Russia

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that eight officials from the European Union (EU)'s bodies and member countries are banned from entering Russia in retaliation. The sanctioned figures include President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, and European Commission Vice President for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova, Xinhua reported.

Major General Mahbubur Rahman, Director General of the country's Drug Administration, made the announcement on Tuesday, the Xinhua news agency reported. The decision came days after Dhaka suspended the first dosing of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine on a supply crunch. "We've given permission for the emergency use of the Russian Covid-19 vaccine," Rahman told journalists.

The number of first deputy chairmen has been raised to two. Ivan Melnikov retains this post and Yuri Afonin, who was previously deputy chairman, has been promoted to first deputy chairman, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday. The deputy chairmen of the party's central committee now include Melnikov (first deputy), Afonin (first deputy), Vladimir Kashin, Dmitry Novikov, and Leonid Kalashnikov.

The announcement was made by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and its Russian counterpart Roscosmos at a conference for the international moon station in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province on Friday.

The fight against climate change requires united efforts of the entire international community, Putin said in an address to the Leaders Summit on Climate via video link on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.

It will be possible for tourists from most countries to obtain electronic visas remotely "without unnecessary formalities" within just four days, Putin said in his annual state-of-the-nation address to the Federal Assembly on Wednesday.

The ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that it summoned deputy chief of the US mission Bartle Gorman and gave him a note declaring these people "persona non grata", Xinhua news agency reported.

The share of modern weapons and equipment is expected to reach 76 per cent by 2024, and this share in Russia's nuclear triad will exceed 88 per cent this year, Putin told lawmakers and government officials on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Navalny's team has said the 44-year-old's health is quickly deteriorating at the prison camp where he is being held, DPA reported. They announced protests in more than 160 Russian cities and towns to draw attention to his plight and clamour for prison authorities to allow him access to independent doctors.

"I believe it is important for me to speak directly with my new colleagues in the Biden administration in Washington about the current state of bilateral relations between the US and Russia," he told Russia's TASS News Agency.