Africa has been added to Russia and Kazakhstan Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing went on a week-long tour of West Africa. He will visit Cape Verde, Senegal, Mali, Liberia, Nigeria and Libya. Africa now accounts for about a third of China's oil imports, coming from Angola, Sudan and Congo. But it is no coincidence that the minister visits Nigeria and Libya - China wants to get new sources of raw materials. The total volume of oil imports of China in 2005 amounted to 130 million tons.

The European troika threatens to break off negotiations Today in Berlin, the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Great Britain, with the participation of the EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, will discuss what to do next with Iran and how to proceed with negotiations on the nuclear issue of this country.

The stalwart Leninist served 12 years In a remarkable coincidence, the 12-year prison sentence of 78-year-old Mykolas Burokevičius, the former leader of the Lithuanian Communist Party, expires tomorrow. And January 13 is listed in the Lithuanian calendar as Freedom Defenders Day. Exactly 15 years ago, on January 13, 1991, the culmination of tragic events came when blood was shed near the Vilnius television tower.

Ukrainians do not want to join NATO, but will join in 2008 In 2008, Ukraine may enter the next “wave” of NATO expansion, which currently has 26 members. This was stated recently by Alliance Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. In two years, a summit will take place at which the next candidate countries “will be able to join NATO,” the secretary general explained.

Putin and Yushchenko ended the gas war in 30-degree weather The inauguration of the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, which took place yesterday in Astana, was, of course, a remarkable event. If only because Nazarbayev accepted the formation of the guard of honor, lined up in anticipation of him at the presidential palace, in the bitter cold, which exceeded 30 degrees.

Angela Merkel will visit the USA first In the coming days, German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel (pictured) will devote herself entirely to foreign policy activities. In terms of travel, there are two capitals: first Washington, then Moscow. Today the head of the German cabinet heads overseas for talks with President George Bush. This coming Monday, Mrs. Merkel is expected in the Kremlin for the first time.

The Syrian Prosecutor General's Office yesterday opened a criminal case against the former vice-president of this country, Abdel Halim Khaddam (pictured) . The 73-year-old associate of the late President Hafez al-Assad, the father of current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is accused of treason and “complicity in a conspiracy by external forces aimed at destabilizing the situation” in Syria.

The resignation of the Ukrainian government is invalid, but there is no one to cancel it The political crisis in Ukraine, provoked by the sudden resignation of the government of Prime Minister Yuri Yekhanurov by Rada on January 10, has caused a stir in world capitals. President Viktor Yushchenko, who was on a visit to Astana yesterday, received an urgent call from the head of the US State Department, Condoleezza Rice. Brussels also responded.

Life sentence for attempting to assassinate two presidents at once Life imprisonment - this is the sentence handed down by a Tbilisi court on Wednesday to 27-year-old Vladimir Harutyunyan (pictured) , who was found guilty of an attempt on the lives of US and Georgian Presidents George Bush and Mikheil Saakashvili on Freedom Square on May 10, 2005 and other crimes, including in murder. Judge Vladimir Dzhugeli read out the indictment for several hours, until late in the evening.