Corey Flintoff

Russia denies that it was behind a hacking attack on the Democratic Party that led to embarrassing revelations ahead of this week's convention. "Total stupidity," says a Kremlin spokesman.

Alexander III's remains have been exhumed for DNA tests to confirm the identities of two grandchildren. Historians say the Russian Orthodox Church wants to reaffirm its ties to the imperial family.

Russia promises a "credible" investigation into Saturday's plane crash over the Sinai peninsula that killed all 224 people on board. Investigators are looking into what could cause the Airbus A321 to disintegrate in flight.

Russian authorities have smashed, burned and buried more than 900 tons of allegedly contraband food. In a country that once suffered famine, many are deeply distressed to see food destroyed.

The International Olympic Committee will decide Friday whether to accept the bid by Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, to stage the 2022 Winter Games, or instead offer it to rival contender Beijing.

Sporadic fighting continues in a handful of strategic spots. Both the Ukrainian military and separatists and their Russian allies claim their opponents have failed to pull back their heavy weapons.

Leaders from France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to meet in the Belarus capital of Minsk on Wednesday to try to work out a peace deal for the war in Ukraine.

French President Francois Hollande and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel travel to Moscow on Friday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the crisis in Ukraine.

Russia's parliament, the Duma, approved a bill on Friday that would limit foreign ownership of Russian media to less than 20 percent.

Ukraine's president has signed a historic trade and economic pact with the European Union, a move his predecessor rejected. The conflict that the first rejection sparked still simmers, with violence continuing in the country's east despite a shaky cease-fire.