MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has decreed the newly elected State Duma, or lower house of parliament, will hold its first session on December 24, the official gazette said on Thursday.

SERPUKHOV, Russia (Reuters) – Former world chess champion and Russian opposition leader Garry Kasparov said on Thursday he was dropping plans to run for president next year because obstruction from authorities made it pointless.

KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s parliament reconvened on Thursday a day after the opposition prevented the chamber from sitting, but there was no indication when it would reconsider a proposal to restore Yulia Tymoshenko as prime minister.