Western press has been vividly commenting on the assumption of the office by Putin’s successor Dmitry Medvedev. Virtually all publications have come to one – Russia is now entering a period of diarchy.

Dmitry Medvedev becomes the youngest Russian ruler since Czar Nicholas II during a Kremlin inauguration ceremony today.

Mikhail Gorbachev has accused the United States of mounting an imperialist conspiracy against Russia that could push the world into a new Cold War.

In response to requests by Western journalists the Pentagon officials said that they were unconcerned by Russia’s plans to parade military equipment on the Red Square on May 9 for the Victory Day parade in order to make a show of strength reminiscent of the Soviet times.

A least two people were killed and seven wounded in eastern Afghanistan when police clashed with demonstrators.

GAZA (Reuters) – A fuel shortage forced the Gaza Strip’s main power station to shut down on Saturday, leaving much of the Hamas-controlled territory without electricity, a senior official at the generating plant said.

GAZA (Reuters) – A fuel shortage forced the Gaza Strip’s main power station to shut down on Saturday, leaving much of the Hamas-controlled territory without electricity, a senior official at the generating plant said.

GAZA (Reuters) – The main border crossing between the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and Egypt was temporarily opened on Saturday under a deal between the Islamist group and Cairo, Palestinian officials said.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi Shi’ite factions on Saturday reached a deal to end fighting between militia and security forces in the Baghdad bastion of Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr that has killed hundreds of people, officials said.