Main news of May 13

RUSSIA

*  Russia will only sign a formal peace treaty with Japan on terms that meet Moscow's interests, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said

* Both Russia and the United States are against applying pressure on North Korea as a means of settling the dispute surrounding the country's nuclear program, a Russian diplomat said

* The dismissal of the top U.S. general in Afghanistan earlier this week was not due to changes in Washington's policy in the country, a Russian military analyst said

* Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has approved a national security strategy to last until 2020, the Kremlin said

* Russia's newest frigate, the Yaroslav Mudry, has started state-commissioned sea trials in the Baltic Sea, a spokesman for the Yantar shipyard said

* The date for new sea trials of the Nerpa nuclear-powered submarine, which was damaged in a fatal accident during previous tests, was set for June 15-20, Russia's Kommersant daily said

* Sulim Yamadayev survived an attempt on his life and has sworn to take revenge on Chechnya's leader, a Russian daily said on Wednesday, citing the former Chechen military commander's brother

WORLD

* Ukraine's parliament is likely to insist that the presidential election be held in October rather than next January, despite a court ruling against a previous vote, the first deputy justice minister said

* Russia and Mongolia signed five documents in nuclear, transport and agricultural cooperation after talks between the countries' prime ministers

* The German embassy in Russia has denied a visa to a 16-year-old youth from Abkhazia who was to have undergone a complicated operation in a Munich clinic, Abkhazia's foreign minister said

* Ukraine's Constitutional Court has declared unlawful parliament's decision to set October 25 as the date for presidential polls in the former Soviet republic

* Afghan Vice President Karim Khalili asked Russia on Wednesday to help the country counter drug production and trafficking

* The World Health Organization said on Wednesday 33 countries have confirmed a total of 5,728 cases of swine flu, including 61 deaths

* Moldova's parliament on Wednesday scheduled a vote to elect a new president for May 20

* A suicide bomber attacked a U.S. military base in the eastern Afghan city of Khost on Wednesday, killing at least seven civilians, Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said

* Pope Benedict XVI expressed his support for "a sovereign Palestinian homeland" on Wednesday during his visit to the West Bank city of Bethlehem

SPORT

* Ukraine was handed a "last deadline" by UEFA on Wednesday as its preparations for Euro 2012 were deemed inadequate, while four cities were approved as venues in co-host Poland

* Russia's Alisa Kleybanova broke former world number one Venus Williams' serve seven times to send her packing from the Madrid Open in a thrilling second round match