Russian Duma backs reform package
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Russian deputies back a bill giving the Kremlin more control over the regions, in order to improve security.
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The Russian leader today called for new measures that include the naming of regional governors and an overhaul of the electoral system.
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Russia's government approved the Kyoto  Protocol on Thursday and sent the climate change pact to the  State Duma, the lower house of parliament, for ratification.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin announces a radical overhaul of state bodies in response to recent attacks.
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Voters in Moldova's breakaway Trans-Dniester region back a plan to unite with Russia, officials say.
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Russia rejected US criticism of moves to strengthen Kremlin power, saying they were reforms of a domestic nature that were perfectly constitutional.
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President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered sweeping changes to Russia's political system to boost the Kremlin's powers in "the fight against terrorism."
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Russian elections will be valid regardless of turnout under laws that went into effect Thursday, a major change that critics say is the latest step by the Kremlin to control the political process before key votes in 2007 and 2008.
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MOSCOW, October 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Russiaâs State Duma has approved of a bill on the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change.
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Up to 31 million Russians voted on Sunday in regional elections expected to reinforce the dominance of two big pro-Kremlin parties ahead of nationwide parliamentary polls in December.
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Kremlin critic and former Russian PM Mikhail Kasyanov submits a petition supporting his presidential bid.
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MOSCOW -- The Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, voted yesterday to overturn a ban on political party leaders becoming ministers, raising fears that Soviet-style one-party rule could make a comeback.
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Russian President Putin approved the suggestion made by Prime Minister Fradkov to promptly liberalize the share market of natural gas monopoly Gazprom .
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Russia's President Putin defends controversial reform plans in a TV interview to Russia's main networks.
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MOSCOW  - Thousands rallied at a government-sponsored demonstration Thursday to hail sweeping electoral changes proposed by President Vladimir Putin to fight terrorism. A much smaller group gathered near parliament to complain the proposals would strip Russians of basic legal rights.
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President Vladimir Putin's plans to shake up Russia's political scene sailed through the State Duma lower house of parliament on Friday, with deputies giving short shrift to U.S. concerns about a roll-back of democracy.
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The reaction to Vladimir V. Putin's plan to overhaul Russia's political system swept away any doubts about his grip on power.