Main news of July 12

WORLD

* Russia and China used their UN Security Council vetoes to block Western nations' proposals for sanctions against the Zimbabwe regime, which has been widely condemned over recent election violence

* Russia strongly rejects claims by the U.S. and the U.K. that it is an unreliable G8 partner following Moscow's veto of sanctions against Zimbabwe's regime, the Foreign Ministry said

* Iran's armed forces would launch devastating strikes against Israel and 32 American bases in the Mideast if these countries were to attack, a senior military official said

* Tony Snow, a former White House press secretary, TV host and conservative political commentator, died of colon cancer at the age of 53

* At least 22 people have died following a head-on collision between a bus carrying school teachers and an empty fuel tanker in western Brazil, national media reported

* North Korea agreed to fully disable its nuclear facilities by the end of October in exchange for fuel and economic aid, in a deal signed after six-nation talks

RUSSIA

* Russia welcomes the formation of a new unity government in Lebanon, which has ended a long-running political crisis, the Foreign Ministry said

* Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told parliamentary party leaders that a new anti-corruption plan will be signed in the near future

 * Russia's Finance Ministry gave assurances that the tumbling share prices of the two largest U.S. mortgage lenders will not harm Russia's Reserve and National Prosperity funds