MOSCOW – The first big test of whether Russia’s president-elect, Dmitry Medvedev, is really in charge will come when he tries to appoint his own allies into key Kremlin jobs occupied by Vladimir Putin’s loyalists.

ST PETERSBURG, Russia – A Russian opposition activist jailed for two months for taking part in anti-Kremlin protests has gone on a hunger strike, his liberal Yabloko party said on Wednesday.

KIEV – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko pledged on Wednesday that Ukraine would stand by its obligations to export Russian gas to Europe and remain a “reliable partner”.

TEHRAN (FNA)- The UN Security Council has imposed a third round of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear progress but China and many more countries said on Tuesday the step would not affect their trade with the Islamic Republic.

TEHRAN (FNA)- A push by Western nations for a resolution against Iran at a UN atomic watchdog meeting has been dropped amid objections from Russia, China and developing countries, diplomats said Tuesday.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Tuesday called for a complete ban of all nuclear weapons through an international convention.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Russia plans to sell up 100 passenger jets to Iran in what would be the largest such deal ever for Russia’s aviation industry, an official said Tuesday.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian government may block private access to the Internet on its election day, March 14.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran’s oil minister said on Tuesday OPEC would consider all factors that affect the market at its meeting on Wednesday, but would not be drawn on whether he supported no output change.

TEHRAN (FNA)- US policy toward Iran is stuck; It is more a holding game than a policy, The International Herald Tribune reported.