Russia’s long dominant party appeared likely to lose its edge as voters across the sprawling country cast ballots for Parliament today, many of them frustrated over corruption and the gap between ordinary Russians and the super-rich.

Russian President Vladimir Putin today began a three-day trip to China for talks expected to focus on the construction of an oil pipeline to help satisfy the energy needs of China’s surging economy.

Hooded gunmen have assassinated a Colombian newspaper and radio reporter while he and his family were watching a soccer game on TV.