US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is on a visit to Abu Dhabi and is trying to enlist the support of allies in the Persian Gulf area to provide pressure on Iran. A source from the environment of Gates told reporters in a private conversation that the minister intends to coordinate some measures against several Iranian companies working in the United Arab Emirates.

In Russia, in 2009, human rights continued to be violated - this conclusion is contained in the released annual report of the US State Department on the provision of human rights in the world. In particular, the document evaluates the presidential election in Russia in 2008 - they are called "dishonest and not free." The report also notes that the Russian government "directly or indirectly" intervened in regional and local elections.

In Greece today, the third universal protest strike against anti -crisis measures announced by the Government is taking place in Greece today. In the country, by the call of the two largest trade unions, public transport does not function, many flights have been canceled, hospitals, schools are closed. Participants in the action achieve the abolition of recent decisions of the authorities aimed at reducing the record budget deficit.

Marina Timasheva: On March 9, the Viva Cello cello opened in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. The world premiere was timed to his discovery - Yuri Bashmet was punished by a symphony for the cello and Alta Alexei Rybnikov. On March 15, Misha Misha in a duet with her daughter will perform Russian romances in a shift for cello and piano. And on March 17, Roger Moore arrives at the closing of the festival. The artist, known to us most of all, like James Bond, will act as a reader ....

Irina Lagunina: At a conference on renewable energy held last month in Ankara, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said that the Turkish government was “decisively” regarding the sources of renewable energy. In Antalya, conditions for the placement of solar panels have already been created - about five thousand square kilometers. This will be the largest large -scale electricity production based on the heat cycle in Turkey.

Cycling. Multi-day race "Tyrren-adriatico" (Italy) Stage 2 1. Tom Bonen (Belgium) 2. Paul Martens (Germany) 3. Daniele Bennati (Italy) Linus Gerdemann (Germany) headed the overall stand.

In Iraq - according to the first preliminary results - in the parliamentary elections in two southern provinces the Shiite coalition of Prime Minister Nuri Al -Malika leads. After the counting of 30 percent of the votes in the provinces of Najaf and Babil, the most of the votes in supported by Shiites, the “coalition in support of the state of the law” received the main rumor, its main rival is followed by a minimal gear - also the Shiite Iraqi National Coalition.

US President Barack Obama warned of the possibility of a “new humanitarian catastrophe” in Haiti if international efforts to restore the country after an earthquake are no more effective. Obama said this on Wednesday at negotiations in Washington with President Haiti Rene Preval. Barack Obama assured that the United States will continue to actively participate in the restoration of Haiti. Now in this country there are more than 20 thousand American civilian specialists and military personnel.

The League of the Arab countries may refuse to support indirect Israeli -Palestinian negotiations - in connection with Israel's plans, expand the Jewish quarters of East Jerusalem. With such a statement, the League made on Wednesday. Earlier, Israel announced his intention to build 1600 new houses in Eastern Jerusalem. Palestinians and Arab states are categorically against new construction. The decision of Israel was criticized by US Vice President Joe Biden, located in the Middle East.

The mayor of Smolensk Eduard Kachanovsky, accused of bribery, was left in custody. The Smolensk Regional Court rejected the request to change the preventive measure. According to the investigation, Kachanovsky demanded from the director of the construction organization a three -room apartment worth more than 2 million rubles in a new house - for issuing permission to put this house into operation.

About a hundred Iranian journalists were forced to leave the country in connection with the events after the June presidential election. As stated in the report of the International Committee for the Protection of Journalists, published in Beirut, the media officers became the main target of the Iranian authorities, seeking to put an end to massive opposition protests against the re -election by President Mahmad Akhmadinejad.

The next regional elections promise the next scandals. On the eve of the regional elections that will take place on March 14, representatives of opposition parties declare the facts of bribing voters by United Russia in Tula. In Ryazan, the local law enforcement agencies seized the eve of the Vecherny Ryazan newspaper, and in Irkutsk about 700 people came to the rally in support of the candidate Anton Romanov, who was removed from the elections a few days before the vote.