One of the heads of the national security service of Equatorial Guinea has been relieved of his duties. As AFP reported on February 7, captain Bienvenido Esono Engonga is suspected of plotting a coup and assassinating the country's president. A senior AFP source in Equatorial Guinea said the alleged plotter, who headed the security forces in the country's most economically developed city of Bata, was urgently ordered to report to the capital Malabo after being fired.

Police in the Chinese province of Hubei have shut down a site called Black Hawk Safety Net that trained hackers. China Daily writes about this with reference to local media reports. The site ceased operation in November 2009. However, Chinese journalists do not specify why this information became known only now, Reuters notes. The police also arrested three people involved in maintaining the site. They are suspected of distributing software designed for network attacks.

The draw will bring it to Kiev The Russian national team was lucky with its opponents in the Euro 2012 qualifying tournament On February 7, the draw for the qualifying tournament of the 2012 European Football Championship took place in Warsaw. The Russian team, having avoided meeting with the strongest opponents, ended up in a group from which they need to leave in first place.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko will hold a meeting of the BYuT faction on February 8 at 21:00 Kiev time, Ukrainskaya Pravda reports , citing an informed source. What specific issues will be discussed at the faction meeting, which will be held in the Kyiv office of BYuT, is not specified.

Australian actor Sam Worthington, remembered by viewers for the films “Avatar” and “Terminator: May the Savior Come,” will play the main role in the film “The Fields.” This was reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Worthington will have to get used to the role of a Texas detective who, together with his New York colleague, is investigating a series of brutal murders. The film will be directed by Ami Canaan Mann, daughter of famed director Michael Mann.

In the city of Pervouralsk, Sverdlovsk Region, a trial has begun in the case of the death of four people at the Hollywood discotheque. reported this on February 8 RIA Novosti . The case, in which the director of the disco, Alexey Sechkin, is accused of causing death by negligence and providing unsafe services, is being considered by the Pervouralsk City Court. The meeting is held behind closed doors. According to the Interfax agency , both the defendant and the victims petitioned for this.

Iran plans to build 10 new uranium enrichment plants over the next year, which will begin on March 21, according to the Iranian calendar. Reuters writes about this with reference to a statement made on Sunday, February 7, by the head of the country's atomic energy organization, Ali Akbar Salehi. Information that 10 uranium enrichment plants would be built in Iran appeared at the end of 2009. In November, the country's government ordered the start of construction of five such enterprises.

The Moscow budget deficit at the end of 2009 increased more than five times compared to the previous year and reached 145.5 billion rubles. This statement was made by the first deputy head of the capital’s finance department, Serafim Yarnykh, Interfax reports . In 2008, the capital's budget deficit amounted to 26 billion rubles. At the same time, the real budget deficit last year turned out to be 90 billion rubles less than planned.

Physicists have shown (so far, however, in theory) that doped graphane can transform into a superconducting state at relatively high temperatures. The scientists' article has not yet been accepted for publication, but its preprint is available on arXiv.org. As part of the study, the scientists conducted a computer simulation of the behavior of doped graphane, that is, graphane to which impurities were added in a certain way to change the magnetic and electrical properties of the material.

In Ivenets (Minsk region of Belarus), police officers and bailiffs appeared at the Polish House, which belongs to the Union of Poles of Belarus, unrecognized by the authorities. This was reported by Charter'97 with reference to an activist of this organization, journalist Andrzej Poczobut. Bailiffs began to inventory the property. The building itself is surrounded by policemen. On what basis the property is described is unknown. “There was no court decision,” says Pochobut.

Based on the results of processing 11.24 percent of the protocols received after the second round of the presidential elections in Ukraine, the leader of the Party of Regions, Viktor Yanukovych , received 52.17 percent of the votes, and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko - 42.6 percent. 4.18 percent of registered voters voted against both candidates. Turnout for the February 7 elections, according to preliminary data, was 69.08 percent.

In accordance with the law being prepared for adoption on the return of objects taken away by the Soviet government to the church, in 2010 the Novodevichy Convent will be completely transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church. Currently, the monastery is partly administered by the Russian Orthodox Church, and partly belongs to the State Historical Museum. In particular, the Smolensk Cathedral and many buildings are under the jurisdiction of museum workers.

Self-nominated candidates in the municipal elections in the Ulyanovsk region, scheduled for March 14, declared their dissatisfaction with the existing election legislation. In their opinion, today, in the overwhelming majority of cases, only party representatives have a chance of participating in elections. In this regard, the candidates prepared an appeal to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev . reports this Kommersant .

A recreation center allegedly used by criminal authorities was discovered in the Samara region. reported this on February 8 RIA Novosti . The base was located in several detached cottages on the banks of the Usa River. Law enforcement officers discovered secret rooms in the houses. The doors to the secret rooms were disguised as mirrors. In addition to furniture, the rooms contained warm clothing and toiletries.

The number of currency exchange offices in Moscow and the Moscow region has decreased by a quarter over the past six months, to 615. This statement was made by Bank of Russia representative Mikhail Sukhov , RIA Novosti reports . “Over six months, the number of exchangers decreased from 898 to 709, and in principle no one noticed this,” Interfax quotes Sukhov as saying .