The movement of Nature Conservation Teams together with the Social and Ecological Union (SoES), Greenpeace of Russia and the environmental police of Moscow is carrying out a large-scale operation "Primrose-2003". It is reported by RIA Novosti. The promotion will run from February 10 to March 8. It aims to prevent the collection and sale of rare and specially protected species of first spring flowers.

NASA turned to Rosaviakosmos with a request to provide this year with an additional launch of the Progress cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station, declaring its readiness to finance it. According to Interfax, Nikolai Moiseev, First Deputy General Director of the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, announced this on Monday.

Polish researchers have discovered two new islands off the West coast of Antarctica south of Cape Horn, Ekho Moskvy reports with reference to ITAR-TASS. Earlier this month, they explored Omega Island, which is part of the Melchior Islands. Until recently, this island has been mapped only schematically. During the study, it turned out that the island does not exist, and in its place there are two small islands, separated by a narrow but deep strait.

On Friday, February 28, repeated presidential elections will be held in the Czech Republic. They will be held in the Spanish Hall of Prague Castle at a joint meeting of both houses of the Czech Parliament. Such a decision, according to RIA Novosti, was made by the speaker of the lower house of parliament, Lubomir Zaoralk, after consultations held with the leaders of parliamentary parties. The first official candidate for the presidency in the re-election was Vaclav Klaus.

From the site www.ncb.mod.uk In Brussels, an emergency meeting of the NATO Permanent Council was held due to the fact that France, Belgium and Germany imposed a veto on NATO plans for the provision of Turkish military assistance in case of war with Iraq, AFP reports. Türkiye turned to its NATO partners with a request for consultations, and the NATO Council for the first time since 1949 introduced the 4th article of the Washington Treaty on the creation of NATO.

On the Volgograd section of the Syzran-Saratov-Volgograd highway, work has been completed to clear snow blockages, and traffic has been resumed. As RIA "Novosti" was informed in the regional department for civil defense and emergency situations, it took about 9 hours to eliminate the snow drifts that arose on the highway. A heavy snowfall made the track unsuitable for vehicular traffic.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ends his stay in Germany on Monday and leaves for a three-day state visit to France, Interfax reports. Putin will visit not only the French capital, but also the southwestern region of France - Aquitaine, including the famous wine-making center - the city of Bordeaux.

Spanish Defense Minister Federico Trillo said the pope's appeal against the war in Iraq is not a matter of faith. Therefore, according to the minister, it is not obligatory for Catholics.

Lesin. Photo Newsru.com On February 9, at about 19.00, a specialist from Vnukovo Airport Minister of Press Mikhail Lesin was sent to Switzerland to one of the cardiological clinics, Kommersant reports with reference to sources surrounded by the minister. Over the past three days, Lesin did not feel well and a cardioremist was constantly on duty near him. On Sunday, the minister became much worse and felt much worse for him, and a whole team of cardiologists was called to him.

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo decided to close the country's embassy in Baghdad on Monday and transfer the remaining diplomatic staff there to Jordan's capital, Amman, RIA Novosti reports. As Presidential Security Adviser Roylo Goles explained to reporters, these measures do not mean that the Philippine leadership has accurate information about the start of the war.

An Australian man has been sued for hitting 12 wombats in the Wollemi National Wildlife Refuge, Reuters reports. On February 28, park employees found 12 carcasses of these glorious fluffy marsupial animals on the Wolgan road. Experts studied the circumstances of the death of each and came to the conclusion that they were tracked down, and then they were deliberately run over. The suspect was soon arrested. It is only reported that he is 46 years old.

In connection with the illness of the head of the Russian Ministry of Press Mikhail Lesin, his duties will be performed by Secretary of State, First Deputy Minister Mikhail Seslavinsky. As the ministry's press service told RIA Novosti, Seslavinsky will replace the minister on the basis of the current regulations. In the absence of the press minister, Seslavinsky is given the right to sign all types of financial documentation, orders, contracts and agreements, the press service noted.

Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze offered the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov not to interfere in the internal affairs of Georgia. In an interview with National Radio on February 10, Shevardnadze commented statement by the Russian minister that the situation in the Pankisi Gorge had not changed much, advising Ivanov "keep an eye on Chechnya, solve the Chechen problem," PRIMA reports .

In the north of the Russian capital, police officers detained a car thief, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the Moscow police department. The day before, a 40-year-old economist from a commercial firm turned to the police and said that an unknown person had stolen her Mitsubishi-Galant car. The car was driven away from house number 10 on Halabyan Street. In the district, the "Interception" plan was announced, which in 40 minutes brought results.

Attorneys for record labels on Friday accused Verizon Communications of trying to "evade legal obligations" and urged the court to uphold a verdict requiring an ISP to provide studios with the personal data of its client, who was seen actively using the KaZaA p2p system .