Yuri Shapoval. Photos of faces Will the new President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko become the “second edition” of the disgusting Leonid Kuchma? Does Ukraine face the aggravation of interethnic contradictions? What explains the deep political difference between Ukraine and Russia?

The terrorist attack in the Gaza sector. Frame NTV At least six Israelites were killed and somewhat injured as a result of the attack of Palestinian militants on the Carnish control and receipt on the border of Israel and Gaza sector, the Air Force reports. According to the Israeli military, a truck crashed into the wall of the checkpoint, and three suicide bombers burst into the formed hole. All of them were killed in a shootout.

Harutyun Akopyan. Drawing of Levitsky’s novel from Arttime.chat.ru In Moscow, in the 87th year of his life, a famous illusionist, People's Artist of Russia Harutyun Akopyan died. According to Echo of Moscow, his son, who inherited the profession of his father, illusionist Amayaak Akopyan, reported the death of his father. Farewell to the artist will take place on Monday. Harutyun Akopyan will be buried at the Troekurovsky cemetery.

The governor of the Ulyanovsk region, Sergei Morozov, told reporters on Friday after his inauguration that he was ready to step down as head of the administration of the Ulyanovsk region and raise a question of confidence with Russian President Vladimir Putin, if necessary. Morozov said that he was going to discuss the expediency of raising such a question with the president with the Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District, Sergei Kiriyenko, Gazeta.Ru reports.

An unsanctioned protest rally of pensioners against the abolition of benefits is taking place in St. Petersburg. According to Ekho Moskvy, more than 200 people gathered about 150 meters from the city administration building. The protesters blocked the passage from the Dictatorship of the Proletariat Square to Smolny.

Hotel "Moscow". Photo from the site www.stroi.ru The Culture Committee recommended that the State Duma reject the draft statement "On the initiatives of the Moscow Mayor and other members of the Moscow Government on the refusal to build a new building at the place of the Moscow Hotel, introduced by members of the Rodina faction.

Image from the site Human Rights Watch The situation with human rights in Russia worsens. This is stated in the annual report of Human Rights Watch, published on the organization’s website. Human rights activists, in particular, distinguish human rights violations from both warring parties in Chechnya.

An explosion in a residential building occurred early Friday morning in Moscow. The incident happened at 2/22 in Bolshoy Fakelny Lane. According to Ekho Moskvy, the cause of the explosion was a domestic gas leak. According to law enforcement agencies, a 27-year-old young man was injured in the explosion. With burns of the degree, he was hospitalized at the Institute of Emergency Medicine. Sklifosovsky.

Since January 1, five night public transport routes have appeared on the streets of the capital. According to Novye Izvestia, if the novelty proves to be in demand, the Moscow authorities promise to cover all districts of the city with the new service. The operating hours of the new routes are from one in the morning until half past six.

The State Duma rejected amendments and additions to the federal law "On Combating Terrorism". According to RIA Novosti, with the required 226 votes, the document was supported by only 64 deputies. The developer of the bill, a member of the LDPR faction, Alexei Mitrofanov, told his colleagues that the document provides, in particular, for the responsibility of not only the terrorist, but also his family members for material damage caused as a result of the terrorist act.

The Federal Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas at a meeting on Thursday approved the schedule for considering the merits of the Yukos reorganization case, as well as the adversarial process on petitions from Deutsche Bank and a consortium of Western banks. It is reported by Gazeta.Ru with reference to Interfax.

The European Union is not going to discuss the possible entry of Ukraine into it. This was stated to Reuters on Friday by the representative of the European Commission, Francoise Le Bai, Gazeta.Ru reports.

The Supreme Court of Russia denied the head of the administration of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Vladimir Butov, the right to run for a third term. Thus, the court upheld the decision of the Nenets District Court of December 30, 2004 to cancel the registration of Butov's candidacy, RIA Novosti reports.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev in the dock of the defendants of the Meshchansky court of Moscow. Image from the website of the press center Mikhail Khodor In the Meshchansky court, hearing in the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev continues. According to the press center of Khodorkovsky’s lawyers, the interrogation of Marat Rakhmankulov continued at a meeting on Friday.

The Prosecutor's Office of Chechnya opened a case on the search for an employee of the Grozny branch of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Said-Khussein Deniyev, Gazeta.ru reports. As Deputy Prosecutor of Chechnya Alexander Nikitin told Interfax on Friday, a pre-investigation check is now being carried out in the case.