2nd all-Russia congress Healthy Lifestyle to open in Moscow.

MOSCOW, February 18 (Itar-Tass) - The word "health" will be a key one
and many times repeated on Thursday in the Russian Academy of State
Service under the Russian president. The second all-Russian congress
"Healthy Lifestyle as a condition of sustainable development of the state
and a source of business competitiveness" is opening here.
"The habit to consume alcohol and tobacco is the main factor of early
mortality among Russians," co-chairman of the congress' organising
committee, President of the "League of the Nation's Health organisation
Leo Bokeriya said noting that "65 percent of men and over 30 percent of
women in Russia are chronic smokers."
The main aim of the congress is to discuss the positive experience of
ailment prevention, creation of territories of healthy lifestyles
accumulated in regions, to work out most efficient forms of interaction
between power bodies, the business community, healthcare establishments,
non-governmental organisations in the implementation of social projects
aimed at the formation of the citizens' healthy lifestyle.
According to the organisers of the congress that is held with support
of the Federation Council, Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Health and
Social Development Ministry, a research-practical conference and an
exhibition devoted to the experience of versatile prophylactic work for
the introduction in Russia of healthy lifestyle will be held within the
forum's framework.
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.US authorities file new charges against RF citizen Viktor Bout.

NEW YORK, February 18 (Itar-Tass) - The US authorities have filed new
charges against Russian citizen Viktor Bout whose extradition to the
United States from Thailand they are seeking. Attorney of the US Southern
District of New York Preet Bharara said on Wednesday that the charges are
brought against Bout and his "accomplice" Richard Ammar Chichakli for
"conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act
(IEEPA) stemming from their efforts to purchase two aircraft from
companies located in the United States, in violation of economic sanctions
which prohibited such financial transactions." The indictment unsealed
also charges Bout and Chichakli with "money laundering conspiracy, wire
fraud conspiracy and six separate counts of wire fraud, in connection with
these financial transactions."
The indictment says that In connection with the purchase of these
aircraft and services relating thereto, Bout and Chichakli electronically
transferred more than 1.7 million US dollars through banks in New York and
into bank accounts located in the United States. They did so through a
number of front companies, whose assets were also owned and controlled by
Bout, in order to evade the UNSC's sanctions regime and the IEEPA
prohibitions. Upon the discovery that Chichakli was connected to Samar
Airlines, the US Treasury Department blocked the funds that had been
transferred into the bank accounts of the US aviation companies.
On Tuesday, Bangkok's criminal court finished an additional hearing of
the case over extradition to the United States of Viktor Bout. Thai judges
denied the opportunity to the United States to attach to the case the
letter from Colombia's Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez .
The Russian businessman was detained in Bangkok on March 6, 2008 on US
request. The USA claimed Bout was involved in illegal arms trade, and
planned to supply a batch of armaments to FARC. In August 2009, the
businessman was cleared of all charges.
Since Bout's arrest, the United States has been actively pursuing his
extradition from Thailand on a separate set of US charges. Those charges
allege that Bout conspired to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to
the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (the FARC) - a designated
foreign terrorist organisation based in Colombia - to be used to kill
Americans in Colombia. The United States has apprised Thai authorities of
the new charges against Bout unsealed on Wednesday and will continue to
work closely with them on this matter. The United States is also
coordinating with INTERPOL to locate and arrest Chichakli.
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.Honorary consulate of Norway to be opened in Arkhangelsk.

ARKHANGELSK, February 18 (Itar-Tass) - The honorary consulate of the
Kingdom of Norway will be opened in Arkhangelsk in autumn 2010, the press
service of the regional administration said on Wednesday after a meeting
of governor Ilya Mikhalchuk with Consul General of Norway in Murmansk Jon
Elvedal Fredriksen.
The Norwegian official proposed to hold for the day of the honorary
consulate opening in Arkhangelsk to hold Norwegian Culture Days. The
governor supported this idea and said he would like these events to
coincide with the major Margaritinskaya autumn fair.
Relations between Norway and the Pomor (White Sea coast) area of
Russia have a long history. Fishermen of the two countries in the past had
even developed a special - Russian-Norwegian language for communication
and business affairs. Norway's consulate was actively working in
Arkhangelsk before the beginning of the past century. Now the economic,
educational and cultural ties are strengthening between the Arkhangelsk
region and many regions of Norway. These are joint programmes in the oil
and natural gas sphere, the international project for the creation of the
Northern sea corridor, educational projects that are especially important
after the creation of Northern (Arctic) Federal University, the press
service noted.
Arkhangelsk Region is located in northern European Russia and borders
on the Republic of Karelia and Vologda and Murmansk regions. Its original
name was Dvina Land (Dvinskaya Zemlya). Dvina Land was reorganized into
Arkhangelogorod Province in 1708 by decree of Peter the Great, then into
Arkhangelsk Province in December 1796, and finally into Arkhangelsk Region
in September 1937.
Arkhangelsk Region is a major commercial and industrial centre of
Russia with 3000 km of coastline on three Arctic seas (Barents, Kara and
White seas), which help strengthen economic ties with many countries
around the world. It is a large region with well-developed fishing,
forest, woodworking, and pulp and paper industries.
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