Historical calendar on February 20-26 On February 20, 1906, Emperor Nicholas II issued a manifesto on the transformation of the State Council from the Advisory authority under the tsar to the upper house of parliament, which received equal legislative rights with the Duma. The new manifesto developed the provisions of the historical “Manifesto on October 17, 1905”, which turned Russia into a constitutional monarchy.

Israel struck the air at the gas sector - two militants were killed. According to the Israeli military, the militants were killed near the border fence, where they laid the bomb. The Israeli government is discussing today the issue of sanctions against the Palestinian autonomy - in view of the victory in the parliamentary elections of the Hamas radical group. It can be about closing the border with Palestinian autonomy and blocking financial receipts.

The last two sets of Olympic awards on Saturdays were played in a short track. Men competed at a distance of 1000 m. As in the final at a distance of 500 m two days earlier, the first two places were occupied by AN Hyun with and Lee Suk from South Korea. The owner of the bronze medal was Apolo Anton from the USA. In women, at a distance of 1500 m, gold and silver medals also went to representatives of South Korea - Gene Song Yu and Choi Yun Kun.

In the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan, 5 people died as a result of the explosion of a combat shell in the city of Balkhash. According to Interfax with reference to the Ministry of Emergencies of the republic, on Saturday evening, an ammunition detonation occurred in the city pier during gas cutting. At the site of the explosion, cordoned off by the military police, shells of different calibers were discovered.

“Passion lives here” - the motto of the Olympics in Turin.

In Moscow - at the house of the Russian government - on Sunday, a rally of deceived investors in the construction of housing was held. A few hundred people gathered for a rally demanded that the authorities create a special commission to find and punish the perpetrators. According to RIA-Novosti, there were about twice as many protesters who ensured order.

In the north of Nigeria, in the city of Borno, at least 16 people became victims of riots, which resulted in a demonstration of local Muslims, protesting against the publication of cartoons on the prophet Mohammed. The demonstrators attacked the local Christian community, setting fire to churches, shops, houses, cars. Most of the dead are Christians. 115 people were arrested. A day earlier in Libya, at least 11 people died as a result of clashes with the police.

In the capital of Pakistan, a demonstration of protest against the publication in the European press of cartoons on the Prophet Mohammed is overcame. Since yesterday, authorities have banned any demonstrations in Islamabad. On the eve of today's action, about two hundred people - leaders and activists of radical Islamic groups were arrested. A violent protest rally took place today in the capital of Indonesia.

The first of the four Sunday sets of Olympic awards was played in the men's ski relay race 4x10 km. The top three of the winners were compiled by teams of Italy, Germany and Sweden.

Visiting Viktor Shenderovich is the leader of the Union of Right Forces party Nikita Belykh.

The United States urged to immediately release three of its citizens stolen on Saturday in Nigeria. In addition to three US citizens, 6 more employees of the American oil company were captured - the Briton, two Thai, two Egyptians and the Philippan. According to the investigators, they act in protest against the military raids of the authorities in the villages in the Delta of the Niger River - the supporting points of the rebels.

The appearance of "bird flu" in three more countries - France, India and Iran is confirmed. In France, a strain of the Aych5en1 virus, dangerous to man, was found in a dead wild duck found in the east of the country. In Iran, 135 swans were found who died of "bird flu". In India, a flash of the disease occurred in the state of Maharastra, where about 50 thousand poultry died. The possibility of infection of 8 people who were in contact with a sick bird is not excluded. They are hospitalized.

President of the Republic of Kalmykia and the International Chess Federation Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

In the north of Iraq, the wreckage of a private German aircraft that disappeared this week was found. On board were five citizens of Germany - a pilot and employees of a German construction company, and one Iraqets. According to the authorities who have survived in the disaster. The fall of the aircraft is unknown.

Mumin Shakirov: A new era has come in Russian cinema. High -budget paintings, designed for a mass viewer, systematically push the author’s cinema to the backyards. Russian blockbusters receive such a generous advertising feeding from producers and distributors that there is no getting away from them. The people fell to the cinemas. Experts and analysts are closely monitoring box office.