Main news of July 7

WORLD

* The Russian Prosecutor General's Office said Tuesday it had agreed on closer cooperation with the U.S. Justice Department on a probe into the 2004 murder of Forbes Russia editor Paul Klebnikov

* Moscow hopes that Washington will realize the 'counter productivity' of its plan to deploy elements of U.S. missile shield in central Europe, the Russian foreign minister said

* U.S. President Barack Obama urged Moscow and Washington on Tuesday to enhance transparency in order to boost investment and bilateral trade for a "better future"

* U.S. President Barack Obama met the head of the Russian Orthodox Church on Tuesday, the second day of his three-day visit to the Russian capital

* China said on Tuesday that order had been restored in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, where at least 156 people were killed Sunday in interethnic clashes

* Despite unprecedented security measures, anti-globalists have stepped up their activities ahead of the G8 summit to be held in the Italian city of L'Aquila, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported

* U.S. President Barack Obama pledged on Tuesday to consider Russia's concerns on missile defense and to respect Moscow's interests in the post-Soviet space, a senior Russian government official said

* U.S. media and experts generally hailed Monday's summit of Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev as reengagement on arms control and other military ties, but said little had really changed

* Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed on Tuesday a law allowing the U.S. to continue using its Manas airbase for the transit of troops and supplies to Afghanistan

* The UN Security Council has condemned a series of North Korean missile launches carried out over the weekend in defiance of UN resolutions

RUSSIA

* Russia condemns remarks by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden that Israel could attack Iran if it saw fit, the Foreign Ministry said

* Moscow will have the right to inspect U.S. military planes flying over its territory under a deal with Washington on transit to Afghanistan, the Russian foreign minister said

* Moscow will seek WTO membership, but it does not want to lose anything in the process, the Russian president said

* U.S. President Barack Obama called for a new start in relations with Russia in a speech in Moscow on Tuesday, straight after his first meeting with the Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

* The U.S. president gave a speech to students in Moscow on Tuesday, calling for a major overhaul in relations between the countries, and calling on Russia to work with the West to prevent a nuclear arms race

* Russia's upper house of parliament has called Japan's renewed claims on the Kuril islands an "insult to the Russian people," and called for the visa-free travel regime between the islands and Japan to be ended

BUSINESS

* Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin declared on Tuesday his support for the efforts of U.S. aircraft giant Boeing to develop cooperation with Russian partners

* Russia is to set up an infrastructure investment fund with Vnesheconombank, Renaissance Capital Group, the EBRD and the International Finance Corporation, which is part of the World Bank. The news was announced by the Vnesheconombank CEO on Tuesday

* Russia expects U.S. President Barack Obama, currently visiting Moscow, to abolish the Soviet-era Jackson-Vanik amendment, which continues to restrict trade between the countries, the foreign minister said

* Russia's energy giant Gazprom confirmed on Tuesday that Ukraine had paid in full for June's natural gas deliveries to the country

RELIGION

* Russia is marking the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, with the event being commemorated in Orthodox churches throughout the country