Excerpt:
The authorities in Russia's second city Saint Petersburg Wednesday banned the slaughter of sheep in its historic centre after a sacrifice last year for a Muslim holiday shocked locals.
'Saint Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko proclaimed illegal the sacrifice of animals for the festival of Kurban Bayram", a statement from the municipality said.
The governor acknowledged the right of Muslims - who have a one million strong population in Saint Petersburg and its region - to sacrifice animals for the festival.