RIA Novosti

Kazakh 'Friend of Jesus' Gets Beard in Fresco

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:42:00 GMT

The saga of the Kazakhstan official whose likeness was painted into a church fresco depicting a biblical scene has now ended: the painter has added a beard that obscures the official's face, media reported.

Gunpowder Plant to Make Soldier Roly-Poly Dolls

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:39:00 GMT

A gunpowder plant will produce a military version of a roly-poly doll to spare Russian children from playing with foreign model military vehicles, Izvestia reported on Friday.

Kazakh Monkeys Warm Up with Wine

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:10:00 GMT

Primates in a Kazakhstan zoo are enjoying a very human remedy against cold weather, with fortified wine added to their daily ration this week, local media reported.

Giant Baby Girl Born in Kazakhstan

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:36:00 GMT

A baby-giant, weighing almost 7 kg (15.4 pounds), was born in Kokshetau in northern Kazakhstan, the chief doctor of the regional maternity hospital said on Friday.

Man Steals Marijuana from Drug Dealer as "Revenge"

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:05:00 GMT

Police in Russia’s Sverdlovsk Region in the Urals have detained a young man who had stolen 23 kg (50.7 pounds) of marijuana from a drug dealer, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

Chilean Caught Stealing Five Tons of Glacier Ice

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:21:00 GMT

Police in the southern Chilean city of Cochrane arrested a man who attempted to steal over five tons of ice from the Jorge Montt Glacier, 1,700 kilometers south of the capital Santiago, El Mercurio daily reported on Wednesday.

Wolves Attack People in Karelian Town

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:00:00 GMT

A pack of wolves terrorized locals in the streets of a Karelian town, not returning to the woods until police opened fire, killing two.

Ukraine Refuses Monumental Russian Gift

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:55:00 GMT

Kiev's city government spoke against installing a Russian-made monument to a tsarist statesman in the Ukrainian capital.

19 Tons of FSB Latex Gloves Hijacked

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:07:00 GMT

Unidentified thieves stole a truckload of latex gloves owned by the Federal Security Service from a street in St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg Tells Dante Fans to Talk to Dead Poet

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:51:00 GMT

St. Petersburg officials have denied re-registration to the city’s branch of the world-renowned Dante Alighieri Society, insisting its members must agree its name with the great poet himself, Fontanka.ru news website reported on Monday.

2 Blown to Death by Hurricane

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:39:00 GMT

A hurricane caused death of two women in separate incidents in the city of Novorossiysk in southern Russia on Friday.

Israeli Toddler Bites off Snake’s Head

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:27:00 GMT

An 18-month Israeli boy bit off the head of a snake that crawled into his bedroom in Haifa, the Ynet News portal said on Thursday.

Kidnapped Athlete Kills Abductor

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:46:00 GMT

The abduction of a weightlifting instructor went awry this week in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan when the victim broke free and killed one of his kidnappers.

Russian Gets 5 Years for Killing Flasher

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:43:00 GMT

A man was jailed in Voronezh for beating to death an exhibitionist who was showing his genitals to a three-year-old boy.

Sailor Jailed for Joyriding on Boat

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:56:00 GMT

A sailor in western Siberia was sentenced to almost six years in a maximum security prison for joyriding on a boat for divers when drunk.

Kazakh Official Depicted in Church Fresco

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:43:00 GMT

In a throwback to medieval times, a regional official in Kazakhstan was included in a fresco of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem that adorns a local Orthodox Christian church.

Nationalist Jogging Event Mistaken for Gay Pride Rally

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:03:00 GMT

A nationalist rally for a healthy lifestyle in the Kaliningrad Region was cut short by police who mistook it for a gay pride parade, local media reported on Monday.

Stalin Death Mask Goes on Sale

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:37:00 GMT

The death mask of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin goes on sale in Britain on Tuesday.

Drunken Investigator Fired for Window Jumping

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:40:00 GMT

An official of the Investigative Committee of the Ulyanovsk region was sacked on Monday for jumping out of the office window while drunk.

Pilot Dies of Heart Attack Mid-Flight

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:15:00 GMT

A crew member of a UTair Boeing 757 flying from Bangkok to Novosibirsk in western Siberia died as the plane was flying over China, transportation prosecutors said Friday.

Man Steals Truckload of Booze

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:37:00 GMT

An unemployed man stole a truckload of vodka and other spirits in Voronezh region, but was detained before he could bust open a bottle, local police said Wednesday.

Broken-Hearted Man Sets Self on Fire, Jumps out Window

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:35:00 GMT

A young Muscovite committed suicide on Tuesday by setting himself on fire and jumping from the eleventh floor after a quarrel with his girlfriend, a police source said.

Turkish imam says Santa Claus 'dishonest'

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:49:00 GMT

The imam of the Turkish town of Kuzan has issued a warning to Muslims about Santa Claus, who he called a dishonest person, Italy's Corriere della Sera wrote.

Uzbeks crack down on undies

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:23:00 GMT

Women are going to have trouble getting a change of underwear in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent after a district head banned the sale of lingerie.

Man with 250 rare animals in luggage caught in Argentinean airport

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 03:34:00 GMT

Argentinean police detained a man, who tried to board a flight to Madrid with about 250 rare reptiles and mollusks in his luggage