January 12th, 2012 – Main News From Russia…

WORLD

*The body of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is to be embalmed and put on display at a palace in the capital, Pyongyang.
*Afghan President Hamid Karzai strongly condemned an online video appearing to show US Marines urinating on the bloodied corpses of several Taliban fighters.

*A Russian-owned ship reportedly carrying weapons to Syria docked in Tartus despite assurances it would change destination.

*European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom has called on U.S. President Barack Obama to keep his promise and close the prison in Guantanamo.

RUSSIA

*An online database listing some of the more absurd examples of Russian red tape – and the officials responsible – is being launched as part of President Dmitry Medvedev’s Big Government project.

*Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has called for the creation of a system of administrative courts to be set up to hear complaints by citizens against the state.

*The Yekaterinburg, a Russian nuclear submarine damaged by fire while in dry dock in late December, will be repaired and re-enter service in summer 2014.

*Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will not take part in televised debates with rival candidates ahead of presidential elections in March.
*Putin will in due time present his own presidential election program, which will differ from the program currently presented on his campaign website.

*Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied reports by some media that critical comments, including those calling on Putin to resign, were being removed from the site.

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