TODAY: Russia clashes with U.S. over Israel, calls for end to attacks; Soyuz space capsule lands safely; rights leaders promise to boycott foreign agent law; Bout List in retaliation for Magnitsky List? Pussy Riot lawyers leave their clients; Putin prevents Novatek from independent export; state company execs named wealthiest; author Strugatsky dies.

Russia is urging an end to Palestinian rocket attacks and ‘disproportionate’ Israeli strikes on Gaza ‘without delay’.  Its U.N. envoy, Vitaly Churkin, has complained about the U.S.’ blocking a U.N. Security Council bid to condemn escalating conflict between Israel and Palestine, dismissing the claim that they did not want to obstruct diplomatic efforts underway with Cairo.  A Russian Soyuz space capsule landed on the Kazakh steppe, safely delivering its cargo of astronauts, helping ‘to ease concerns over Russia’s space programme’.  Various prominent human rights figures promised to boycott the new law requiring foreign-funded NGOs to register as ‘foreign agents’; Alexander Cherkasov vowed that his rights group Memorial ‘won’t use that denomination and will use all legal means possible, both national and international, to oppose this law’.  Lyudmila Alexeyeva called the law ‘infamous and immoral’.