On December 22 last year, three paintings were stolen from the National Museum of Sweden - a self-portrait by Rembrandt, as well as “Young Parisian Woman” and “Conversation with a Gardener” by the French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The three kidnappers were armed and their faces were hidden behind masks; they burst into the museum literally five minutes before closing and, frightening the employees, took away the paintings.

In the Czech Republic, attempts failed to overcome the conflict that began on state television two weeks ago. Representatives of the Civil Democratic Party failed to agree with the staff of the television channel, who did not agree with the decision to appoint them the head of the Irji Khodach. Opponents of this personnel solution continue to issue their own programs, which are distributed through cable and satellite channels.

Nine people died in a fire that occurred on New Year's Eve in the cafe of the Dutch city of Folendam, ITAR-TASS reports. In total, more than 180 people suffered from suffering and burns of varying degrees. 90 of them are in hospitals. Doctors regard the condition of 17 victims as critical. The Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, where 24 people were delivered, was already visited by the Queen of the Netherlands Beatrix. The fire broke out in a cafe at 00:30 local time.

The first trading of the new year 2001 on the American stock market did not bring the expected relief. Instead of putting the bad memories behind them and getting down to business with renewed vigor, the NASDAQ index of high-tech companies collapsed to its lowest level in the last 22 months. This hasn't happened on Wall Street for almost two years. The index's losses during yesterday's trading amounted to 7.2%, the closing level was 2291.86 points.

A terrorist attack is prevented in Nizhny Tagil. According to NTV and Silka at Interfax, on the eve of Nizhny Tagil of the Sverdlovsk region a few meters from the Utkinsky mini-market, the janitor found a suspicious object in the snowdrift, which turned out to be a home-made explosive device. According to experts, the explosive device consisted of a mixture of hexogen, nitroglycerin, trinitrotoluene with a total weight of 800 grams, an electric detonator and a fire -wire cord packed in paper.

The Singapore police arrested 15 local residents, members of the Falungon, which were prohibited in China, who tried on the occasion of the New Year without the permission of the authorities to conduct an anti -Chinese manifestation in the city park, in which more than a hundred of their like -minded people participated.

At today's foreign exchange trading in Asia, the euro/dollar exchange rate was 95.15 cents per euro. Yesterday's close of currency trading in New York also brought the euro to a new price level of 95.17 cents. This is the highest exchange rate of the European currency against the US dollar over the past six months. The reason for the New Year's growth was the publication of another economic report, which showed a decline in industrial production in the United States, Bloomberg reports.

Today, the first lady of America Hillary Clinton will swear as a senator from the state of New York, NTV reports citing Interfax. She will become the first US wife in the history of the president to win this post. The ceremony from the rostrum for honored guests will be watched by her husband, President Bill Clinton, her daughter Chelsea, as well as relatives and friends. At the same time, 10 more senators from the new US Congress will be bore. The elected US President Republican George Bush Jr.

Seven former and real employees of Microsoft filed a lawsuit against Washington’s court for $ 5 billion, accusing the company of racial discrimination. This was reported by The Wall Street Journal. The company is accused of creating at the workplace of a hostile environment for black workers, who, according to the claim, were discriminated against monetary rewards and promotion. According to the plaintiffs, the unreasonable dismissal of a number of employees allegedly also took place.

The number of victims as a result of the gas explosion in a residential building in Biysk on Wednesday morning increased to eight people, NTV reports. Three people were killed, seven more people were injured, the radio station "Echo of Moscow" is acting. The Biysk City Headquarters on Civil Defense and Emergency Situations said that it was not possible to establish an exact number of victims. Many residents in connection with the New Year holidays could be outside the house, visiting.

The Argentine government has confirmed its determination to restore its rights to the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands, located in the South Atlantic. They are now under UK jurisdiction.

Fred Done has already begun to pay wins. Although five months are left before the end of the tournament, the bookmakers are sure that anyone can’t catch up with the “red devils”. After the 22nd round, the separation of the "Mankunians" from the "Arsenal" and "Sunderland" is 11 points. “The race for the title is finished,” said the representative of Fred Done. General payments at these rates will amount to 400 thousand pounds (600 thousand dollars).

“It is impossible to call on the world at the same time and not respect human life,” said Pope Paul Paul II on January 1, in a message on the first time of the world in the 21st century, celebrated traditionally by Catholics for the 34th time. The head of the Roman Catholic Church called on humanity in the incoming millennium to choose the path of dialogue.

A criminal case has been instituted on the fact of the gas explosion in a residential building in Biysk. As the press service of the Administration of the Altai Territory reported today, according to experts, the cause of the explosion was a careless handling of gas. It was established that the explosion occurred on the 2nd floor, two of the three entrances were destroyed, the third completely burned out.

Russia plans to build a tunnel, which will connect Asia and America. Currently, the cost of this project is estimated at $ 128 billion. The design length of the tunnel, which connects Chukotka and Alaska, is 96 km. Construction will take at least 20 years. This is the largest project of this kind in history, according to the German newspaper Die Welt.