Yantar train proceeds on its way after bomb hoax.

ORSHA (Vitebsk Region, Belarus), January 6 (Itar-Tass) - Information
that the deluxe train 30 Yantar was mined has not been confirmed, a source
in Belarus law enforcement agencies has told Itar-Tass.

Over 500 passengers of the train were evacuated to the warm building
of the Orsha railway station for more than two hours. Outdoor air
temperature was ten degrees below zero (Celsius). People were offered hot
tea free of charge. Special attention was devoted to passengers with
children and to the elderly. Everyone could get physician's advice free.
The train was brought to an emergency stop at Orsha after an
unidentified phone caller had told police that the Kaliningrad-Moscow
train had been mined. Personnel of the Ministry for Emergencies, combat
engineers with dogs, several ambulance teams, and over 200 policemen were
called in. The source said nothing suspicious had been found during an
inspection of the train.
Following that, the passengers were allowed to return to the train
which then proceeded on its way to Moscow.

.Washington's centenarian marks her 110th birthday.

WASHINGTON, January 6 (Itar-Tass) - Washington's centenarian Addie
Williams has marked her 110th birthday, the Washington Post newspaper
reported on Tuesday.
It was quite a significant event: It is hard to believe but Addie
Williams was born early in January 1900. Many visitors -- relatives,
friends, and even members of the city council -- came to her house on
Monday, not only to wish her many more happy returns of the day but also
to hear words of advice as to how to attain such an advanced age and be
hale and hearty.
The pieces of advice offered turned out to be quite simple: one must
love everybody, not waste one's strength on hatred, not to gossip, just go
about your pursuits and keep your body in good trim.

.Moscow's Homecoming festival to be held for 13th time.

MOSCOW, January 6 (Itar-Tass) - Young musicians from various countries
gather here for Moscow's Homecoming festival for the13th time. As
tradition has it, the festival opens on Wednesday, on the eve of the
Orthodox Christmas, in the Rachmaninoff Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire.
The brass quintet of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia
will open this festival of chamber music. The quintet will play the music
of Guillaume Dufay, leading representative of the Dutch composing school.
The programme of the first soiree includes works of various styles and
epochs: music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Mikhail Glinka, Dmitry
Shostakovich, Alfred Shnitke, our contemporary Denis Fyodorov, an alumnus
of the Russian Music Academy named after Gnesiny, and other composers.
Violinist Roman Minz, the author of the Homecoming festival idea, has
told Itar-Tass, "It is gratifying to note that the number of participants
in our review has again grown this year. Many musicians will perform on
its stage for the first time. The number of premieres has increased as
well".
Prize-winners of international competitions and alumni of leading
Russian institutions of higher learning will demonstrate their performing
skills during the festival days. Many of them further their education
abroad and tour worldwide a good deal.
Among permanent participants in the Homecoming festival are as
follows: cellists Kristina Blaumane (Latvia) and Boris Andrianov, viola
player Maxim Rysanov, violin player Alexander Sitkovetsky, clarinetist
Igor Fyodorov, pianists Kseniya Bashmet and Alexander Kobrin.
Soprano singer Anna Dennis (UK), viola player Yulia Deineka, and
violin player Alyona Bayeva, and many others will perform at the festival
for the first time.
The festival is to end on January 12 with a concert of works requested
by the audiences.

.Sensitive scanners to be installed at Canada airports.

OTTAWA, January 6 (Itar-Tass) - Sensitive scanners that make it
possible to spot guns and explosives hidden under one's clothes will be
installed at Canadian airports soon, Canadian Transport Minister John
Baird said Tuesday.
"We've got to stay ahead of the terrorist elements," he emphasized,
pointing out that the government intends to purchase 44 scanners worth
$250,000 each. The first of them are to be put in place at the airports of
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and
Halifax already in the coming weeks.
The Minister said the new scanning equipment would be used for a
selective examination of passengers who will be given a choice between a
full-body scan and a physical search.
A screen to show a 3D image will be installed at a distance from the
examination area so that the airport staff would not see the faces of
people undergoing scanning. Those who will not wish to go through this
procedure will be subjected to an individual examination.
The need to enhance safety measures acquired particular urgency
following the December 25 incident when a Nigerian tried to blow up a
Detroit-bound airliner. Immediately after the incident, Canada banned most
carry-on luggage for U.S.-bound passengers in an effort to ease lines at
security checkpoints.
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