Japanese engineers intend to build an elevator to deliver cargo into space. Japanese authorities are prepared to allocate $10 billion for the project. >>

// Oct. 10, 2008 - 04:03 GMT

BISHKEK (RIA Novosti) – Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday that Russia was shocked that the UN and NATO had secretly signed a cooperation agreement without all UN member states reading the draft. >>

// Oct. 10, 2008 - 04:04 GMT

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on Monday voted to demote the Bishop of Chukotka Diomede to a common monk. The ruling was made in absentia as Diomede refused to attend the gathering – which is no wonder since in July he declared anathema an most leaders of the church, including Patriarch Alexy II. >>

// Oct. 10, 2008 - 04:06 GMT

Chechen human rights lawyer Lidia Yusupova was singled out by experts as one of the two likeliest candidates to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The winners will be announced in Oslo on Oct. 10, and Nobel committees keep a tight lid on its list of nominees until the winners are announced. >>

// Oct. 10, 2008 - 04:08 GMT

Pensioners will compete in computer skills >>

// Oct. 10, 2008 - 04:18 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) – If Zack and Cody's new show "The Suite Life on Deck" inspires your family to book a cruise, Disney Cruise Line is offering a number of new destinations to choose from in 2010, including St. Petersburg, Russia, and Tunisia. >>

// Oct. 10, 2008 - 04:19 GMT

Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov argues that small and middle businesses in the capital need support, especially when it comes to locating premises. The Moscow City Duma debated this problem at a regular Tuesday session last week. The outcome was legislation entitled, ‘The State Goal-Oriented Program for 2009–2011 on Provision of Small and Middle Businesses with Non-Residential Premises.' >>

// Oct. 10, 2008 - 04:21 GMT

Wherever our travels may take us, we must necessarily run up against street names if we want to know where we are going (Paris, for example, adorns its boulevards with the names of famous international figures). While we may be culturally ignorant of another nation's historical and cultural heritage, these signposts give us some direction. The most popular street name in Russia is Sovietskaya (‘Soviet'). In fact, 8,409 Russian localities cling to this relic of our communist past. Other popular appellations for Russian streets include Molodezhnaya (‘Youth'), Tsentralnaya (‘Central'), and Shkolnaya (‘School'). >>

// Oct. 10, 2008 - 04:23 GMT

Since Moscow joined other international capitals in the rush for riches, attention to its cultural and historical heritage is on the wane. Today, the battle is on between the developers and preservationists over an increasing shortage of available development space. The construction craze, the preservationists argue, has left many architectural landmarks in the city either destroyed or disfigured. The developers counter that the critics want to preserve everything, regardless of historic value. With these views in mind, The Moscow News has drawn up a short list of the most seriously threatened buildings in the city >>

// Oct. 10, 2008 - 04:25 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) – Russia will work with the U.S. and European Union to fight piracy off the African coast and wants naval forces gathering in the area to coordinate their efforts, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday. >>

// Oct. 10, 2008 - 04:26 GMT