The Baltic Star Hotel, built for the 300th anniversary of the city on the territory of the Konstantinovsky Palace of Congresses in Strelna, turned out to be the first St. Petersburg hotel to receive the five-star category according to the Ministry of Economic Development. But such legends of the hotel business as Grand Hotel Europe and Astoria did not receive this honor. New rules for the state classification of hotels were approved by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade in June 2003.

Officials and businessmen will come face to face Today the forum “Administrative Reform and Small Business” opens, held by the all-Russian public organization of small and medium-sized businesses “OPORA Russia”. It is no secret that it is small businesses, having neither extra money nor the lobbying capabilities of the oligarchs, that suffer the most from bureaucratic arbitrariness.

Ermakova and Davydova won the first round against the Olympic champions The Russian Open Cup in synchronized swimming was initially supposed to decide which of the duets - Olympic champions Brusnikina and Kiseleva or world champions Davydova and Ermakova - would represent Russia at the Olympics in Athens? However, the executive committee of the Synchronized Swimming Federation decided to supplement the Olympic selection with two more starts.

US and Pakistan jointly raise Bush ratings In the mountains on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, US special forces began an operation to capture the leader of the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden. Information about this is actively leaked in the media, which indicates the Americans’ confidence in success. Although this is the fourth time such an operation has been carried out in the mountains, the hunters are clearly not afraid of spooking their prey.

President Signed federal laws on the ratification of the Treaty on Friendly Relations and Cooperation between Russia and Romania and the Treaty on the Fundamentals of Relations between Russia and Nicaragua. The agreement between Russia and Romania was signed in Moscow on July 4 last year, adopted by the State Duma on January 23, 2004 and approved by the Federation Council on February 11.

The state buys shares of Rostvertol An extraordinary meeting of shareholders of the Rostov Helicopter Plant, the only 100% private aircraft manufacturing enterprise, scheduled for March 5, intends to decide on the sale of part of its shares to the state. By absentee voting, Rostvertol shareholders will have to decide on an additional issue of shares of the company, which the Russian Ministry of Property is going to buy in full through a closed subscription.

Lukashenko returned the ambassador to Moscow Summoned “for consultations” from Moscow at the height of the bilateral gas crisis, Ambassador of Belarus Vladimir Grigoriev must return to his duties in the Russian capital today. This became known after the diplomat’s meeting with Alexander Lukashenko yesterday. The Belarusian president abruptly changed his tone and called not to politicize the situation.

An earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale that struck Morocco yesterday killed 229 people. This is the strongest earthquake in the country since 1994, when the force of the tremors reached 5.7 points. The epicenter of the earthquake was in the Mediterranean Sea at a depth of 800 meters, 160 km northeast of the coast. Tremors were also felt in southern Spain. The Russian embassy in Rabat does not have information about whether there are Russian citizens among the victims.

CLUBS Deborah Davis (USA, vocals), Oleg Butman (drums). As part of the New Generation of Jazz project. Deborah Davis is a gifted singer with a warm, angelic voice that has captivated audiences around the world. She is equally comfortable in different musical styles, performing jazz, classical, gospel, pop, country, rhythm and blues, hip-hop and even commercial jingles. Her repertoire includes many well-known jazz standards - ballads, blues, Latin, swing.

Elena Isinbaeva's world record in pole vault did not last long. Russian Svetlana Feofanova has once again regained the title of record holder. Moreover, Feofanova set her ninth world achievement. At the IAAF competitions in Athens, Feofanova achieved a height of 485 cm, thereby exceeding the achievement of her compatriot by 2 cm. Isinbaeva herself was unable to achieve a height of 460 cm.

Right- and left-wing candidates may withdraw from the campaign trail Opposition presidential candidates have again returned to their long-standing threat to leave Vladimir Putin on the ballot exclusively with Sergei Mironov and Oleg Malyshkin. Irina Khakamada, the most ardent supporter of the election boycott among right- and left-wing candidates, said yesterday that she might withdraw her candidacy.

Grigory Berezkin received control of the most modern Russian thermal power plant Yesterday, a precedent was created for the transfer to management for three years (with the possibility of extension for another year) of a large Russian power plant - the North-Western Thermal Power Plant.

Israel outraged by Hague hearings Hearings continue at the Hague International Court on the legality of Israel's actions to erect a protective wall along the borders of the Palestinian Authority. Israel refused to recognize the authority of the court and did not send a delegation to The Hague, limiting itself to a written statement of its position.

Representatives of the special services yesterday announced the destruction of one of the direct organizers of the terrorist attacks carried out by Chechen militants last summer in Mozdok and Moscow. According to the FSB, 25-year-old Khamzat Tazabaev was an assistant to Shamil Basayev and trained female kamikazes for his Riyadus Salihyin (Black Widows) brigade.

The Central Bank is inventing new methods to combat “empty” bank capital, which it announced three years ago. Last week, the Vestnik Bank of Russia published updated instructions on the registration and licensing of credit organizations, according to which, in particular, if banks increase their authorized capital by more than 20%, Sergei Ignatiev’s department will be able to check the “sources of funds” with which shares are paid for.