Iran refused to accept assistance from Israel in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the Israeli press. According to these data, several Israeli non-governmental organizations, at the initiative of the country's Foreign Ministry, offered to provide humanitarian assistance to the victims of the earthquake and take part in the search for victims of the natural disaster.

Israeli armed forces on Friday evening launched an anti-terrorist operation in Nablus, located on the West Bank of the Jordan River, reports Ha'aretz. The city has a curfew. Two battalions of airborne troops began searching. The move comes after a meeting between Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and the leadership of the Shin Bet intelligence service and the police to discuss responses to a terrorist attack in a Tel Aviv suburb that killed four Israelis.

The George Bush administration has offered Iran humanitarian aid in connection with the devastating earthquake that occurred in the southeast of the country. It is reported by RIA "Novosti" with reference to the press secretary of the White House Scott McLellan. "This is a terrible tragedy. We offer to provide humanitarian assistance," said McLellan, who, on behalf of the US government, expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the earthquake.

Mikhail Trepashkin, who is on trial on charges of disclosing state secrets, handed over a detailed description of the torture he was subjected to. According to Trepashkin's statement, which was received by Graney.ru, he was tortured from November 30 to December 20, 2003, in the Matrosskaya Tishina pre-trial detention center and in the building of the Moscow district military court in the intervals between court sessions.

In the Iranian city of Bam destroyed by the earthquake, there are practically no living people left under the rubble, rescuers say. According to a RIA Novosti correspondent, the rescuers who arrived immediately began clearing away the rubble, but so far only the bodies of the dead have been pulled out from under the ruins. According to the Russian embassy in Tehran, there are no Russian citizens among the dead.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Ukraine has prepared a group of 50-60 cynologists with dogs and a mobile hospital designed to receive 200 people to be sent to Iran affected by the earthquake, RIA Novosti reports. As the duty officer of the ministry said on Saturday, the issue of transporting Ukrainian rescuers and doctors is now being resolved. At this time, the possibility of sending part of the Ukrainian specialists by the Kyiv-Tehran scheduled aircraft is being considered.

The Central Election Commission at its meeting on Saturday registered a group of voters created to support the self-nomination of Vladimir Bryntsalov as a candidate for the presidency of Russia. The CEC also registered 250 authorized representatives of this group, as well as financial representatives of Bryntsalov.

A team of rescuers from the Russian Emergencies Ministry and doctors arrived on Saturday afternoon in the Iranian city of Bam, which was most affected by the earthquake.

A large group of French rescuers is sent to Iran on Saturday to provide assistance to the population affected by the earthquake, RIA Novosti reports. According to the press service of the French Ministry of Defense, the C-130 military transport aircraft will start shortly after noon from the Istres air base. About 60 rescuers will be on board, who will take part in the aftermath of a natural disaster in southeastern Iran.

A plane with Polish rescuers and doctors flew to Iran to assist the victims of the earthquake on Saturday, RIA Novosti reports. The plane took off from Krakow, carrying 28 rescuers, three doctors and humanitarian aid.

The plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, which is taking place in Moscow behind closed animals, included in its agenda a discussion of the issue of separating the posts of the chairman of the party and the head of its parliamentary faction. This was announced by one of the participants of the plenum, Gazeta.Ru reports with reference to Interfax.

A plane with rescuers took off from Vienna's Schwechat airport on Saturday to Iran, RIA Novosti reports. According to the Austrian Red Cross, there are 11 rescuers with search dogs, firefighters and members of the Austrian army on board. All of them will take part in helping to eliminate the consequences of the earthquake in Iran, which killed tens of thousands of people.

On Saturday, an Italian bankruptcy court declared Parmalat insolvent, Reuters reported. This was done after company administrator Enrico Bondi described the recent situation. As a result of unnamed fraud, several billion euros disappeared from the accounts of Parmalat. The court decision will allow the company to continue its activities while paying off debts.

The first branch of the light metro, built in the Yuzhnoye Butovo district, was solemnly opened in Moscow, RIA Novosti reports. The total length of the route of this line is 10.8 km, of which 8.2 km pass through an overpass - an open area. A total of eight stops are planned on the line, five of them were opened on Saturday. These are the stations Starokachalovskaya Street, Skobelevskaya Street, Admiral Ushakov Boulevard, Gorchakova Street and Buninskaya Alley.

Sergey Shoigu. From the site of the Air Force On Saturday, December 27, Russia celebrates the Emergencies Ministry Day, RIA Novosti reports. President President Putin spoke with congratulations of leadership, employees and veterans of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, firefighters and military personnel of civil defense. The congratulations, in particular, say: "Russian citizens know that in difficult times you will always come to the rescue.