Aziz Asbar, a well known scientist believed to be close to Syrian President Bashar al-Asad, was killed in a car explosion in the Syrian city of Masyaf, the Israeli portal Walla reports.

The explosion took place as Asbar sat in his car, just outside his house. His driver was also killed.

Militants led by a certain Abu Amar have claimed responsibility for the attack, but local journalists believe that foreign intelligence may have been behind it.

The city of Masyaf has a scientific research …

Wess Mitchel, the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs summoned Dmitry Zhirnov, the charge d'affaires of Russia in the United States, to answer for the Russian propaganda in social networks. Washington regards this as Moscow's interference in the internal affairs of the USA, reported in Twitter Heather Nauert, the State Department spokeswoman.

"Assistant Secretary Mitchell convoked Russian Chargé Zhirnov to answer for the Kremlin’s attempts to use social media …

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin arrived in Crimea Saturday, August 4th, where he visited the evening-opening of the festival “Opera in Chersonese.” It will take place on the territory of the museum-reserve “Chersonese Tavrichensky” in Sevastopol on August 10-12, reported the press service of the Russian president.

Putin watched the ballet, and then, with Metropolitan Tikhon visited the Vladimirsky cathedral, where “restoration work continues.”

Together with Putin, Russian …

Russia intends to change the border-crossing rules for long-distance truck drivers of the third countries entering its territory from Belarus, reports DW.

At the end of July, Russian border guards received instructions how to implement additional control measures. They were obliged to stop drivers with any passports from entering the territory of Russia, except for Russian and Belarusian.

However, on the night of August 1, an order was issued not to apply new measures. An introduction of this …

Bogdan Vasiluk, a priest of St. George Church in the town of Labytnangi visited a political prisoner, filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who is in the Polar Bear penal colony, as reported by the press service of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) of Russia for the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug on Saturday, August 4.

"Bogdan Vasiluk visited the convicted O. Sentsov’s cell during his visit-round. The Priest asked about his health condition and Oleh Sentsov replied that he feels well and is being …