Kyrgyzstan’s restive south calmed down today after a failed attempt to take control by supporters of the nation’s deposed president in which one person died and dozens were wounded.

SEVERAL thousand opposition supporters gathered on a main square in central Minsk last night as polls closed in a disputed presidential election.

Russia today formally blamed Ukraine for the crash of a Russian airliner over the Black Sea, saying the jet was downed by a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile.

A chartered Russian airliner heading from Israel to Siberia exploded at 36,000 feet today and plummeted into the Black Sea coast with 78 people on board.

Detectives have returned a religious relic which is believed to be part of the body of Christ's apostle Andrew to the Russian Orthodox Church.