News of the Day, 18:00 Moscow time

* Russia will not make its territory available for the deployment of U.S. missile defense elements, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said

* Russian President Dmitry Medvedev threw his support behind the idea of joint development and production of military products with other countries

* Russia's Foreign Ministry has criticized the approval by the Japanese lower house of parliament of a bill that urges the immediate return of the Southern Kuril islands to Japan

* Ukraine's parliament has overridden President Viktor Yushchenko's veto of a law temporarily banning gambling in the country

* Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said:

- He proposed establishing a commission to protect the national energy company Naftogaz from going bust

- Moscow could demand more than $5 billion in fines from Kiev for buying less gas in the first two quarters than stipulated in the contract

* Russia and Egypt agreed on technical accords to avoid situations similar to the recent wheat row, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said

* Moscow has not received documentation from the United Arab Emirates confirming the death of Sulim Yamadayev, but Russia is ready to cooperate in the probe into his assassination, a presidential envoy said

* Russia will focus on the promotion of its new Superjet 100 passenger airliner at Le Bourget 2009 air show, a Russian business daily said

* Iran's presidential election will be close, but the race favors the incumbent's main opponent, a Washington-based expert on Iranian issues said