A bill that would ban adoption of Russian children by Americans has been passed by the lower house of the Russia’s parliament.

A former KGB colonel turned opposition MP who has angered the Kremlin with his criticism and involvement in street protests against president Vladimir Putin was stripped of his parliament seat today.

The leader of a Russian nationalist party wants the country to go news-free for a whole month.

The Kremlin-controlled Russian parliament has rammed through a harsh bill that raises fines 150-fold for people taking part in unsanctioned rallies, in a move aimed at discouraging the opposition from challenging President Vladimir Putin.

Russian politicians voiced strong support today for the Kremlin's action to shield Syrian president Bashar Assad's regime from international sanctions over its crackdown on an 11-month old uprising.

Thousands took to the streets of Moscow and St Petersburg today, braving strong winds and torrential rain for a second week of protests over Russia's fraud-tainted parliamentary vote.

Several hundred demonstrators demanding a rerun of parliamentary elections are in a square in central Moscow for a second weekend of protests against the fraud-tainted vote.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the organisers of massive protests against vote fraud of working to weaken Russia on orders from the West and rejected calls for a rerun of the election.

PRESIDENT Dmitry Medvedev ordered an investigation yesterday into allegations of fraud in Russia’s parliamentary election, one day after tens of thousands of protesters demanded it be annulled and rerun.

Demonstrators trying to hold a second day of protests against vote fraud in Russia’s parliamentary elections have clashed with police in Moscow.

Thousands of police and troops patrolled central Moscow today in an apparent attempt to deter any further election protests.

Thousands of protesters took to Moscow’s streets, accusing prime minister Vladimir Putin’s party of rigging Russia’s parliamentary election in which it won the largest share of the seats.

VLADIMIR PUTIN’S ruling party clung to a much reduced majority in parliament after an election that showed growing weariness with the man who has dominated Russia for more than a decade and plans to return to the presidency next year.

Prime minister Vladimir Putin’s party struggled to hang onto its majority in Russia’s parliamentary election, results showed today, suggesting Russians were wearying of the man who has dominated Russian politics for more than a decade.

Russian MPs have been banned from wearing miniskirts.

The suicide bomber who killed 35 people at Moscow’s busiest airport was deliberately targeting foreigners, investigators said today.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has welcomed the US Senate’s decision to ratify a landmark US-Russian nuclear arms control treaty.

SECOND World War Katyn massacres were committed on the direct order of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, Russia’s lower house of parliament said yesterday — a statement hailed by Polish officials.

The Second World War Katyn massacres were committed on the direct order of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, Russia’s lower house of parliament said today – a statement hailed by Polish officials.

The US today scrapped plans for a missile defence shield in eastern Europe that had raised new tensions with Russia.

The Russian parliament today tentatively backed constitutional changes that would extend the presidential term from four to six years.

The Russian parliament today tentatively backed constitutional changes that would extend the presidential term from four to six years.

Britain urged Russia not to sever ties with Nato today amid continuing fall-out from the Georgia crisis.

VLADIMIR Putin was named prime minister of Russia yesterday after a fervent speech full of ambitious plans that overshadowed his low-key successor and suggested he will keep a strong hand in ruling the country.

Russia formally voted Vladimir Putin as prime minister today leaving the country wondering just who is really in charge.

Russian politicians have voted for restrictions on the news media after a Moscow newspaper reported that President Vladimir Putin had divorced his wife and planned to marry a champion gymnast.

Russia’s lower house of parliament has approved the return of six 14th century stained-glass panels which were seized from a church in Germany after the Second World War.

Britain’s ambassador to Russia said today that the Government will continue to press for the extradition of the main suspect in the killing of Alexander Litvinenko despite his probable membership in Russia’s new parliament, Russian news agencies reported.

CAMPAIGNING for Russia’s parliamentary election ended yesterday with President Vladimir Putin’s party on course for a landslide victory and opposition groups voicing fears of widespread ballot-rigging.

RUSSIA’S President Vladimir Putin yesterday said a convincing victory for the party he is leading in next month’s parliamentary elections would give him the “moral right” to maintain strong influence after he steps down next year.

Russia’s president Vladimir Putin today gave the clearest hint yet that he intends to maintain a position of power even after standing down from office next year.

Russia's lower house of parliament voted unanimously today to suspend Moscow's participation in a key European arms control treaty.

Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov's opposition alliance has been barred from participating in December's parliamentary elections, a spokeswoman for the group said today.

The vehemently nationalist Liberal Democratic Party today named the prime suspect in the killing of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko to a top slot on its list for parliamentary candidates, Russian news reports said.

Russia’s lower house of parliament was today set to vote on President Vladimir Putin’s nominee for prime minister, with confirmation assured in the Kremlin-controlled chamber.

Russian president Vladimir Putin’s nominee for premier has voiced presidential ambitions.

PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin dismissed his long-serving prime minister yesterday and nominated little-known cabinet official Victor Zubkov to replace him in a surprise move that could put Zubkov in the running to replace Putin next year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed his long-serving prime minister today and nominated little-known Cabinet official Victor Zubkov to replace him in a surprise move that could put Zubkov in the running to replace Putin next year.

Russia’s lower house of parliament today ratified agreements with the European Union easing visa procedures for some travellers and spelling out terms for the return of illegal migrants.

Poisoned former spy Alexander Litvinenko’s deathbed message accused Russian President Vladimir Putin, but pro-Kremlin MPs and state-controlled television networks today pointed the finger of blame at a prominent Putin enemy in Britain - tycoon Boris Berezovsky.

Saddam Hussein’s death sentence was celebrated by some as justice deserved or even divine, but denounced by others as a political ploy before critical US mid-term congressional elections.

The lower house of the Russian parliament today harshly criticised the UN War Crimes Tribunal, blaming it for Slobodan Milosevic’s death and calling for its quick closure.

Two people have been arrested in Russia on suspicion of spying for Britain, the Interfax news agency reported today.

Russia’s lower house of parliament today took the first step toward approval of a bill that would prevent foreign-funded rights groups from operating in the country – a move sure to heighten criticism of President Vladimir Putin’s commitment to democracy.