Main news of July 28

RUSSIA

* Russia is negotiating with Jordan to set up a joint venture to make rocket-propelled grenade launchers, a Russian arms manufacturer said

* Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered the Foreign Ministry to sign an agreement with Montenegro on visa-free travel

* A soldier was killed in a clash with militants in a mountainous area in the south of Russia's North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, a police source said

* The number of pigs killed by African swine fever virus in Russia's North Caucasus republic of North Ossetia reached 608, the regional emergencies service said

* More than 8,000 troops are participating in strategic command-and-staff exercises in eastern Russia, the Defense Ministry said

WORLD

* Serbia increased security around its leadership in response to threats following the arrest of the former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, the Serbian police chief said

* Ukraine's president declared a three-month state of emergency in western Ukraine, where 22 people, including six children, were killed by floods in the past week

* Hamas is categorically against the involvement of foreign peacekeepers in Gaza even if they were sent by Arab countries, a Hamas spokesman said

* Five hostages, including two Russians, were released unharmed by militants who kidnapped them after seizing their vessel in Port Harcourt in southern Nigeria, a Russian diplomat said

* The Bulgarian parliament ratified an agreement on building a pipeline to pump natural gas to southern Europe, Russian Vice Premier Igor Sechin said

* Anthrax was confirmed in 21 patients in hospitals in southern Kyrgyzstan, a senior health official in the Central Asian state said

* Beijing authorities are likely to announce additional measures to curb pollution in the capital ahead of the Olympic Games, the China Daily reported

* A Thai court postponed for a second time an extradition hearing for a Russian businessman charged with arms smuggling after his new Thai lawyer was unable to attend court, national media said

* The death toll from Sunday evening's explosions in a busy area of central Istanbul rose to 16, with more than 150 injured, several of them critically, the government said

* China's Foreign Ministry issued a statement criticizing a meeting between U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain and Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama

BUSINESS

* American Depository Receipts (ADRs) of Russian metals giant Mechel, which was criticized last week by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, plunged 32.25% on NYSE as trading opened Monday

* The Federal Antimonopoly Service sees Russian steel giant Mechel's cooperation as a positive sign and will take no action against the company for the time being, a presidential aide said

* Russia's Central Bank halved holdings in U.S. mortgage bonds to $50 billion from $100 billion in early 2008, the bank's first deputy chairman told reporters

* Russia's second largest oil producer LUKoil bought 100% in Turkish oil product retailer Akpet, which has a 5% market share, the company said