined heat and power plant near Norilsk in Russia’s Arctic region.
On Thursday, the State Duma, lower house of parliament, has adopted the draft law imposing administrative fines for violation of requirements to ensure security and anti-terrorist protection at the facilities of fuel-and-energy complex.
In particular, the proposed amendments to Administrative Offense Code set a fine for legal entities in the amount of 50,000 ($708) to 100,000 rubles ($1,415) if violations was revealed at a "low hazard" facility. The current version of the Code does not envisage any fines for violations at this category of facilities.
At the same time the amendments also change ceiling amounts of fines for individuals and officials. For a low hazard category, the fine for citizens will vary from 3,000 ($42) to 4,000 rubles ($56) (now up to 5,000 rubles ($70)). Fines for officials will vary from 30,000 ($424) to 40,000 rubles ($565) (now up to 50,000 rubles ($708). Penalties also envisage disqualification for a period of six months to one year (now it is up to three years).
For violations of security requirements at facilities of a high or medium hazard category, the fine for citizens will be from 4,000 to 5,000 rubles ($56-70), for officials - from 40,000 to 50,000 rubles ($565-708) or disqualification for a period of one year to three years. The fine for legal entities will vary from 200,000 to 300,000 rubles ($2,831-4,246).
The current version of the Administrative Offenses Code does not provide for differentiation of fines depending on the category of the facility.
On May 29, a concrete pad and tank collapse, on the premises of CHPP-3 (owned by the Norilsk-Taimyr Energy Company, a member of the Norilsk Nickel Group), sending over 21,000 cubic meters of oil products gushing into more than 180,000 square meters of soil and bodies of water.


tass--2020-07-09--Russian art collector seeks to buy NYC’s Teddy Roosevelt statue, move it to St. Petersburg

MOSCOW , July 9 .
/TASS/ .
The Art Russe Foundation led by Russian entrepreneur Andrei Filatov has offered New York ’ s authorities to buy a statue of the 26th US President Theodore Roosevelt that is due to be removed and erect it in St. Petersburg , Filatov told TASS on Thursday .
The foundation ’ s press service earlier said that it had received no response from New York ’ s authorities to this proposal .
`` First , we need to buy it and then to erect [ the monument ] in St. Petersburg , '' Filatov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wait for the answer as long as it takes .
Earlier Art Russe declared readiness to purchase the US monument to Roosevelt and Alexander Baranov , which are about to be dismantled soon .
Baranov is known as a governor of Russian settlements in North America in the late 18th - early 19th centuries .
The letters with this proposal have been sent to authorities in New York and Sitka , Alaska .
The foundation notes that Roosevelt is an important politician , who was connected with Russia at various stages of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historic and art value of this monument , its protection and preservation are `` of critical importance for future generations . ''
Commenting on the fate of the monument to Baranov , Sitka ’ s municipal administrator John Leach assured the foundation in a letter that this issue would be solved in a public process , constructively , in a civilized manner and with respect for history in this delicate issue .
Earlier , The New York Times reported that the statue to Roosevelt , located in front of the entrance to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York , would be torn down as the museum ’ s proposal had been approved by the mayor ’ s office .
The museum ’ s representatives stressed that the monument would be toppled because of its `` hierarchical composition . ''
The monument features Roosevelt on horseback in the center , flanked by an African man and a native American man on foot .
A group of citizens earlier suggested pulling down the monument to Baranov in the historic center in Sitka , which used to be called Novo-Arkhangelsk until 1867 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They addressed a session of the city council on June 23 , saying that the statue could insult the feelings of indigenous peoples .
The Art Russe Foundation was created in 2012 and has one of the biggest collections of Soviet art , which includes the works of distinguished artists of 1917-1991 .

MOSCOW, July 9. /TASS/. The Art Russe Foundation headed by Russian entrepreneur Andrei Filatov has put forward an offer to New York City Hall officials to buy a statue of the 26th US President Theodore Roosevelt that is due to be removed and place it in St. Petersburg, Russia, Filatov told TASS on Thursday.
The foundation’s press service earlier said that it had received no response from New York City authorities to this proposal. "First, we need to buy it and then to erect [the monument] in St. Petersburg," Filatov said, pledging that the foundation would wait for an answer however long it may take.
Earlier, Art Russe said it was ready to purchase the statue of Theodore Roosevelt and Alexander Baranov, which are slated to be dismantled soon. Baranov served as a governor of Russian settlements in North America in the late 18th - early 19th centuries. The letters containing this proposal have been sent to authorities in New York and Sitka, Alaska.
The foundation notes that the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, was an important statesman whose legacy left a “positive mark” on Russia. Given the historic and artistic value of this monument, its protection and preservation are "of critical importance for future generations."
Commenting on the fate of the Baranov monument, Sitka’s municipal administrator John Leach assured the foundation in a letter that this issue would be solved through a public process, constructively, in a civilized manner and with respect for history regarding this delicate issue.
Proposals on toppling monuments
Earlier, The New York Times reported that the statue to Theodore Roosevelt, located in front of the entrance to the American Museum of Natural History in New York, would be torn down because the museum’s proposal had been approved by the mayor’s office. The museum’s representatives stressed that the monument would be toppled because of its "hierarchical composition." The monument features Roosevelt on horseback in the center, flanked by an African man and a Native American man on foot.
Various citizens, activists among them, earlier proposed pulling down the monument to Baranov in the historic center in Sitka, which used to be called Novo-Arkhangelsk until 1867 and was the capital of Russian settlements. They addressed a session of the city council on June 23, saying that the statue could hurt the feelings of indigenous peoples.
The Art Russe Foundation was created in 2012 and has one of the biggest collections of Soviet art, which includes the works of distinguished artists of 1917-1991.