US President Barack Obama accepted the resignation of General John Allen, who held the position of commander of the international security assistance in Afghanistan (ISAF). This is stated in the statement of Obama, widespread by the White House. “I met with General Allen and accepted his petition for resignation from military service,” Obama pointed out. He noted that Allen explained this request with the intention to “engage in his health,” ITAR-TASS reports.

The presentation of 57 paintings transferred by the famous British collector Sir Denis Maon as a gift to Museums of Great Britain took place on Wednesday in London, ITAR-TASS reports. The total cost of paintings by Italian artists of the XVI - XVII centuries who worked in the Baroque style reaches $ 150 million. Denis Maon gained worldwide fame for his ability to find unique artwork in the most unexpected places.

The elder brother of Benedict XVI Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, who serves as a regent of the choir in Regensburg, said on Tuesday in an interview with the German information portal Passauer Neue Presse, that after February 28, the pontiff will still wear white Sutan. “The brother will definitely remain in his White Sutan,” RIA Novosti quotes George Ratzinger, who noted that in the spiritual sense he who became the Pope hiss will remain forever.

A new version of the reasons for the mass battle with the use of weapons arranged the night before by immigrants from Azerbaijan in St. Petersburg is put forward. Initially, it was reported that the natives of one village fought, shot from pistols and chased one after another on cars, defending their business interests .

The American Academy of Cinema -Arts completed on Tuesday voting for the nominees of the prestigious Oscar film award. The last voice was supposed to be fed until 17:00 in the time of the western coast of the United States (5:00 in Moscow), ITAR-TASS reports with reference to the press service of the Academy.

The native mother of the three -year -old Maxim Kuzmin , who died in the American foster family, was previously deprived of parental rights for drunkenness, allegedly stopped an asocial lifestyle and asked her to return her second son Cyril, adopted by the same spouses Shatto.

The Russian businessman-builder Sergei Polonsky, now in prison in Cambodia , continues to conflict with his partners. On February 18, he signed an order to dismiss from all posts of Alexei Alyakin, who redeems the share of Polonsky in the “Stream” group (former Mirax Group). Alyakin - Chairman of the Board and General Director of LLC UK Potok 8, which today runs the business of the group.

Investigators of the Republic of Dagestan completed a preliminary investigation in a criminal case instituted against two residents of St. Petersburg, who are accused of organizing a murder of 13 years ago. A shareholder became a victim of a gang of raiders, which also included the St. Petersburg politician. After the death of the victim General Director, the attackers with the help of many years of fraud took possession of his share in the enterprise.

The Ministry of Finance has decided on the side in the conflict between motorists and insurance companies that hope to increase tariffs along with the upcoming growth of the policy of insurance payments for policies. OSAGO should not rise in price, said Deputy Minister of Finance Alexei Moiseev. Earlier in this case , insurers threatened to turn the business, since there would be nothing to pay according to the increased requirements .

The Indian Police of Maharastra is investigating a new shocking crime on sexual soil, associated with the triple murder of children. The corpses of three raped girls from one family were found at the bottom of the village well. Moreover, the police first tried to hide the circumstances of the case, characterizing what happened as an "accident." The dead turned from six to eleven years.

United Russia Vladimir Pekhtin, who had previously left the post of head of the Duma ethics commission due to real estate scandal in Miami , announced the addition of deputy powers, ITAR-TASS reports. “I pass the mandate, which I always sought in an honest political struggle,” Pekhtin proclaimed at a meeting of the State Duma on Wednesday. And immediately he was gathered in the USA on business. “I made a not very easy decision to resign the authority of the State Duma deputy.

Canonical adapted an open source operating system Ubuntu, not only for smartphones, but also tablets. She will support models with a screen diagonal from 6 to 20 inches and a dimensions of diets (PPI) from 100 to 450. On February 21, application developers will gain access to the operating system on Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 models, simultaneously with the UBUNTU output for the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4 smartphones, Vesti.ru reported.

The Public Chamber found out what the price of a rainy loaf consists of. According to data published by RBC Daily , over the past two years, the shares of traders, flourmers and retailers have declined in the cost of bread. But the share of grain almost doubled, and the bakery allowance also significantly increased. The Public Chamber has removed the bread index .

"Russian Post" will pay a fine for violation of the delivery time of postal items from Moscow to the regions, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation. The report notes that after messages in the media reports on violations in the activities of the Russian Post and that allegedly, as a result of the improper organization of the organization’s activities at Vnukovo Airport, a significant amount of mail accumulated.

The Tatarstan Police checks after the appearance of a video made on January 17, on which the traffic police accompany the delegation, according to the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic. The same check of the video recording of the traffic police of the traffic police of the Governor of the Chelyabinsk Region during his working trip is organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Chelyabinsk Region.