The exchange rate of the American currency decreased by a penny to 31 rubles 18 kopecks. On the Forex market, the dollar noticeably weakened its positions in relation to other leading currencies. The moods in the world stock markets yesterday deteriorated somewhat, but today in Europe the growth has resumed. In the Russian stock market, a positive attitude is still preserved - the RTS index by 15:00 added 0.46% and rose to the mark of 390.38 points. Review of the Finmarket agency

Today, Prime Minister Kasyanov pleased the country with a story about the high rate of economic growth, however, most likely, the Russian economy owes good indicators to the US administration, which provoked a rather long period of non-normally high prices for fuel resources with its “shock and trepidation”. In Russia, GDP growth for the first quarter of 2003, according to preliminary data, amounted to 6.4%, and the growth of industrial production V 6%.

Yesterday, military personnel from Khankala gave out the corpses of three boys who disappeared near the military base two days before. All of them were killed from firearms. On April 14, Sasha Galichenko and the Brothers of the Makhtiev - Arsen and Timur - after the lessons went to collect metal next to Hankala. In the evening they did not return home. In the morning, parents began searches with the help of the police.

Today the government has decided = build a new oil pipeline, according to which oil = will be supplied = to Murmansk. Energy Minister Igor Yusufov said that oil will be transported not only from the North-Western region, but also from Western Siberia. According to the minister, this oil will be able to enter the US market, RBC reports.

Today, at the Summit of the European Union, the meeting participants accepted a statement in which they spoke out for the central role of the UN in the post -war arrangement of Iraq. The main question now is whether the coalition will listen to this opinion, who have every reason to prevent other states to deliver the “Iraqi pie”. Yesterday, at the summit, a decision was made to expand the EU at the expense of ten countries.

The past Tuesday showed that Vladimir Putin’s dream of visa -free trips of Russian citizens to the European Union countries is not so utopian, says “News Time” .

The Arab states called on the UN to adopt a resolution announcing the Middle East with a zone free of weapons of mass destruction. The initiator of the UN Security Council of a resolution project, the Air Force reports, was Syria, which in recent days not only the United States , but Israel is accused of supporting the Saddam Hussein regime and the development of chemical weapons.

Before the looters had time to plunder and burn the National Museum and the National Library in Baghdad, as UNESCO decided to take on the role of the coordinator of events to find and return the stolen values. UNESCO Director Koitiro Matsuura proposed prohibiting the export of cultural objects from Iraq and establish to prevent thefts of the “Heritage Police”.

Last night, the Industrial Committee, which includes the chief editors of the Russian media, adopted and approved the final version of the new media law. Now the committee will apply to the president with a request to introduce a bill to the Duma. After that, it will surely be accepted. The agreement that the draft new law will be submitted to Putin to the Legislative Assembly was reached back in December.

The government appreciated the compensation of the Chechens who lost housing during hostilities, at 240 thousand rubles to each victim. In pursuance of pre -referery promises of President Putin, the Prime Minister of Chechnya Anatoly Popov promised that the payments of compensation will begin no earlier than three months, however, it is not yet clear how many such victims are the number of people who will be shared, the NTV reports.

The leader of the Iraqi National Congress (INC) Ahmed Chalabi returned to Baghdad. He intends to participate in tomorrow's negotiations on the future of the country, reports Associated Press. Since the beginning of the military operation, he was in the north of Iraq. Now he arrived in Baghdad to personally attend the continuation of negotiations of the Iraqi leaders created last month, which included the leaders of the opposition regime Hussein of organizations.

The United States, apparently, intends to abandon the outlined warming of relations with Cuba. According to the AFP agency, George Bush is considering the possibility of imposing new sanctions against Cuba in connection with the imprisonment of dozens of Cuban oppositionists. In particular, to persons who have left Cuba in the United States, they may prohibit the transfer of money to their families who remained on the island.

The war in Iraq cost the United States $ 20 billion. Half of this amount was spent directly for hostilities, about 3 billion for ammunition and ammunition, 7 billion to ensure personnel, CNN reports with reference to sources in the Pentagon. According to preliminary estimates, which was presented by the chief controller of the military department, Dov Zabhaim, the further presence of American soldiers in Iraq will cost the United States about $ 2 billion monthly.

The fall of the Hussein regime, apparently = significantly enriched = looters. Their victim after = museum and = library was a peasant Ali Abid Ben Mingash, = who shot down an American helicopter from a rifle. According to the Emirates newspaper Al-Bayan, robbers, having penetrated his house, beat the owner and took the money received for the feat of valuable gifts, the rifle itself and even the old furniture. Now Ali Abid is in a hospital in Karbel.

The Prosecutor General’s Office today joined the disputes about the possible Chechen amnesty . Deputy Prosecutor Governor Sergei Fridinsky said that the amnesty would spread not only to the inhabitants of Chechnya, as previously proposed, but also to the federals. According to Friedinsky, she will act for six months, and those who are free, under investigation and convicts will fall under her.