Moscow, Jan 25 - Apple has posted record quarterly revenue of $46.33 billion and record quarterly net profit of $13.06 billion in the first quarter of the fiscal 2012 which ended Dec 31, 2011.

The company said in a statement Tuesday that it had achieved an all-time record in quarterly sales of its iPhones, iPads and Mac computers.

Apple sold 37.04 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 128 percent unit growth year-on-year.

Moscow/Davos, Jan 25 - The annual World Economic Forum is set to open in the Swiss ski resort town of Davos Wednesday.

Some 2,600 decision-makers from about 100 countries and hundreds of companies are expected to participate in the five-day event.

The theme of this year is: The great transformation: Shaping new models.

Participants include heads of state from about 40 countries, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano.

Moscow, Oct 6 - Apple founder and former-CEO Steve Jobs died at the age of 56, Apple stated on its website Thursday.

"Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," RIA Novosti quoted the company as saying. "Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."

Jobs had been struggling with cancer since 2003. He underwent a successful surgery in 2004 and a liver transplantation in 2008.

Moscow, Sep 6 - Russian actor-writer Ivan Okhlobystin has announced his intention to run for the country's presidency next year.

Okhlobystin, a well-known TV actor, said he made the decision after "much consideration".

He is also the creative director of mobile phone company Euroset.

Moscow, Aug 25 : Apple's chief executive officer Steve Jobs Wednesday announced his resignation from the computer technologies giant.

"I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come," Jobs said in his letter of resignation.

Jobs, who reigned the company for 14 years, also said that he will be replaced by his long-time companion and acting CEO Tim Cook.

Moscow, Aug 24 : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev may Wednesday meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who is on a visit to Russia.

Media reports said their discussions could focus on a project to build a gas pipeline transporting 10 billion cubic metres annually from Russia to South Korea via North Korea.

The Kremlin earlier said the meeting will be the key event on Kim's visit agenda, but named no specific date, venue or topic for the talks.

Kim, who is travelling in his own armoured train, arrived in Ulan-Ude, capital of the east Siberian republic of Buryatia, Tuesday.(IANS)

Moscow, Aug 3 : Online payment company PayPal plans to start business in Russia with a $25 million investment and open its first office in Moscow soon, a media report said Wednesday.

"There are rumours that this fall, the five largest Internet companies will search for key employees in Russia," head of Pruffi recruitment agency Alyona Vladimirskaya said on her Facebook page, mentioning PayPal and eBay, its parent company.

Health care representatives have said that Moscow has recorded a sharp rise in casualties linked to drug overdoses during the last four years.

A report released on Monday said, "The death rate from drug overdoses has risen by more than five times, while poisoning from psychotropic drugs rose 85 percent, from illicit drugs by 68 percent and from alcohol and its surrogates by 44 percent."

According to facts by Moscow's Health Care Department, more than 112,000 patients are filed in the capital's drug clinics, comprising 29,614 drug abusers.

Berlin/Moscow, Jan 9 :Across Europe heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures led to deaths and travel chaos Saturday, as people braced themselves for a sudden worsening of already extreme winter weather.

In Russia, five mountaineers died in an avalanche as they were attempting to climb a mountain in the North Caucasus region. Four people in the group were able to dig themselves free. Rescuers later found the corpses of the remaining five, including the expedition leader.

In Britain, two men died after falling into a frozen-over lake, and a 90-year-old woman was found dead in her garden, where she had presumably slipped and fallen. In Britain, 25 people have died as a result of the cold spell that started before Christmas.

Moscow, Jan 5 : Police in Russia's north Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria have prevented a major terrorist attack after discovering a powerful bomb planted near a busy road, an official said Tuesday.

A 40-litre barrel stuffed with explosives was found some two metres away from the Baksan-Azau highway. It was taken to a safe place and detonated.

"The blast was equal to 50 kg of TNT, and might have resulted in many deaths," a police source said.

Moscow, Jan 4 - Russia's president and prime minister hit the slopes in Sochi, planned site of the 2014 Winter Olympics, to give the Russian resort town a boost, according to Russian broadcasters.

A series of photographs showed President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin skiing and sharing a ride on a snowmobile. Nonetheless, the light-hearted event received some criticism as Medvedev wore only a knit cap, not the safety helmet recommended for skiing.

Moscow, Jan 1- Russia set a new minimum price for all vodka sold

in the country, in a bid to curb alcoholism and the production and sale of bootleg vodka, both widespread in Russia.

The minimum price of 89 roubles ($3) for a half-litre bottle of vodka came into effect Friday, just as Russian police confiscated about 21,000 bottles of illegal vodka in the Siberian city of Chita, police reported.

Moscow, Dec 30 : The League of Arab States has called on Switzerland to reconsider its decision on banning the construction of new minarets in the country.

"We wish the people of Switzerland would reconsider this mistaken decision, which risks fuelling racism in Europe," the Arab League's parliament said in a statement Tuesday.

Switzerland voted at a national referendum Nov 29 to ban the construction of new minarets, sparking worldwide protests among Muslims.

Moscow, Dec 30 : The European Union (EU) Tuesday condemned the execution by China of a British man said to be suffering from a mental illness on drug-smuggling charges.

Akmal Shaikh, 53, was put to death by lethal injection earlier on Tuesday, becoming the first Western European to be executed in China in 50 years. He had been arrested in 2007 in northwest China's Urumqi with four kilogram of heroin in his possession.

Moscow, Dec 29 : Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Tuesday said Russia would continue to develop offensive missiles to defend against a potential US attack despite ongoing nuclear arms reductions talks.

Speaking in Vladivostok, Russia's largest port on the Pacific Ocean, Putin said the country would develop offensive missiles "to maintain the balance of power," Interfax reported.

The offensive missiles would be Moscow's answer to Washington's plans for a defensive missile shield, Putin said.

Moscow, Dec 28 - Three thieves stole 250 boxes of chewing gum estimated to cost 1.7 million roubles ($57,500) from a truck in southern Russia, police said Monday.

The incident took place in southern Russia's Stavropol Territory.

"Three unidentified assailants entered a parking lot, threatened the watchman with bodily harm, and tied him up. Then they stole 250 boxes of chewing gum estimated at 1.7 million roubles from the Mercedes truck and disappeared," the police spokesman said.

Moscow, Dec 28 - A dog infected with rabies had bitten dozens of people in southeastern Moscow before being caught, authorities said.

A number of media reports had said that a dog showing symptoms of rabies had attacked and bitten at least 50 people in the neighbouring district of Vykhino.

"The dog has been caught and diagnosed with rabies," a source in the local administration said.

Moscow, Dec 25 : The toll in the Dec 5 deadly blaze at a nightclub in the Russian city of Perm has risen to 152, the regional emergencies service said in a statement Friday.

"On Thursday, Dec 24, two women died in Moscow hospitals," the statement said.

A total of 74 people remain in hospitals. Doctors say victims suffered extensive burns and severe respiratory injuries.

The fire began in the Lame Horse night club after an indoor firework display went wrong, causing the wicker-decorated ceiling to catch fire. The death toll from the tragedy has risen steadily throughout the recent weeks.

Moscow, Dec 24 : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Thursday said changes in the country's top establishment should take place, but they should not be sweeping, adding "I am not an ally of absurd personnel revolutions".

"I am not an ally of absurd personnel revolutions - it is just incorrect, unethical towards the people and just dangerous for the country," the president said in an interview with three state television channels. However, he said, "the process (of changes) will continue."

Medvedev said new governors were appointed in about a fifth of Russia's regions over the last year and a half.

Moscow, Dec 24 : Russia successfully test fired a heavy missile capable of carrying 10 warheads Thursday morning, a defence ministry spokesman said.

"The Strategic Missile Forces launched an intercontinental ballistic missile RS-20V (Voyevoda) from a site in the Orenburg region (southern Urals)," Col. Vadim Koval said.

Koval said the missile hit the targets on Kamchatka, Far East.

He said the launch was designed to test the missile's performance with the aim of

extending its service life to 25 years.