News of the Day, 18:00 Moscow time

* Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama said:

- Russia and the United States still disagree on the placement of elements of a U.S. missile shield in central Europe

- they agreed a bilateral agenda at their first meeting in London and said are ready to "reset" their relations

- have instructed negotiators to immediately start talks on a new strategic offensive arms reduction treaty and report the results by July

- Moscow and Washington are concerned by the possible launch of a North Korean ballistic missile and urged Pyongyang to show restraint

- instructed their governments to make efforts to ensure Russia's swift accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO)

- Russia and the U.S. will continue seeking a settlement to the Caucasus conflict despite differences over the August war in South Ossetia

* U.S. President Barack Obama said he planned to visit Moscow in July

* Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said talks with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama showed that Moscow and Washington had more common positions than disagreements

* Russia's Superjet 100 medium-haul airliner completed its first long-distance test flight

* Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov confirmed that Sulim Yamadayev, a former Chechen military commander, was buried in Dubai two days ago

* Ukrainian gas transits to the Balkan countries, which were cut by a third following a pipeline rupture in the Transdnestr region, will be 85-90% restored later today, Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz said

* Ukraine's parliament voted overwhelmingly for the presidential election to be held on October 25 this year, three months ahead of the date President Viktor Yushchenko had pushed for