NEWS

Statue of Pioneering Space Dog Unveiled

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - A bronze monument to the street dog turned cosmonaut Laika, who was the first living creature in space and paved the way for manned flights, was unveiled in Northwest Moscow Friday.

The monument, erected a day before Russia's Cosmonautics Day celebrated on April 12, is a two-meter (6.5 feet) high space rocket with Laika proudly standing on top.

The three-year-old mongrel, originally named Kudryavka or "little curly-haired one," was selected from an animal shelter to become the first living passenger to fly on the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2.

Laika was launched into space on November 3, 1957 and died a few hours later from overheating. Officials said at the time she died due to a lack of oxygen, but the true cause of death was only made public in October 2002.

Images From Pushkin Museum To Appear On Moscow Streets

MOSCOW (MN, RIA Novosti) - The project Shedevry na ulizakh Moskvy ("Masterpieces in Moscow streets") will be implemented from May 18 to October 18.

Fifty-eight reproductions of pictures from the A.S. Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts will be placed at the most unexpected places [for example on the buildings] in the center of Moscow, Sergei Baydakov, the prefect of the Central Administrative District of the capital, told journalists.

Special tablets with phone numbers will be placed near every image. People will be able to listen to a lecture about the painter and the history of the artwork.

HIV Tests To Be Mandatory For Rapists

MOSCOW (MN, RIA Novosti) - The deputies of the Moscow Duma intend to introduce HIV examination for every person suspected of rape. In case of a positive result, it will provide an opportunity to prevent victims being infected.

"The victim needs to get medical retrovirus treatment within 36 hours of infection to prevent HIV developing," Lyudmila Stebenkova, the author of the law draft and a deputy of the city Duma, said.

Currently the legislation does not demand these tests. The law was read and passed at a meeting of the Moscow State Duma Monday.

Mayor Promises Bikeways For City Parks

MOSCOW (MN, RIA Novosti) - All of Moscow's parks will get bikeways and bicycle rental agencies soon, the capital's mayor Yuri Luzhkov said last weekend.

Cycling is very popular in Europe, he said, and it is time "we will also create bicycle zones, open bicycle rental agencies, and make special bicycle paths in the parks."

He said also that bikeways will appear in parks only, because it's too dangerous for cyclists to ride through traffic.