Main news of January 5

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

Russia:

* Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he does not rule out that an issue of further exploitation of Tu-154 planes will be raised after the January 1 explosion onboard the ill-fated Russian passenger jet that burned down in Siberia

* Moscow police officers detained seven people in downtown's Staraya Square who attempted to stage a rally in protest at the jailing of a prominent Russian opposition leader, Boris Nemtsov, a Moscow police source said

* Two Russian nationals have faced charges over the participation in the post-election mass riots in Belarusian capital of Minsk, a spokesman for Belarusian Police said

* Four militants were killed in a special police operation in the city of Khasavyurt, Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan, a spokesman for the anti-terrorism committee (NAC) said

* Russian icebound trawler Cape Elizabeth, trapped in the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia's Far East, was rescued, a spokesman for Far East Shipping Company said

* Russia's Admiral Makarov icebreaker is conducting the rescue operation over the Magadan icebreaker caught in ice in the Sakhalin Bay in Russia's Far East, a spokeswoman for the Far East Shipping Company said

 

World:

* The Polish president's visit to Russia on the anniversary of last year's deadly plane crash depends on how the two states proceed with the investigation into causes of the tragedy, an adviser said

* North Korea proposed South to start "unconditional and early" talks between the countries, Yonhap news agency said citing a statement from the North

* The U.S. President Barack Obama's press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said he plans to resign from his post, CNN TV channel reported

* Belarus should release those detained during the post-election beatings in Minsk in order to be invited to the EU summit due to be held in May in Hungary, Hungarian ambassador to Belarus, Ferenc Kontra said

* Ukrainian Prosecutor's General Office sees no grounds to arrest the opposition leader, Yulia Tymoshenko, charged with state funds' misuse, an investigator working with Tymoshenko said

* British royal family released on Wednesday new details of the forthcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the royal family's press service said

 

Business:

* European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso will visit Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan where he will discuss Nabucco gas pipeline project, the European top official said