Video shows lightning strike Russian TV tower
Spectacular video shows lightning strike a television tower in Russia's second city during a storm, leaving the building in the dark.
Russia expels US diplomat over 'Cold War' spying antics
Russian security services have detained a US diplomat accused to trying to recruit a Russian spy for the CIA. He is due to be expelled.
Thousands flee Syrian capital to escape brutal conflict
As thousands flee the Syrian capital of Damascus, David Cameron has urged Russia's President Putin to do more to stop the brutal conflict.
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Russia's top social media site 'black listed' by authorities
Russia's top online social network, VKontakte, has been put on a 'black list' that bans it from distributing content in the country, according to a posting on the communications regulator's web site.
VKontakte has 210 million registered users, of whom 47 million log on daily dwarfing Russian Facebook users.
Pavel Durov the social media sites founder fled Russia last month after being implicated in a bizarre traffic incident that preceded the sale of a large stake in the business.
VKontakte spokesman Georgy Lobushkin told Reuters he did not have any information regarding the decision by regulator Roskomnazdzor. VKontakte's web site (www.vk.com) was still working. Roskomnadzor had no immediate comment.
Russia claims foul play in Eurovision 'vote theft'
Russia's foreign minister said it was "outrageous" that the votes given by neighbour Azerbijan to the entry from Russia's performer Dina Garipova at the Eurovision Song Contest were apparently not counted and promised the country would "respond" to the incident.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Azerbaijan counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov in Moscow, he said:
"That 10 points were stolen from our contestant during the Eurovision 2013 contest does not make us happy regarding the organization of the event. [...]The outrageous action at Eurovision regarding the Russian contestant will not go unanswered."
Azerbaijan's decision to give Russia "nul points" in Malmo on Saturday caused a mixed reaction in Russia, and shocked many watching across the world. Votes are based on text messages sent in by viewers.
Read: Bonnie Tyler totally eclipsed by favourite Denmark
Denmark's Emmelie de Forest won the contest with 281 points, well ahead of second place Azerbaijan. Garipova finished fifth overall on Saturday and 10 points would not have made a difference in the ranking. Russia last won in 2008.
The last year the UK won was back in 1997.
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US diplomat accused of being a 'spy' leaves Moscow
A US employee accused of spying and ordered to leave Russia has flown out of Moscow, it is reported.
Russian NTV broadcast video that appeared to show Ryan Fogle passing through passport control and security at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow.
Russian security services claimed earlier this week that Fogle, a third secretary at the US embassy, had been caught trying to recruit a Russian agent.
Litvinenko inquest doubt 'a tragedy for British justice'
– A statement from Marina Litvinenko's solicitorsThis is a very sad day for Mrs Litvinenko, a tragedy for British justice which has until now been respected around the world, and it is frightening precedent for all of those, around the world, who have been trying so hard to expose the crimes committed by conspiracy of organised that operate from the Kremlin.
All those concerned with exposing the truth will be shocked and saddened that a political deal has been done between the two governments to prevent the truth from ever seeing the light of day.
New Russian missiles shipped to Syria 'a real ship killer'
The new antiship cruise missile weapons shipped to Syria from Russia are capable of deterring international forces from providing support to the Free Syrian Army, according to Nick Brown, editor of IHS Jane's International Defence review. Speaking to the New York Times, he said:
It enables the regime to deter foreign forces looking to supply the opposition from the sea, or from undertaking a more active role if a no-fly zone or shipping embargo were to be declared at some point. It's a real ship killer.
Russia 'sends advanced missiles' to Assad regime
Russia has sent advanced anti-ship cruise missiles to Syria, The New York Times reports.
American officials told the US-based paper that the most recent shipment from Russia contains an advanced radar system that makes them more effective.
The weapons, called Yakhonts, could enable the Assad regime to counter any international attempts to impose a naval embargo, or establish a no-fly zone, according to experts.
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US: Russian shipment of arms to Syria 'unfortunate'
Following media reports that Russia was shipping advanced missiles to the Assad regime in Syria, a top US military officer condemned the move as "unfortunate", saying it could embolden Assad's forces and prolong the conflict.
General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Reuters:
It's at the very least an unfortunate decision that will embolden the regime and prolong the suffering, so it's ill-timed and very unfortunate.
Dempsey said he was referring specially to to anti-ship missiles - a more sophisticated weapon fitted with advanced radar that makes them more effective, according to officials quoted in The New York Times.
Litvinenko's widow 'dismayed' by inquest doubt
The widow of poisoned spy Alexander Litvinenko, Marina, is "utterly dismayed by the coroner's decision to abandon his search for the truth about Russian state responsibility for her husband's death", her solicitor has said.
Developments in the Alexander Litvinenko case to date
Alexander Litvinenko died in November 2006 after his tea was poisoned with a radioactive poison, allegedly during a meeting with two Russians - former KGB contacts Andrei Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun, in central London.
Prosecutors named Lugovoy as the main suspect in the case but Russia has refused to extradite him to the UK for questioning.
The pre-inquest hearing heard details of Mr Litvinenko's work with MI6. He had been working with the agency for a "number of years" and was working with the Spanish secret service investigating the Russian mafia.
Litvinenko was paid by both British and Spanish secret services, into a joint bank account he shared with his wife, the court heard.
He had been due to travel to Spain with Mr Lugovoy shortly before his death to provide intelligence in an investigation into the Russian mafia's links to the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Ben Emmerson QC speaking at the pre-inquest hearing.
Litvinenko inquest could be replaced by public inquiry
The inquest into the death of poisoned spy Alexander Litvinenko could be scrapped and replaced with a public inquiry to allow evidence to be heard in secret.
Coroner Sir Robert Owen published a ruling today which revealed that he cannot hear evidence on the preventability of Mr Litvinenko's death or linked to the alleged involvement of the Russian state in public.
Evidence cannot be heard in secret as part of an inquest but could be as part of a public inquiry.
Sir Robert said: "It is my present view that I should hear submissions as to whether I should invite the Secretary of State (the Home Secretary) on behalf of Government to consider whether the power to hold an inquiry should be exercised in this case."
He said that the issues of preventability and Russian involvement are of "central importance" to the investigation into Mr Litvinenko's death.
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