CITIGROUP office. Photo MSNBC The American financial giant Citigroup reorganizes the business by dividing into two separate companies - Citicorp and Citi Holdings, the company's press release reports. The decision was made with the aim of optimizing operational activities and improving opportunities for future growth. The Citicorp is distinguished as a result of restructuring will become an international universal bank, represented in more than a hundred countries.

Gerhard Schroeder. Photo AP The former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder received a new place of work in Russia. According to Kommersant on Friday, he became one of the independent directors of TNK-BP with a salary of 200 thousand dollars. On the eve of TNK-BP announced the composition of the board of directors, the re-election of which the British and Russian shareholders of the company agreed in September after a long conflict.

Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of Russia. Photo WSJ The decision of the authorities of the federal land of Saxony to award the Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin the Order of Merit, caused an ambiguous reaction in Germany, reports Spiegel. The presentation of the order should take place in Dresden at the annual ball, which is traditionally arranged in the building of the Dresden seven opera. Putin himself will receive the award, who is now in Germany with a three -day official visit.

The soldiers frightened. Photo MSNBC Israel and Hamas have concluded a truce for a period of two weeks, YNET Israeli Agency reports with reference to sources in Palestinian structures. A truce must enter into force within 72 hours. One of the conditions is the consent of both parties to the presence of international observers in the conflict zone.

Arrest. Photo psychinaction.files.wordpress.com In Irkutsk, a 32-year-old resident of the city was detained, suspected of committing at least five murders, RBC reports with reference to a source in the Main Directorate of the Interior in the Irkutsk Region. It is believed that the suspect committed all the murders in two weeks of the New Year holidays. All crimes were committed in Irkutsk. The victims of the criminal were people of various social status.

Raul Castro. Photo by ar Kubinsk head Raul Castro will visit Moscow. According to RIA Novosti, this was announced on Friday by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Speaking at the ceremony of presenting verification letters to ambassadors, Medvedev expressed the hope that this visit "would give an impulse to bilateral cooperation." "Tested by time, friendship and trust became a strong foundation for the development of relations between Russia and Cuba.

Gas distribution station. Photo Neftegaz.ru Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine this weekend is the last chance for both sides to prove that they are serious and want to resolve a gas conflict. If in the near future the parties do not find a long -term solution to the problem of Russian gas transit to Europe, the European Union can revise relations with Russia and Ukraine.

Irek Murtazin. Photo from the Murtazin account on the Odnoklassniki.ru website The former press secretary of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Ikou Murtazin, who posted on the Internet false information about the death of Mintimer Shaimiev, was an official charge of slander and enjoying hostility, Komsomolskaya Pravda reports.

The soldiers frightened. Photo MSNBC Hamas will not accept the conditions of the truce proposed by Israel. With such a statement in Qatar at a meeting with the leaders of the Arab countries, one of the leaders of the Khaled Mashal movement made, Haaretz reports. According to Mashal, Hamas will cease to fire and missile shelling of Israeli territories only after all the compounds of the IDF leave the Gaza sector.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky. October 2008. Photo Ar The Meshchansky court of Moscow rejected the request of lawyer Mikhail Khodorkovsky Yuri Schmidt to allow his client to participate in the hearings on the process about sexual harassment, where the former head of the Yukos appears as the defendant. According to Interfax, the judges considered that Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is now in custody, could state his position in writing.

Moscow, January 15, 2009. A sanctioned rally in support of the Palestinians of Gaza was held outside the Israeli embassy. It was attended by Palestinians living in Moscow and representatives of the Communist Party. Photographed by Dmitry Borko Elena Bonner. Lead shower Boris Vishnevsky. Hypocrisy Fair

Andrey Biljo. Photo from the site rg.ru I don’t know how you, dear reader, and I am very glad that these so-called holidays have finally ended. These holidays, by the way, are a serious test of not only the gastrointestinal tract, liver and cardiovascular system, but also the psychological independence of each of us. So answer me, can you work when everyone does not work, work? And when everyone is drunk around, do not drink? Agree that this is not very easy.

Alternative "Marsh of Disagnower". Photo: hegtor.livejournal.com The organizers of the marshmallows of the disagreements change tactics: on the day of the disagreement on January 31, in Moscow there will be no single place for the collection. At different points of the city, a series of protests organized by the OGF, National Bolsheviks, Defense, AKM and other movements will simultaneously take place. The next day, fighters with raising caros are planned to hold the next all -Russian action.

Sergey Ivanov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Russia. Frame '' Vesti '' In Russia, work is underway on the creation of weapons and military equipment using nanotechnology. As Interfax reports, this was stated at a meeting of the Government Commission on High Technologies and Innovation of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government Sergey Ivanov.

Vasily Aleksanyan. Photo '' Novaya Gazeta '' The former vice president of the company "Yukos" Vasily Aleksanyan was discharged from the hospital on Friday, reports Interfax. According to Aleksanyan, he was discharged for home mode. At the same time, due to weakened immunity, doctors forbade him to take part in court hearings. Nevertheless, Aleksanyan emphasized that he was ready to appear at the hearing at the request of the court.