Main News of August 28

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

WORLD

* UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon insisted Wednesday on the need for a diplomatic solution to the Syrian conflict and urged the UN Security Council to “unite,” as Western nations apparently geared up for military measures against Damascus

* Two Ukrainian nationals who were part of the crew on board a Russian-made helicopter seized by Sudanese rebels earlier this month have been released, a Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman said

RUSSIA

* A unit of Russian fighter jets will be deployed in Belarus before the yearend, Belarusian Defense Minister Yury Zhadobin said

* Moscow criticized Lithuania for extraditing a Russian man to the United States to stand trial on charges of smuggling military equipment, and said it would strive to get him returned to Russia

* Gunmen who shot dead a top security official in Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia Tuesday have been identified, investigators said

BUSINESS

* Russia’s MiG fighter jet maker has signed two additional contracts with India worth a total $55 million, the corporation said

* Ukraine, in an effort to stave off mounting trade pressure from Russia, signaled willingness at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to negotiate trade agreements with its eastern neighbor

* In a groundbreaking deal, Russia is to deliver Mi-17 military transport helicopters to Cameroon, a spokesperson for Russian Technologies said