News U.S. Election Watch The Moscow News U.S. voters, or anyone who wants to hear it first after the presidential elections, are invited to theStarlite Diner at Oktyabrskaya for results night on Nov. 5. Visitors can schmooze with fellow Americans, and even catch a few experts.

News Russia election monitors snub U.S. presidential poll MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Central Election Com­mission is not sending any observers to monitor the U.S. presidential election scheduled for November 4, the top election official said on Tuesday.

News Putin promotes SCO at international summit ASTANA (RIA Novosti) - Russia's PM Vladimir Putin urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Thursday to boost cooperation with observer countries and international organizations.

News In Brief - Report: Russia“trying to influence” Somali hijack Report: Russia"trying to influence" Somali hijack, Armenian, Azerbaijani leaders to meet in Moscow, Chechen militant leader killed by police in Grozny

News Police detain leader of Russia’s largest sect The Moscow News Police in the Siberan city of Novosibirsk have detained Konstantin Rudnev, the leader of possibly the largest and oldest Russian sect, known as Ashram Shambala.

News Guilty verdict in top murder case MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - A jury took more than five hours to find former banker Alexei Frenkel guilty on Tuesday of organizing the murder of the first deputy head of Russia's Central Bank, a spokeswoman for the Moscow City Court said.

News Regional official on trial after gathering over $10M in illegal taxes The Moscow News The head of the Pogranichny District of the Primorye Region in the Russian Far East has been charged with illegal business activities and money laundering.

News Crime Briefs - 2 Jesuit priests killed in Moscow 2 Jesuit priests killed in Moscow, Drugs watchdog announce results of 1st half of 2008, Russian killer confesses after falling in love with detective

News Georgian PM dismissed in post-war shake-up TBILISI, Georgia (AFP) - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili dismissed Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze on Monday in a government shake-up following his country's war with Russia in August.

News Russia ratifies treaties with breakaway provinces MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's parliament on Wednesday quickly ratified treaties cementing close economic and military ties with Georgia's two breakaway provinces.

News Abkhazia questions EU security plan SUKHUMI (RIA Novosti) - Abkhazia doubts the ability of EU observers in Georgia to play a constructive role in preventing further conflict, Abkhazia's foreign minister said in a letter to the UN Security Council president Monday.

Local Space tourist backs private access to orbit center STAR CITY, Russia (AP) - Govern­ment space agencies like NASA, Roscosmos and others need to give private entrepreneurs broader access to the orbiting station and encourage private space travel, the latest U.S. space tourist said Monday.

Local Young Communists mark anniversary MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - Russians marked 90 years on Wednesday since the establishment of the Soviet-era Young Communist League, or the Komsomol.

News Bond girl “traitor” say communists MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - A Russian communist group has attacked the newest Bond girl, Olga Kurylenko, for her "moral and intellectual betrayal" in starring in a film about the "enemy of the Soviet people."

News Paris removes ‘zoophile’ PARIS (AFP) - Police were sent to remove photos by the Russian artist Oleg Kulik from France's main contemporary art fair on the grounds they were zoophiliac, organisers and officials said Monday.