Moscow - Two astronauts from the United States and Russia and a space tourist left the International Space Station (ISS) Wednesday morning onboard a Soyuz space capsule to return to Earth.

The flight centre near Moscow reported that Soyuz undocked from ISS Wednesday morning and is expected to land in the Kazakhstan steppe around 0716 GMT, the Interfax news agency said.

On board are Russian cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov, US astronaut Micheael Fincke as well as Charles Simonyi, a space tourist also from the US.

Moscow, Apr. 7 : As Russia''s Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, earns 11 per cent more than President Dmitry Medvedev, says a Kremlin declaration.

In 2008 Putin earned 4.6 million rouble (94,000 pounds), 11 per cent more than the 4.14 million roubles declared by Medvedev, statement''s posted on their respective web sites showed.

Both men earn over 18 times Russia''s average wage of 230,000 roubles per year, reports The Telegraph.

Moscow  - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday called for a two-state solution in the Middle East following talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow.

"We continue to support the establishment of a separate Palestinian state," Medvedev said, according to Russia's Itar-Tass news agency.

The Kremlin chief again announced plans for a Middle East conference in Moscow, for which a date has yet to be set, saying the conference could mark "the next step towards a solution to the conflict."

Moscow - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin outlined a list of 2009 budget priorities to the Duma, the lower house of parliament Monday, including plans for the completion of an oil pipeline to China this spring.

The pipeline, made possible in the midst of a financial crisis thanks to a 25-billion-dollar loan from China, is supposed to deliver 15 million tons of oil a year, for a total of 300 million tons from 2010 through 2030.

Dubai - Authorities in Dubai on Sunday accused Chechen deputy prime minister Adam Delimkhanov of being behind the murder of former Chechen rebel commander Sulim Yamadayev in the city last week.

Dubai's police chief Dhahi Khalfan Tamim told a press conference that one of the weapons found after the murder belonged to Delimkhanov, according to the al-Arabiya news channel.

Moscow - Russia has urged the international community to show restraint in its reaction