Main news of December 27

RUSSIA

* Russian government has allocated 20 billion rubles ($706 million) for regional authorities to buy buses and other vehicles, the regional development minister said

* Five people have died in a house fire in Russia's Far Eastern Primorye Territory, a law enforcement source said

* Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed into law a bill requiring Cabinet ministers to declare their income and property to the tax authorities, the presidential press service said

WORLD

* At least 205 people were killed and about 360 wounded Saturday by Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, and one Israeli was killed and five injured when Palestinian militants fired rockets into southern Israel in response

BUSINESS

* Inflation in Russia in 2008 could total 13.5-13.8%, the finance minister said

* The price Belarus pays for gas in 2009 will be lower than specified in the initial contract due to falling world energy prices, a spokesman for Russian energy giant Gazprom said

* Gazprom hopes to find a way to resolve Ukraine's gas debt by the end of the year, the Russian energy giant's spokesman said Saturday on Ekho Moskvy radio