New charges have been cast against Michael Khodorkovsky, the former head of the Yukos oil company. Khodorkovsky, who may face an additional 22 years behind bars, called the accusations "absurd."

Residents of the Republic of Tatarstan, upset at a textbook depicting their ancestors as "monsters," have lost their case before a Moscow city court.

Russia is among the world's most corrupt countries, according to the latest ranking by Transparency International.