The weighted average ruble exchange rate against the US dollar calculations in the framework of the daily trading session at the MMEVB amounted to 30.5782 rubles. For dollars., reports Prime-Tass. Councils of closing the session at the MICEX amounted to 30.6200/30.6300 rubles. For the dollar. Meanwhile, the Bank of Russia did not change the official course. On January 4, 2002, the official dollar exchange rate will remain at the level of 30.1372 rubles. In one dollar. Experts expected this jump.

Russia will put two destroyers for the Navy of the People’s Liberation Army. The corresponding Russian-Chinese contract was signed on Thursday, Interfax reports. On the Russian side, the contract was signed by the First Deputy General Director of Rosoboronexport Sergey Chemezov, with the Chinese - Deputy Head of the Bureau of Procurement of the Main Directorate of Arms and Military Equipment of the PLA Zhou Wei.

According to the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf , the Netherlands government is currently considering the state support for the production of the so -called "flying" cars. According to experts, they may become one of the possible solutions to the problem of road traffic jams that impede the police or rescuers to the scene.

In the Kurchali district of Chechnya, more than 100 militants were destroyed during the special operation. This was reported to ITAR-TASS in the headquarters of the United Group of Troops in the North Caucasus. The special operation goes within five days in the area of ​​the settlements of the Old and New Atagi, Chiri-Yurt and Tsotsan-Yurt. In the latter, the special operation against the militants is still ongoing.

According to the German press, ITAR-TASS reports, the number of foreigners who want to receive refugee status in Germany in 2001 increased by 15% and amounted to 90 thousand people compared to 78.5 thousand in 2000. At the same time, according to German experts, this statistics do not go beyond the norm. The increase in 2001 is explained, first of all, by an Iraq, which increased by 50%.

By alarm, military units and police in the central part of Israel were raised, RIA Novosti reports. The Israeli intelligence services have data on the penetration of groups of terrorist groups into these areas of the country. Information about this received immediately after the report that the Israeli army units remove the "strict isolation" regime around several Palestinian cities on the western bank of the Jordan River.

"Carolina" - "Boston" - 3: 6. The club "500 + 1000" now has five players: Wayne Gretzky, Gordy Hou, Mark Messeier, Marseille Dionn and Ron Francis, reports Sport-Express . “When you look at such indicators, the thought involuntarily comes to your mind: if anyone from our generation can achieve the same heights,” said Sergey Samsonov player after the Boston player. “I will remember this game for life.” "Dallas" - "Atlanta" - 2: 1.

The sixth stage of the international rally Paris-Dakar, who won the Russian Kamaz-Master team, was truly combat. So the representative of the team Alexei Shilobodin from Morocco today passed to the ITAR-TASS correspondent today. “At the beginning of the stage, we overtook the Czech Karel Lapraise,” said the pilot of the Russian crew Vladimir Chagin, then Daph of the Belgian de Roya, who started us later, rose past us.

Immediately after the beginning of the New Year, Pope John Pavel II read out the traditional New Year's appeal to the flock, RIA Novosti reports. In his appeal, entitled "there is no world without justice, but there is no justice without forgiveness," dad reflected the world realities that developed after the events of September 11. The head of the Roman Catholic Church recognizes the right to defense against terrorism and the punishment of persons responsible for it.

Vladimir Putin signed on Thursday a decree on the dismissal of the Minister of Railways of the Russian Federation Nikolai Aksenenko. This was reported to RIA Novosti in the press service of the head of the Russian state. The press service noted that the Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov made a proposal to dismiss Nikolai Aksenenko during a working meeting with the President of Russia, which took place on Thursday.

The earthquake by force 7.3 points on the Richter scale occurred on Thursday at about 4 a.m. local time in the area of ​​the small island state of Vanuat in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean, RIA Novosti reports. According to the Australian media, the epicenter of underground shocks was at a depth of 33 km under the bottom of the ocean, 50 km to the west of the capital of Vanuata of the city of Portwil. According to eyewitnesses, underground tremors were felt for more than one minute.

In Moscow on New Year's holidays, the number of serious bodily injuries and rape has increased, Interfax reports. According to the Moscow Central Internal Affairs Directorate, during the celebration of the New Year from December 31 to January 2, 9 murders were recorded in the capital, 24 cases of serious bodily harm. In addition, 13 cases of rape were recorded, of which 10 are on January 1 and 2. According to the police, women who met men right on the street were victims of the majority of rape.

On January 3, in the morning, Israel decided to partially remove the blockade from a number of territories under the control of the Palestinian autonomy. The troops of the Israeli defense army leave Jenin, the Western suburbs of Ramallah and open a checkpoint at the crossroads of Ramin. Information about this was transmitted today by radio stations of the country, reports Mignews.com .

At least 45 prisoners died as a result of a rebellion in the Brazilian prison of URSO Blanco, reports the Air Force. The police say that it was the most bloody incident in the history of Brazil's prison. Police forces of special forces have already taken control of the prison.

The reconnaissance group of international forces, which includes representatives of 12 states who sent peacekeeping forces to Afghanistan, on January 3, completed the Kabul inspectorate, Reuters reports. According to the data cited, the group included 25 military professionals from Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Greece, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Romania.