Russia is ready to cooperate in any format in order to prevent an arms race, including in space. This statement was made today by Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov during a Moscow-New York teleconference following the speech of Russian President Vladimir Putin at a session of the UN General Assembly. “That is why the President of the Russian Federation especially emphasized the need to achieve appropriate agreements that would prevent the launch of weapons into space,” I. Ivanov emphasized.

The main guideline for the world community should be to expand the organizational functions of the UN Security Council and maintain its high status and legitimacy. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking today at a session of the UN General Assembly in New York. According to him, the Security Council acts on behalf of the UN and is a mechanism for protecting the national interests of a wide variety of states.

“Russia is returning to the family of civilized nations, and it is also returning for the Russian Orthodox Church abroad,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting yesterday with the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCOR). The meeting took place at the Russian Consulate General in New York, the Rossiya TV channel reports.

The main task of the Russian Federation for a thirty-fifty year perspective is to build a liberal empire, says Anatoly Chubais, Chairman of the Board of RAO UES of Russia. He announced this at a meeting with journalists in St. Petersburg. According to A. Chubais, Russia should not join either the EU or NATO, but it is necessary to take into account the contours of the formation of a new world, which will include the United States, a united Europe, Japan, and Russia should also be represented.

The largest passenger liner in the history of shipbuilding was launched in France. The ship is called Queen Mary-2. It was built at the shipyard of the city of Saint-Nazaire. The cost of its construction was $910 million. The size of the liner would make even the creators of the Titanic jealous, notes Sky News. The height of the 21-deck vessel reaches 72 meters. For comparison, the height of the Statue of Liberty in the United States is about 93 meters.

A German tourist faces up to ten years in a Turkish prison after his nine-year-old son picked up pebbles on an Antalya beach. 34-year-old financial consultant from Munster Stefan J. was arrested at Antalya airport after customs officers found a bag of stones in his suitcase. The man was accused of smuggling archaeological treasures that are part of the national heritage and was taken to prison, where he was put in a cell with fourteen other criminals. “This is simply incredible!

The lower house of the Czech parliament began discussing the issue of passing a vote of no confidence in the government. The issue is being discussed at the initiative of the right opposition. The government coalition has a majority in the lower house of parliament, albeit with a margin of only 1 vote, so the Cabinet of Ministers of Prime Minister V. Shpidla expects a tense vote. However, analysts predict that parliament will vote to support the government.

Israeli President Moshe Katsav today strongly condemned 27 Israeli pilots who refused to participate in air raids on Palestinian territories. According to the Israeli president, when making their decision, these people were guided not so much by moral considerations as by their political interests.

Today, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation confirmed the legality of canceling the registration of entrepreneur Malik Saidullaev as a candidate for the post of President of Chechnya. Thus, the Supreme Court rejected the cassation appeal of his representative Khasa Dzhantaev against the decision of the Supreme Court of Chechnya that canceled the registration of M. Saidullaev.

A powerful explosion, the third today, thundered in the center of Baghdad. According to eyewitnesses, the explosion occurred near the Canal Hotel, where the UN headquarters is located. Details are being confirmed. In connection with this explosion, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan decided to reduce the organization's personnel in Iraq. This was announced by UN official Fred Eckhardt. According to F. Eckhardt, mission employees who leave Iraq will be sent to Jordan. At the same time, F.

The Moscow government will fight street markets using economic methods. This was stated by Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov at today's international conference "Trade in Russia. World experience: Russian perspectives." It is proposed to create equal taxation conditions for both street markets and “cultural trade” stores in order to prevent low-quality goods from being sold on uncontrolled markets. In addition, Yu.

OJSC Automobile Plant Ural announced the organization of assembly of its vehicles in China. It is planned to assemble trucks in China on the Ural chassis (mainly Ural-4320) with a Chinese-made cab and engine. It is expected that by mid-2004 The company will produce more than 100 trucks. AZ "Ural" announced plans to create a joint venture in China capable of annually producing and selling more than 500 trucks on the Chinese domestic market.

NATO is considering the possibility of concluding contracts for the lease of An-124-100 Ruslan aircraft with Russian and Ukrainian airlines. As reported by the Ukrainian airline Antonov Airlines, consultations on the use of An-124 aircraft for NATO needs took place at the headquarters of this organization in mid-September 2003.

The Accounts Chamber of Russia has appealed to the US General Accounting Office with a request to provide data on the storage of low-enriched uranium supplied from Russia to the US. The head of the Russian Accounts Chamber, Sergei Stepashin, told reporters about this at a joint press conference with the head of the US General Accounting Office, David Walker, following their meeting. As D.

A man was assaulted in the center of Moscow. As RBC was informed by the capital's Main Internal Affairs Directorate, the crime was committed today at 15:05 Moscow time at No. 8 on Tverskaya Street near the office of the Bank of Moscow. Two unknown men hit a visitor who came out of the bank with a heavy object and took away his bag, which contained 10 thousand dollars and 4.7 million rubles, after which they allegedly fled in a black BMW. The search for criminals is underway.