WORLD
* The leader of Transdnestr, Igor Smirnov, has for the first time invited Moldovan President Vladimir Filat to visit Moldova’s breakaway republic for an official meeting
* Over 400 demonstrators were wounded in clashes with police in the Yemeni city of Taiz, the Al Jazeera TV channel reported
* The final results of Kazakhstan’s presidential election confirm veteran leader Nursultan Nazarbayev’s win with 95.5% of the vote
* The Russian Foreign Ministry made an urgent appeal to both sides involved in a civil war in the Ivory Coast to stop the bloodshed
* Japan quake death toll exceeds 12,300 people, some 15,350 missing
RUSSIA
* Bank of Moscow President Andrei Borodin said he intends to return to Russia despite police plans to charge him with illegally granting a $444 million loan to Yelena Baturina, wife of the capital’s former mayor
* Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called for Russia’s labor relations practices to be brought in line with international standards
BUSINESS
* Russia’s gas export monopoly Gazprom and Germany’s E.ON Ruhrgas, one of Europe’s biggest customers for gas from Russia, expect European demand for Russian gas supplies to grow, Gazprom said
* Canada’s Kinross gold miner signs $350mln share deal to buy Russia’s Kupol