MOSCOW, January 8 (Itar-Tass) - Russia celebrated Christmas on
Thursday. Some 5,000 people attended the divine service at the Christ the

PYONGYANG, January 8 (Itar-Tass) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Il
continued his tour of industrial facilities on Thursday, reported the

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, January 8 (Itar-Tass) - Mayor of the town of
Vilyuchinsk on the Kamchatka peninsula Alexander Markman, charged with

TVER, January 8 (Itar-Tass) - The 2nd reactor at the Kalinin nuclear
power plant was brought out of cold standby at 17:07, Moscow time, on

MOSCOW, January 8 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Minister of Culture Alexander
Avdeyev said the upcoming transfer of facilities into the ownership of

VLADIKAVKAZ, January 8 (Itar-Tass) - The Transcaucasian highway has
been partially opened to traffic since Thursday evening, the spokeswoman

MAKHACHKALA, January 8 (Itar-Tass) - An explosion occurred in
Dagestan's capital Makhachkala at around 22:00, Moscow time, on Thursday,

Tokyo, Jan. 8 (Jiji Press)--Japan plans to assist infrastructure
development in Indonesia as part of a broader effort to promote economic
development in Asia, officials said.

(ATTN: CORRECTS figure for cash return in para 7)
SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Yonhap) -- The national pension fund is set to post its highest

By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Yonhap) -- An appellate court on Friday sentenced scandal-ridden
businessman Park Yeon-cha to two and a half years in prison and a fine of 30