Moscow – Russia has rejected European- proposed U.N. sanctions aimed at forcing Iran to halt its suspected nuclear weapons drive, but Moscow appears to be applying its own pressure by threatening to delay a key nuclear power project.
Analysts say the Kremlin is determined not to push Iran into a corner like North Korea – blaming tough U.S. policies for Pyong yang’s recent nuclear test – but Tehran’s refusal to compromise has led to growing impatience in Moscow despite the two countries’ close commercial ties.
“President Putin is angry at (Iranian President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad but he understands that it’s probably too late to do anything now,” said Georgy Mirsky, chief researcher at the Institute for World Economics and International Relations in Moscow.
Additional nation/world news briefs:
BEIJING
“Year of the Dog” a singular event
It’s the “Year of the Dog” in China, but it’s not a good year for man’s best friend: an effort to stamp out rabies has prompted authorities to limit families in Beijing to only one dog.
The directive, reported by state media on Wednesday, follows a campaign in which tens of thousands of dogs were killed to fight the disease.
In a reminder of the country’s “one child” policy, the official Xinhua News Agency said Beijing was instituting a “one dog” policy for each household in nine areas.
“Only one pet dog is allowed per household in the zones, and dangerous and large dogs will be banned. Anyone keeping an unlicensed dog will face prosecution,” Xinhua said.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa
Government begins to shift AIDS stance
The South African government, long reluctant to face up to the country’s overwhelming number of AIDS deaths and infections, has finally changed its stance, AIDS activists said Wednesday.
The deputy president, Phum zile Mlambo-Ncguka, who was named last month to head a revitalized government council meant to address the issue, met with activists and effectively sidelined the health minister, who has promoted the benefits of lemons, garlic and beets as treatments for the fatal disease.
The government brought in Mlambo-Ncguka after a chorus of international criticism of the South African booth at this year’s international AIDS conference, which included a prominent display of the vegetables.
