Russia, Iran, and Qatar to form gas cartel;

Venezuela eyes Russian tanks as arms exports on rise

Politkovskaya trial begins;

Capital flight fails to dent defense budget

Moscow feels the pinch from financial crisis;

Duma rep signals (slight) preference for Obama

Military plans to trim officer corps by two-thirds;

Russian FM to Iran: No missiles for countries in "

unstable regions"

Medvedev celebrates end of U.S. financial dominance;

Top democratic party bows to Kremlin control