* The investigation of former Russian security officer Alexander Litvinenko's death in London last month:

// Dec. 12, 2006 - 05:26 GMT

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, December 12 (RIA Novosti) – An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale struck near the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's Far East Tuesday, the regional emergencies ministry office said.

// Dec. 12, 2006 - 06:06 GMT

TOKYO, December 12 (RIA Novosti) – Japan wants guarantees that it will receive oil and gas from the $22 bln Sakhalin II project in Russia's Far East on schedule, in view of Gazprom's slated involvement, the minister of economy, trade and industry said Tuesday.

// Dec. 12, 2006 - 06:55 GMT

Russia hailed changes to a European draft resolution urging UN sanctions to force Iran to halt uranium enrichment but objected to a proposed travel ban on officials linked to Tehran's nuclear and missile programs.

// Dec. 12, 2006 - 07:03 GMT

MOSCOW, December 12 (RIA Novosti) – U.S. space shuttle Discovery has successfully docked with the International Space Station, and NASA has seven days to check whether damage to the shuttle's left wing could affect its mission.

// Dec. 12, 2006 - 07:04 GMT

MOSCOW, December 12 (RIA Novosti) – Credit institutions' balances on correspondent accounts with the Russian Central Bank totaled 372.8 billion rubles ($14.17 billion at the current exchange rates) at the beginning of the business day, down 3.9% (15.2 billion rubles/$578 million) from Monday, the CBR said Tuesday.

// Dec. 12, 2006 - 07:26 GMT

MOSCOW, December 12 (RIA Novosti) – Russia's investment index will open Tuesday at 770.25 points, down 0.13% on the previous day's trading, following Monday evening's sessions on major world trading floors.

// Dec. 12, 2006 - 07:28 GMT

TUMEN, December 12 (RIA Novosti) – A Russian passenger plane with 32 people on board made a safe emergency landing in the city of Khanty-Mansiisk in western Siberia following an engine failure, a local emergencies ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

// Dec. 12, 2006 - 07:31 GMT

Four people were hospitalized in Hamburg Monday, on suspicion they had been contaminated by polonium, the same radioactive substance that killed former Russian FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko.

// Dec. 12, 2006 - 08:04 GMT

Russia will only import meat and other animal products from those European Union nations which guarantee its safety, the top veterinary official said on Monday, Dec. 11. He added that the food safety watchdog will conduct bilateral talks with any EU nation willing to export its animal products to Russia.

// Dec. 12, 2006 - 08:10 GMT