Quote Originally Posted by russianhogwash View Post
Больше спасибо за ответ CoffeeCup (is that correct?)

So my next question is, what is the difference between "новость" or "известие" then? Are they used in different contexts or can they be used interchangeably? Similarly does nobody use the word "вести" then in Russia unless talking about this specific news company given its an old-fashioned word?
"Известие" is also rarely used, usually as a name of a newspaper "Известия". As for "весть", it is still used in some set expressions:
не бог весть что - nothing special
пропавший без вести - missing, as in "missing in action". Literally means "disappeared with no further information"(on what happened to that person or her whereabouts.)

As it often happens, there are derived words still in wide use: извещение, оповещение (notice, notification), повестка ("call-up papers" or "agenda", as in questions to discuss), навестить (to visit).