Main news of January 6

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

 

WORLD

 

* China has called for the resumption of six-party negotiations on the Korean nuclear issue

* Tehran is set to increase oil production to 25,000 barrels per day by drilling eight new rigs in the Persian Gulf, an Iranian official said

* A Minsk district court refused to release Vladimir Neklyaev, an opposition presidential candidate, from custody

* Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz has paid Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom $1.078 billion for the December gas deliveries, the company said  

* Zdzislaw Starostecki, a chief designer of the Patriot missile, has died in the United States, Polish Radio reported

 

RUSSIA

 

* The lower house of the Russian parliament has prepared five amendments and two draft statements on a new strategic arms reduction treaty with the United States, a senior lawmaker said

* About 30 people were detained in Moscow as they protested the jailing of prominent opposition leader Boris Nemtsov

* A Russian icebreaker forced its way through ice to reach icebound ships in the Sea of Okhotsk, off Russia's far eastern coast

 

SPORTS

 

Russia snatched a 5-3 victory over Canada in World Junior Hockey Championships