TODAY: United Russia members defect to opposition; satellite goes missing; U.S. report cites chronic North Caucasus violence; Karelia wants to ban Halloween; Moscow hooliganism; 20th anniversary of Communist coup marked by memoirs as Gorbachev continues to criticise current leadership; bees, sharks and sturgeon.

Nine members of United Russia have defected to the A Just Russia Party, which also expelled five of its Duma members for joining the All-Russia People’s Front.  Russia has already lost track of the $265 million Express AM-4 telecommunications satellite that it launched two days ago (whilst insurer Ingosstrakh presumably waits with bated breath).  An annual U.S. State report on terrorism singles out violence in the North Caucasus, registering 529 attacks in Russia since last December.  Officials in Karelia are trying to ban Halloween this year, arguing that the holiday promotes ‘Satanism and extremism’.  Has Russia been passing its fighter jet technology to China?  Bloomberg reports that Moscow had its own wave of ‘petty hooliganism’ earlier this week in the wake of the London riots, as a few hundred youths gathered and tried to block traffic.