Russia and China will discuss in May 2003 the issue of Russian participation in the launch of the first Chinese manned spacecraft planned in October, reported April 3 General Director of Rosaviakosmos Yuri Koptev. Mr. Koptev did not talk about the extent of Russia's participation in this project, noting that this is a matter of confidentiality between Russia and China. He also recalled that China has already carried out 4 unmanned launches of its spacecraft.

26 1 min. ... Yesterday, the director of the technical department of the Primorsky Shipping Company (PSC), Nikolai Arkhipkin, told Interfax that the Croatian shipyard Brodosplit will not be able to transfer to the company the new Sakhalin tanker with a deadweight of 100 thousand tons. PMP should receive this tanker in Croatia in the summer of 2003. However, due to a fire at the shipyard, the hull of the unfinished ship suffered significant damage.

English duo Moloko, who released their new album "Statues" 49 2 minutes. ... Yuri Kommersant-Yarotsky The English duo Moloko, who released their new album “Statues” (Echo), aroused sympathy for a long time: their career seemed somehow ridiculous. There was a frivolous name for the group, borrowed from A Clockwork Orange.

Sergei Kovalev was denied a complaint against the security officers 364 2 minutes. ... process Yesterday, the Meshchansky Court of Moscow refused to satisfy State Duma deputy Sergei Kovalev's complaint against FSB Director Nikolai Patrushev and his deputy Vladimir Pronichev. The deputy demanded to be provided with copies of the plan for the exercises conducted in Ryazan on September 22, 1999.

Theater "Mansion" at the "Golden Mask" 245 3 min. ... nomination "innovation" At the Golden Mask festival taking place in St. Petersburg, two of the four performances included in the Innovation nomination were performed: Evgeny Grishkovets's one-man show "Dreadnoughts" and the play "Lexicon" by the St. Petersburg "Osobnyak" theater. According to Kommersant columnist ROMAN DOLZHANSKY, the first of them significantly influenced the second.

Answering questions from Tambov journalists on April 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the preparation of a law increasing the punishment for drug traffickers from 15 to 20 years in prison. The head of state assured that the authorities are seriously concerned about the problem of the spread of drug addiction. Mr. Putin recalled the creation of a special committee to combat drug traffickers.

arresting his advisor 67 3 min. ... scandal Observers regarded the arrest of financier James Giffen as a serious warning from Washington to the President of Kazakhstan.

Seize the following properties: 70 3 min. ... From the decisions of the Presnensky District Court of Moscow in a criminal case #193612 Seize the following properties: part of the building located at the address: Moscow, Chistoprudny Boulevard, 13, p. 1, with an area of ​​242.8 sq. m, object registration number 35893; 275/1000 share of common ownership of the building located at the address: Moscow, st. Novoslobodskaya, 41, area 11267.7 sq.

coal industry 38 1 min. ... Yesterday, an end was put to the conflict between the administration of the Rostov region and the owners of Rostovugol LLC regarding investing funds in a coal mining company. After a series of negotiations, the owners of the Rostov company, the Russian Coal corporation and Mezhprombank, were forced to promise the regional administration to allocate at least 250 million rubles for coal miners in 2003.

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein sent greetings to the defenders of Kut, a city located 150 kilometers southeast of Baghdad, where coalition troops inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. France Press reported this on April 3. “Your noble struggle and resistance pour balm on our hearts,” the appeal says. "May Allah bless the brave fighters who are willing to sacrifice themselves to protect Iraq."

By April 3, units of the 3rd Infantry Division of the US Army, attacking Baghdad from the south, approached the city within 25 kilometers. Over the next few hours, coalition forces may move to the outskirts of the Iraqi capital. At the same time, American troops are constantly engaged in shelling of the remaining Iraqi units of the Medina division in their rear, blocked in the city of Karbala.

Yevgeny Yasin does not share the president’s ambitious plans 123 6 min. ... On the eve of the conference, scientific director of the Higher School of Economics EVGENY YASIN, in an interview with Kommersant columnist KONSTANTIN SMIRNOV, spoke about the new priority of liberal economists - “social development is much more important than economic growth.” In addition, he warned about the danger of accelerating economic growth by certain dates.

In the North Caucasus they are learning to catch pirates eleven 1 min. ... Yesterday, the large-scale command and staff exercises of the troops of the North Caucasus Military District, which began a week ago, continued. The district's press service reported that a feature of this stage of the exercise is the development of tasks to suppress violations of the country's airspace and the established flight regime.

Polish stars will perform in the Kremlin 96 1 min. ... Today pop stars from Poland Marylya Rodowicz and the group Czerwone Gitary are singing in the Kremlin. During times of stagnation, they were very popular not only in their homeland, but also in the Soviet Union, where their music quite adequately compensated for the lack of songs from the countries of the capitalist camp. In Poland, both Ms.

But there is not enough money for Republicans 64 3 min. ... historical justice The Spanish Association for the Restoration of Historical Memory accused the Spanish government of not allocating the promised funds for the identification and interment of republican fighters killed during the civil war of 1936-1939 and buried in unmarked graves. With details - JUAN COBO, RIA Novosti correspondent in Spain, especially for Kommersant.