The South Korean and American militaries have announced the start of the largest-scale maneuvers since the end of the Korean War in 1953. Seoul categorically denies that the exercises are preparation for an alleged attack on its northern neighbor, the Associated Press reports. The maneuvers, which will last until March 27, consist of two separate operations, designed, according to the US military, to increase the effectiveness of the interaction of troops.

Today in Moscow begins the screening of one of the most long-awaited films of the season - the fairy tale "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone " . The film is based on the plot of the first book in the series of popular children's novels by Joanne Kathleen Rowling about Harry Potter. This is, without a doubt, the most popular work written in the last 10 years - the total circulation of the book has exceeded 100 million copies.

Egyptian authorities have added Russia and Ukraine to the list of countries whose citizens do not require prior registration of entry visas. Now tourists will receive entry permission upon arrival in the country, NTVRU.com reports . Previously, Russians and Ukrainians could travel to Egypt without visas only as part of tourist groups.

On March 21, the White House ordered all federal agencies to remove information about weapons of mass destruction and other data that could be useful to terrorists from their websites. The presidential administration's decision has caused alarm among scientists and other supporters of open access to ministry data, since as a result of the innovation, many documents that have long been open to the general public will disappear from the network.

Iraq has sent a petition to the UN demanding comment on US threats to overthrow Saddam Hussein. The 20-point document was submitted to the Security Council from the office of Secretary General Kofi Annan, who met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri on March 7, Reuters reports. In the message, Iraq demands clarification of how US threats relate to international law.

The President got lost in the Three Pillars. And he summoned Loskutov from St. Petersburg. An independent investigator intervened in the dispute between the prosecutor's office and customs. On March 20, a message came through the Interfax news agency that the Russian Prosecutor General's Office had opened a criminal case into abuses in the leadership of the State Customs Committee.

At a meeting of Compaq Corporation shareholders held on March 20, a majority vote decided to agree to Hewlett-Packard's offer to sell Compaq, Reuters reports. Thus, the idea of ​​​​the largest merger in the history of the computer industry received final approval from investors of both Compaq and HP, whose shareholders approved the merger the day before.

Exactly a month later, on April 21, the premiere of the most unusual performance in the entire hundred-year history of the “stronghold of Russian theatrical realism” is scheduled at the Moscow Art Theater.

” will be released in Moscow cinemas On March 21, the military drama “ Black Hawk Down . The film was directed by American director Ridley Scott , who, after the success of his latest works Hannibal and Gladiator , is considered one of Hollywood's leading blockbuster experts. Scott made "The Hawk" in collaboration with producer Jerry Bruckheimer , whose last film was "Pearl Harbor" , so the success of the film was ensured.

The Russian pair of Ilya Averbukh and Irina Lobacheva retained their leading position at the World Figure Skating Championships in Nagano, RIA Novosti reports. The silver medalists of the Salt Lake City Olympics performed the original dance best of all, and are still ahead of the Canadian duet Shae-Lynn Bourne - Victor Kraatz. And the third place before the last type of dance couples competition - the free program - is also held by Lithuanian athletes Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas.

A memorial plaque to Alexander Vertinsky was unveiled on the facade of house No. 12 on Tverskaya Street in Moscow. The outstanding artist lived in this house for the last 14 years of his life, after returning to his homeland - from 1943 to 1957. The right to open the board, reports RIA Novosti , was granted to members of the artist’s family - the widow Lydia and daughters Anastasia and Marianna Vertinsky.

Queen Sofia of Spain opened the first exhibition in Barcelona dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi. In the exhibition hall "Tinell" in the capital of Catalonia, with the help of models, drawings, photographs and drawings, the entire creative path of the architect, who enriched world architecture, is shown. By decision of UNESCO, 2002 was declared the year of Gaudi in recognition of his unique contribution to world culture.

Latvian Prime Minister Andris Berzins believes that the director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Structures and Human Rights, Gerard Stoudmann, should resign. This was reported to RIA Novosti on Thursday by the press secretary of the Latvian Prime Minister Arnis Lapins.

On Thursday, Pope John Paul II commented on scandals involving a number of Catholic priests in pedophilia. In a statement, the head of the Roman Catholic Church expressed deep regret that church officials were involved in "the most serious sin." In previous letters to clergy, John Paul II indicated that the Catholic Church was concerned about victims of scandals and sought to “respond correctly and fairly to each case.” The Pope did not use the word "pedophilia" in his 22-page address.

The state prosecutor demanded a sentence of 15 to 25 years in prison for ten members of Shamil Basayev’s gang, which carried out a raid on Budennovsk in the summer of 1995, RIA Novosti reports . The trial of Chechen terrorists is taking place in the Stavropol Regional Court. According to the chairman of the court, Alexei Prodanov, on Thursday not all lawyers were ready for final statements, so the debate between the parties was postponed to Friday.