1.   The opposition Socialist Party came out ahead in the first round of parliamentary elections and appeared poised to win power in the decisive runoff vote in two weeks.

2.   Yeltsin and Zyuganov have about two weeks to muster more support before the decisive runoff, expected in late June or early July.

3.   Yeltsin is widely expected to face Zyuganov in a decisive second round runoff in July.

4.   Zyuganov, who is forecast to face Yeltsin in a decisive second round runoff in early July, shunned the media razmatazz favoured by the incumbent.

5.   Opinion polls have forecast that Yeltsin and Zyuganov will come top in the first round and will face each other in a decisive second round runoff in early July.

6.   Russians voted Wednesday in the decisive presidential runoff election as President Boris Yeltsin unexpectedly kept out of the public eye, sharply raising fears for his health.