Main news of May 1

RUSSIA

* About 400,000 Russians on Friday celebrated Spring and Labor Day, with trade unions and political parties holding rallies across the country

* Defending world champions Russia beat Sweden 6-5 in over time in the qualifying round of the International World Hockey Federation Championships in Berne, Switzerland

* Gazprom's deputy CEO Alexander Medvedev has been named in Time magazine's top 100 most influential people on the planet for 2009

WORLD

* The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially confirmed 331 cases of influenza A (H1N1), the technical name for the virus commonly known as swine flu, in 11 countries

* The signing of border protection agreements by Russia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia is a regular provocation aimed at legitimizing the occupation of Georgia, the South Caucasus country's Foreign Ministry said

* Police arrested a man on Friday in connection with the killing of 13 people at the State Oil Academy in Azerbaijan's capital, the APA agency said citing the detained man's brother

* Three people, who were among 13 wounded in a shooting at the State Oil Academy in Azerbaijan's capital, have been discharged from hospital, a spokesman for the General Prosecutor's office said

* Azerbaijani troops will take part in controversial NATO military exercises in Georgia, the defense ministry said in a press release