Lilya Palveveva , Moscow: The first practical result of pension reform was that in January of this year, funds aimed at financing the funded part of labor pensions to the Pension Fund. Due to this funded part, they hope in the government, the amount of pensions, especially for those who have great earnings, will be significantly increased.

In the village of Avtura, the Shalinsky district of Chechnya, two local residents were killed - fire was opened by their car. In the village of Gekhi, Urus-Martan district, three Russian troops were injured, undermining in a landmine. In the Leninsky district of the capital of Chechnya, a checkpoint was fired. The victims are not reported.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said his country would support the US military operation against Iraq if it is "justified and necessary." Speaking on Sunday at a meeting with students of one of the universities in Texas, where he is on a visit, Blair noted that the fight against terrorism should be continued, and the UK intends to participate in it in a close alliance with the United States.

Victoria Munblit, Tel Aviv: The situation in the north of Israel is increasingly complicated. On Sunday, the extremist South Libelian organization Hezbollah fired at settlements in the north of the country from mortars, and then rockets flew into the northern cities. The residents of the sheated cities held most of Sunday in bomb shelters, as a result of shelling, 5 people were injured.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan opened today in Madrid an international conference on the problems of humanity aging. The rapid aging of the population of our planet Kofi Annan called an unprecedented phenomenon. By 2050, the number of people over 60 years will increase by almost 4 times - up to two billion - and for the first time will exceed the number of young. A sharp increase in the middle age of the inhabitants of the planet can lead to global economic and social crises.

Evgeny Bovkun, Bonn: The new spring meeting at the top of Schroder-Putin, which will begin on Tuesday in the capital of Tyurinia Weimar, this time was foreseen by the emergence of numerous participants in the "St. Petersburg dialogue" in Weimar, discussing the problems of the development of civil societies in Germany and Russia.

On the west coast of Jordan, fierce clashes between Israeli troops and armed Palestinians continue. In Bethlehem, the battle goes around the Church of the Nativity of Christ, where about 200 armed Palestinians have been hiding for almost a week. Palestinians are firing at the Church besieging the Israeli units. The battles continue in the cities of Nabluus and Jenin, where the Palestinians still have stubborn resistance.

In the east of Afghanistan, important documents have been discovered that can shed light on the activities and plans of the Al-Caida International Terrorist Organization. According to the American command in Afghanistan today, the documents were found while combing the fortified area in the mountain valley of Shah-e-Kot, where, according to the military, the scattered detachments of the Taliban and militants of Al-Qaeda could remain.

The deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, Vladislav Putilin, called the catastrophic situation with a spring draft in the army. According to him, only about 12 percent of young people aged 18 to 20 years will be able to send to the armed forces. The rest of the draftees, mainly, the students took advantage of the right to deferral. Putilin said that in the future, the number of educational institutions will be strictly limited, whose students are given a delay from military service.

From April 9, the Central Bank of Russia reduces the refinancing rate from 25 to 23 percent. According to the bank’s public relations department, the decision is explained by favorable macroeconomic indicators, including a reduction in inflation rate. In addition, the needs of Russian manufacturers in cheaper banking resources were taken into account. The last time the Bank of Russia reduced the refinancing rate in November 2000. Then it was reduced from 28 to 25 percent.

Iraq completely stopped exporting oil until Israel withdraws troops from the Palestinian territories. This was announced today on television by President of Iraq Saddam Hussein. According to him, if Israel does not withdraw troops within 30 days, Baghdad will consider the issue of other measures. What exactly is meant - the president of Iraq did not specify.

The leadership of Georgia categorically refutes the accusations of the Abkhaz side that the shelling of the posts of Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia, on the night of Saturday to Sunday, were organized by Georgian special services, with the help of Georgian sabotage detachments operating in Abkhazia. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and State Security of the country has already made a refutation.

In the Philippines, during the operation of the special services, the Italian priest Giuseppe Pietrantoni, captured by Muslim extremists in October last year, was released. This was announced by the President of the country of Gloria Arrao. Pietrantoni was abducted in the south of the Philippines by a group called "Pentagon", which broke out of the organization of Muslim separatists.

The UN and the European Union again called on Israel to immediately withdraw troops from the Palestinian territories. The President of the European Commission Romano Prodi warned that the situation on the west coast of Jordan threatens to develop into a humanitarian crisis. He demanded that the Israeli authorities guarantee the free admission of medical personnel and employees of humanitarian organizations to the battles area.

In the center of Makhachkala on Monday evening, a motorcade of the head of the city administration Said Amirov was fired from a grenade launcher. No one was injured. According to Radio Liberty correspondent, this is already 15 attempts to attempt on Amirov over the past few years. As a result of one of them in 1998, 18 people died in Makhachkala, as a result of the other, the bullet hit Amirov into the spine and he became disabled.