Main news of February 23

RUSSIA

* A number of official ceremonies and party meetings were held in Moscow on Defender of the Fatherland Day, a public holiday throughout Russia

WORLD

* Iran has answered all questions of the UN nuclear watchdog regarding the Islamic country's nuclear activities, government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham said

* Armenia's incumbent President Robert Kocharyan described opposition protests against the results of Tuesday's polls in the country, which elected Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisyan its new leader, as a coup attemp

* A blast in a private bus injured at least 18 in a southern Colombo suburb, a national security spokesman said