BBC News with Gaenor Howells
The Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is heading for a
comeback
as the country's new president after Sunday's elections. Mr Putin claimed victory in front of tens of thousands of cheering supporters outside the Kremlin.
"Dear friends, first, I want to thank all citizens of Russia who took part in today's election for the president of the Russian Federation. Special thanks of course to those who've gathered here today in Moscow and to all those who support us in every corner of our vast homeland.
Thanks to all who said yes to a great Russia. I once asked you 'Will we win?' We have won. We won in an open and honest fight."
Partial results suggest his
share
of the vote was about 60%. Counting is still going on. But an opposition activist said there had been fraud on a vast scale despite the presence of thousands of independent observers and web cameras at polling stations. The Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov accused Mr Putin's party of using the might of the state to ensure victory.
"In honest elections, the huge state machine works according to strict
observation
of the law to ensure a level playing field for all of the candidates. In this case, the whole of our enormous criminal corrupt state machine worked only for one candidate."
More than 200 people are confirmed dead after a series of massive explosions at a military base in the Republic of Congo. Hundreds more have been injured. The blasts were caused by a fire at a