Main news of June 24

WORLD

* Russia and Nigeria signed six agreements on cooperation, including in the natural gas and space spheres, following talks between the two countries’ presidents, Dmitry Medvedev and Umaru Yar'Adua, on Wednesday

* The issue of Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) as a trilateral customs union member alongside Belarus and Kazakhstan remains unclear, the WTO head said

* Another rally in the Iranian capital Tehran was brutally put down on Wednesday, according to unofficial Twitter reports

* Serbia has sent Bulgaria an official request to extradite former Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku, who is wanted for alleged war crimes, Serbian Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said

* The Kyrgyz parliament approved on Wednesday a deal allowing the U.S. to continue using its Manas airbase for supply and troop transits to Afghanistan

* Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Wednesday said he has no plans to take part in a G8 meeting on Afghanistan in Italy this week, the ISNA news agency reported

* The Iranian opposition has called for another round of protests on Wednesday night in the wake of the government's refusal to review the disputed results of Friday's presidential election, Al Jazeera news agency reported

* At least 26 people were killed and 20 injured when two buses crashed head-on in India's northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, IANS news agency reported

* Brazil's special forces are investigating all possible causes of the Air France crash in the Atlantic, including a terrorist attack, the country's intelligence chief said

* China rejected on Wednesday allegations from the EU and United States that it had violated export regulations on raw materials, but confirmed it would seek consultations on the issue to avoid a trade row

RUSSIA

* Russia's lower house of parliament adopted a statement on Wednesday declaring peace treaty talks with Japan pointless unless Tokyo cancels amendments to a law on the disputed Kuril Islands

* Russia's former health and welfare minister, Mikhail Zurabov, who gained notoriety at home for his controversial reforms of benefits for the elderly, has been nominated as ambassador to Ukraine

BUSINESS

* French Total and Russian independent gas producer Novatek are expected to implement a $1 billion project to develop a gas condensate project in northwest Siberia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said