Monument to fallen firefighters

Russian President watches firefighters exercises

New York
1. Russian President Vladimir Putin arriving at New York Fire Academy
2. New York Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta and various fire officials greeting Putin
3. Putin and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg watching demonstration by Russian and US firefighters
4. Staged car accident (part of demonstration)
5. Woman being rescued from building by firefighter (part of demonstration)
6. Cutaway Putin and Bloomberg watching demonstration
7. Russian and US firefighters removing dummy body from car (part of demonstration)
8. Putin and Bloomberg walking with large group following

Washington DC
9. Putin carrying flowers into firefighter memorial wall
10. Putin signs remembrance book

STORYLINE:

Russian President Vladimir Putin met New York's mayor and city firefighters, a day ahead of his speech at the United Nations.

Putin and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg watched as New York firefighters, alongside their Russian counterparts, carried out rescue exercises from buildings and vehicles.

New York's Fire Department became an international example of perseverance in the face of tragedy following the September 11th attacks on the city.

Nearly all of New York's firehouses suffered casualties.

Putin and Bloomberg clapped as firefighters used the jaws of life to remove bodies from the scene of a car accident.

The Russian President spent the earlier part of the day in a meeting with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and French President Jacques Chirac.

The meeting between the three leaders came a day after US President George Bush called on the United Nations to become involved in the rebuilding of Iraq.

France and Germany opposed the US's decision to invade Iraq earlier this year, creating tensions between the allies which are only now beginning to lessen.

The Russian president made no comments on Bush's speech or Russia's role in a post-war Iraq.

On Wednesday Putin is set to address the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.


You can license this story through AP Archive:
Find out more about AP Archive:

Ukraine: Russia's Night Wolves gang bring aid to a Lugansk village

W/S Motorcycles belonging to Night Wolves motorcycle club

M/S Lugansk flag on the back of motorcycle

M/S Villagers

C/U Woman crying

M/S Villagers taking aid from van

C/U Vitali, President of Night Wolves biker club's Lugansk department
speaking to villagers

M/S Child

M/S Villagers

SOT, Vitali, President of Night Wolves biker club's Lugansk division
(Russian): This aid was collected because every little helps. I was
recently in Moscow and personally brought this humanitarian aid. I was told
that all the goods were brought by ordinary people, even pensioners.

C/U Emblem on leather jacket reading (Russian) 'Russia'

SOT, Irina Ovchinnikova, chairman of the village council of Novosvetlovka
(Russian): 85 percent of the village is damaged. There are practically no
streets where houses weren't destroyed.

M/S Child riding motorcycle

M/S Villagers storing aid

M/S Villagers sorting through aid

C/U Stuffed animals and toys

SCRIPT

Members of the Ukrainian motorcycle club Night Wolves delivered warm
clothes and other aid to the villagers of Novosvetlovka in Lugansk region,
Saturday. The aid mission was embarked upon after the gang heard of that
the village was left reeling following heavy shelling.

The Night Wolves and Novosvetlovka locals transferred the aid, containing
blankets, clothing and children's toys, from a van to the village's
community club. President of Night Wolves biker club's Lugansk division,
Vitali, reported that the group had brought the aid all the way from Moscow.

The vast majority of the Eastern Ukrainian village's infrastructure was
lost during a heavy bombardment, including most of its residential
buildings, a kindergarten and a school. The chairman of Novosvetlovka's
village council, Irina Ovchinnikova, estimated that around 85 percent of
the areas structures had been destroyed.

Sacramento Fire Department on scene, American River Bike Trail Vegetation Fire

P19 and BC1 responding to grass fire along the American River near Mile Marker 4.