Main news of February 13

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

WORLD

* Egypt's military leadership said in a statement it dissolved both houses of the country's parliament and suspended the constitution

* A spontaneous demonstration against Egyptian soldiers who are trying to force a path for traffic to start flowing through Cairo's Tahrir Square, broke out in Sunday, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported

* European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek has called on Algerian authorities to refrain from violence, immediately release protesters and respect freedom of assembly

* Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said Egypt's ousted President Hosni Mubarak remains in his residence in Sharm el-Sheikh, denying rumors that he possibly fled the country

* Yemeni opposition parties announced their plans to hold national dialogue with the government of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) has reported

* Thousands of Italian women took to the streets in downtown Rome and 230 other cities demanding the resignation of Premier Silvio Berlusconi and respect for female dignity

* The overwhelming majority of Egyptian protestors have left Cairo's central Tahrir Square and military restored the automobile traffic which was suspended for over two weeks, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported

* The Israeli government approved Maj.- Gen. Benny Gantz the Israel Defense Forces' 20th chief of General Staff

* The coastal guards of Sri Lanka have impounded a cargo vessel over suspicions that its Russian crew has intentionally ditched a workfellow who fell into the water, the Maritime Bulletin news website said

* The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in the West Bank promised to hold fair presidential and legislative elections by September, however the announcement immediately faced opposition from the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza

* Eight valuable pieces including a statue of King Tutankhamun have been stolen from the Egyptian museum in Cairo's Tahrir Square, Egypt's minister of state for antiquities Zahi Hawass said

*Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna made an embarrassing mix-up at a UN Security Council meeting when he accidentally read out a speech of his Portuguese counterpart, local media have reported

* A Ukrainian-born man has been arrested in New York after a 28-hour rampage in which he killed his stepfather, ex-girlfriend, her mother and a pedestrian

* Leaders of the Middle East believe revolts are likely to continue in the region following the recent uprising in Egypt, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and envoy to the region Alexander Saltanov said

RUSSIA

* A lawyer for Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov has requested Moscow's judicial panel to strip Judge Olga Borovkova of powers over a 'chair incident'

* The Guardian Moscow correspondent Luke Harding who was expulsed from Russia a week ago, returned in Moscow, head of the Foreign Press Association of Moscow Adib Al Sayed said

* Moscow authorities are working on a new environmental program for the next five years, designed to increase the area of its parks and public gardens, as well as purify water in city rivers and ponds

* Strong winds damaged power transmission lines in south European Russia, leaving thousands blacked out in the Volgograd Region

* With the Russian capital seeing the number of car accidents increase due to heavy snowfalls and ice-covered roads, the Moscow traffic police have called on drivers to change to winter tires

*Strong gales have wrecked a bulk carrier off the coast of Russia's Black Sea city of Sochi, allegedly, two of the ship's crewmembers are missing, a source from the local branch of the Emergencies Ministry said

* The death toll from a warehouse fire in the Urals has risen to 16 as 4 four new bodies were uncovered, investigators said

BUSINESS

* Russian state-controlled power trader Inter RAO UES is planning a joint venture with Syria in power supplies, head of the company Boris Kovalchuk said

* Russian state-controlled power trader Inter RAO UES opened its representative office in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates

SPORTS

* Thousands of skiers across Russial took part in an all-Russian ski race entitled Russian Ski Run 2011