Main News of June 29

WORLD

* The Russian government has given approval for the United States and its NATO allies to use a Russian air base in the Volga city of Ulyanovsk as a hub for transits to and from Afghanistan

* Uzbekistan has quit the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in a move seen as clearing the way to set up military cooperation with the United States, Russian business daily Kommersant reported, citing Uzbek diplomats

* China’s first female astronaut Liu Yang and her two colleagues have safely returned to Earth after fulfilling the country’s first manned space docking, Xinhua reported

RUSSIA

* Russia will develop a special program to expand commercial space services and push the United States and EU out of that market, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said o

* The legal defense team of Russian businessman Viktor Bout will seek a pardon from U.S. President Barack Obama if appeals fail, Bout’s lawyer Viktor Burobin said

* Russia’s children rights ombudsman has condemned a U.S. ranch, where troubled adoptees are held

BUSINESS

* Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has decided in principle to extend its Nord Stream pipeline project to reach Great Britain, CEO Alexei Miller said

* Russian gas giant Gazprom may sue Ukraine if Kiev reduces imports below the minimum contracted volumes of 41 billion cubic meters for 2012, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said

* Cyprus is in talks with Russia and China for loans of about 10 billion euros, Athens news agency reported quoting Cypriot Government spokesman Christos Christofides

* European leaders have agreed to channel EU bailout funds directly to endangered banks, after the establishment of a Eurozone banking supervisory body, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said

SPORTS

* The Russian and Spanish football federations have been fined €30,000 and €20,000, respectively, for racist chanting by their fans at Euro 2012, UEFA has said

Alexander Povetkin’s mandatory defense of his WBA heavyweight title against Hasim Rahman has been cancelled because the American has a hand injury, the body said

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