News of the Day, 12:00 Moscow time

* North Korea, which sparked international alarm with a recent nuclear test, warned the South of an immediate military strike if attempts are made to intercept ships under a U.S.-led non-proliferation deal

* Russia's ambassador to the United Nations has said his country is prepared to back a strong resolution against North Korea over its recent nuclear test

* Russian arms exports are expected to increase by around the same level as recent years in 2009 despite the global credit crunch, state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said

* A meeting of the Russia-NATO Council at the level of ambassadors will be held in Brussels

* Russia plans to spend $10 billion from its international reserves to buy IMF bonds to support countries hit hardest by the current credit crunch, the finance minister said

* Russia will transfer a $500 million loan to Armenia this week to prop up its economy amid the ongoing global economic crisis, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said

* Irina Belenkaya, the Russian woman involved in a custody battle with her estranged French husband over their daughter, was handed over to French police in Hungary on Wednesday and put on a plane to France, her lawyer said

* The death toll from Tropical Cyclone Aila in eastern India and Bangladesh has risen to 203, regional media reported