Main news of March 3

RUSSIA

* The Russian defense minister reiterated on Tuesday that Moscow would not place Iskander missiles on the EU's doorstep if Washington abandoned its plans to deploy missile defenses in Central Europe

* Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero signed a strategic partnership declaration after talks in Madrid

* Moscow's bid to host the 2013 World Swimming Championships has been formally accepted, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) said

* Preliminary hearings on new charges against Yukos founder Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his former business partner have started in Moscow

* A collision between U.S. and Russian satellites in early February may have been a test of new U.S. technology to intercept and destroy satellites rather than an accident, a Russian military expert has said

* Rescuers are continuing their search for a Swiss tourist who went missing on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's Far East, the regional emergencies ministry said

* Police in Russia's Orenburg Region, in the Urals, have seized over 107 kg (some 236 lbs) of heroin smuggled into Russia from Uzbekistan, a spokesman for the Federal Drugs Control Service said

WORLD

* Russia's president denied on Tuesday media reports claiming that Washington had pledged to drop its Central European missile shield plans if Moscow helped resolve Iran's controversial nuclear program

* Ukraine's prime minister said on Tuesday the country needs early presidential elections, blamed the central bank for the devaluation of the currency and added "cordial hugs" were the best way to deal with Russia

* A Russian freight ship, the Mekhanik Tyulenev, has been ordered to dock at Norway's Bodo harbour to investigate a possible collision with a missing fishing boat, a local police spokesman said

* Ukraine's parliament voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to dismiss Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko over his handling of a territorial dispute with Romania and policies damaging ties with Russia

* Russia has been placed 50th out of 154 countries in technology development between 2002 and 2007 in a report published by the International Telecommunication Union

* The Russian and German defense ministers are discussing bilateral military cooperation, including the transit of military supplies for German troops in Afghanistan, a Russian Defense Ministry source said

* NATO has denied media reports saying it will cut back on troop numbers in Kosovo, a spokesman for the alliance said

* A senior Indonesian health official has said four people have died of bird flu in the country since the start of the year, the Xinhua news agency said

* A U.S. freelance journalist with Iranian roots has been arrested in Tehran, an Iranian judicial spokesman told journalists

* The United Kingdom is set to impose new visa restrictions for citizens of five countries including South Africa and Venezuela, the home secretary announced

BUSINESS

* The Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) confirmed on Tuesday it had received a proposal for an out of court settlement from the Russian Federal Customs Service

* Russia's Gazprom has signed a gas swap deal with Spain's Gas Natural which includes liquefied natural gas supplies from Russia's Shtokman field to be delivered to Spain, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said

* The Russian customs authorities are ready to drop their $22.5 billion lawsuit against the Bank of New York Mellon in exchange for an $800 million compensation settlement, a business paper reported