Let me remind you that the ban on grocery, approved in May last year, caused mass protests in Latvian prisons and the universal indignation of relatives of prisoners. The prohibition initiative proceeded from the Department of Places of Conclusion, that is, in fact from the prison administration. The main goal is to block access to drugs disguised in products.

In the Sea of Okhotsk, the ship "Pioneer of Russia" was released from the ice captivity to the northwest of Sakhalin. The vessel, following with commercial goods from the Vanino port to Magadan, was blown up by ice in mid -December. Last night, the icebreaker "Admiral Makarov" broke the ice around the ship and began to bring it to a safe area.

The European Union called on Eduardo Dailede, the fifth of the President of Argentina over the past two weeks, to present a full -fledged and realistic program for the country's withdrawal from the economic crisis. It is expected that the program will be published tomorrow. According to advisers to the new president, plans to restore the Argentinean economy provide 30-40 percent devaluation of Peso.

The deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of France, Jean Patrick Bavyar, arrived in Bishkek. During the meeting with the Minister of Defense of Kyrgyzstan Esen Topoev, issues of placing French military personnel at the capital's airport were discussed. As expected, in Manas 6 Mirage-2000 military aircraft and 2 aircraft-fireproof Air Force Air Force will be based.

Semyon Mirsky, France: Curiosity is perhaps the main reason for the extraordinary interest, shown by the French in the new currency. Two of each three respondents who stood in line at banking machines, in order to get brand new, never formed banknotes, said that they were interested in finding out what new money is for the touch, on the color, whether they are conveniently falling on the wallet, whether it is convenient to count them.

Cash euros appeared on Thursday in the afternoon in exchange points of the largest Moscow banks. The new pan -European currency can be purchased at the departments of Sberbank of Russia at a rate of 27 rubles 35 kopecks, and sold - for 26 rubles 40 kopecks. In commercial banks, the exchange rate of the euro is higher and can reach 30 rubles. So far, increased demand for euros in Moscow is not observed.

In Berlin, the heads of the central banks of the European Union, the results of the first three days of the appeal of the new single currency - Euro. VIM Duisenberg, president of the European Central Bank, will familiarize journalists today with the conclusions of bankers. According to preliminary information, European banks regard the start of the new currency as successful.

In the office of the American senator, the leader of the Senate majority of Tom Delash, a letter was again discovered today, containing threats to him and suspicious white powder. Part of the US Congress building, where the office was located, is closed. The first check of the powder showed that it does not contain a spore of a Siberian ulcer.

At the California aviation base of Edwards, flight tests of an unmanned fighter-bomber X-45A, designed and built by Boeing Corporation, will soon begin. An eight -meter combat vehicle can take more than a thousand kilograms of various weapons on board.

The United States expects that the new Afghan leadership will give them the leader of the Taliban Mullah Mohammad Omar - if he surrenders or is caught. It is assumed that Omar, under the protection of more than a thousand of their supporters, is hidden in the Bagran mountain area in the Gilmain province in southern Afghanistan. Representatives of the temporary administration of the country are negotiating the issuance of the leader of the Taliban.

Having won the overtime with a score of 2: 1 team of Finland, hockey players of the Russian youth team reached the final of the World Cup in the Czech Republic. The second finalist was the Canadian team, who won the Switzerland team 4: 0. Yesterday, 2 matches took place in which teams contesting places from the 5th to the 8th participated. Sweden won 3: 2 from Slovakia, and the United States - the Czech Republic 4: 3.

The economic observer of Radio Liberty Ivan Trefilov talks about the consequences of the transition of 12 EU countries to the Cash currency of the Euro for Russia with the leading researcher of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations Leonid Grigoryev. Ivan Trefilov: On the first day, when in Russia, cash euros were circulated, no excitement was noticed in the banks.

The Israeli troops last night left the city of Jenin and some quarters of the city of Ramalllah on the west coast of the Jordan, taking new positions near these settlements, but already in Israel. Still remains the blocked headquarters of the leader of the Palestinian autonomy of Yasir Arafat in Ramallach. The blockade of the surroundings of the cities of Kalkila, Hebron and Nabluz was removed.

The Government of South Korea called for employees and trade unions of the country to refrain from holding mass shares during the upcoming World Cup. The championship for the first time in history will be held in Asian countries - South Korea and Japan - from May 31 to June 30. South Korean authorities believe that demonstrations and other protests, which are often held by trade unions, may damage the country's reputation.

On the Indo-Pakistani border in Kashmir, an explosive atmosphere is preserved. A resident of Pakistan died - with a mortar shelling from the Indian side. Two Indian soldiers who were ambushed by Kashmir separatists were killed. Seven wounded. 10 Pakistani troops died when their truck was blown up by a mine near the Indian border. Yesterday, two people were killed and 27 - they were injured in Kashmir as a result of a grenade explosion.