News EU-Russia Summit to Address Security, Economic Challenges MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - The EU-Russia summit that opens Thursday will focus on steps to draft a European security treaty and ways of meeting global economic challenges, a Russian presidential aide said on ­Wednesday.

Politics Liberal Yabloko gets New Leader By Anna Arutunyan A massive overhaul of Russia's oldest democratic party, Yabloko, has lead to the replacement of its founding leader, Grigory Yavlinsky, with Sergei Mitrokhin, a deputy in the Moscow City Duma that some members of this oppositionist party have described as a hardliner

News In Brief - Expert Examination Confirms Ural Remains as Tsar’s Family Expert Examination Confirms Ural Remains as Tsar's Family, Somalian Pirates Release Ship With Russian Crew, Fan Tears Head off Concrete Lenin Statue, Russian Family Names Baby in Honor of Football Coach Hiddink

News Duma to Encourage Migrants to Learn Russian By Anna Arutunyan For immigrants seeking status in Russia, their language skills will soon give them an upper hand. Senators at the Federation Council have developed a bill that, if passed, will test foreigners on their Russian and offer simplified registration based on the results.

News Moscow Tightens Security for Russia-Spain Semifinal MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - Some 4,000 police officers will be providing security on Thursday night in Moscow during and after the live broadcast of the Euro-2008 semifinal match between Russia and Spain, a police official said Wed­nesday.

News Russia Frees US Pastor Jailed for Ammunition Smuggling MOSCOW (AP) - An American pastor was released from prison Tuesday after spending nearly five months in a Russian jail for bringing hunting-rifle ammunition into the country. The release of Phillip Miles, 58, came a day after the Moscow City Court reduced his three-year sentence for smuggling and ordered him set free.

News Crime Briefs - City Police Chief Killed in North Caucasus City Police Chief Killed in North Caucasus, Four Teens Convicted for Burning Man on Memorial, Music Teacher Sentenced for Drug Dealing, Ukrainian Couple Jailed for Eating 15 Cats

Local It’s a Dog’s Life By Alisa Ballard Protestors against the culling of stray dogs held a rally on Novopushkinskaya Square Thursday. Slogans such as "Animals and Humans in need of a Humane Solution!" set the tone. Participants called for humane alternatives to culling, which they claimed was not always done painlessly.

Local Municipal Fire Drill RIA Novosti - On Wednesday there was a fire training exercise to practice extinguishing fires in tall buildings, and liaising between the Emergencies Ministry and the Ministry of the Interior.

Local Metro News - Different means of payment

Local Transport of the Future, Today Combined Reports RIA Novosti and The Moscow News - Since most trams, buses, and trolleys have been in circulation for longer tham they were designed for, it's always comforting to hear that a new brand of public transport is being introduced.

Local In Brief - Monument to Student Superstitions To Appear in Moscow Monument to Student Superstitions To Appear in Moscow, Food on Gas Trucks, What Do Muscovites Think Of Migrants?, Telephone Numbers Change

Local Transportation gets Fresh Look By Alisa Ballard The rhythm of Moscow life means you should be punctual and responsible. During the day, Muscovites have to get to several places, but it can be difficult to get to all of them because of the volume of people vying for space on the pavement and on the roads.

Local Go Golf ! By Tom Washington This Western style of leisure has made its way into the Russian business agenda

Local Kid Friendly Dining in Moscow By Phoebe Taplin Healthy family dining at a reasonable cost?