The Czech car manufacturer Skoda announced the increase from on January 1, 2009 prices for cars imported into Russia. Cars rise in price by 8-11%, reports Prime-Tass with reference to the press service of the company. It is noted that the increase in prices is connected by an increase in duties on the import of foreign cars to the Rossif region from January 12. So, the cost of Skoda Roomster will increase by 8%, Skoda Praktik? 11%, on Skoda Superb? 8%.

The representative of the FSIN Office in Moscow confirmed that the former vice president, Yukos Vasily Aleksanyan, was released from custody, ITAR-TASS reports. “Indeed, the necessary amount was paid on the eve of which we were notified and in the evening, guarding Vasily Alexanyan, left his chamber.

In the Southern Federal District, new buildings fell by an average of 5-6.5%, the Finance magazine reports with reference to the Krasnodar Macon Realty Group. In December, the cost per square meter in the primary real estate market in the Krasnodar new buildings decreased by 6.5% compared to October? up to 46.9 thousand rubles per square meter. Housing in Rostov-on-Don fell by 5.6%-up to 52.7 thousand rubles per square meter.

In the 1970s, the British authorities recognized that the country was not ready for a possible war with the Soviet Union. In the event of a conflict of Great Britain, it would only have to be relying on heaven, and this was even recognized by the leadership of the country, the recently declassified documents of 30 years ago from the national archive testify.

Naftogaz of Ukraine transferred $ 1.5 billion to the RosUKrenergo account on the debt of Ukraine for the gas set by Russia, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the press secretary of Naftogaz Valentina Zemlyansky. "All the money on the Rosukranergo account. Fonts received. Everything was listed," the press secretary said. The representative of Rosukrenergo refused to comment.

The Bibli-Globus trading house published a rating of the best-selling books following the results of last week (from December 22 to December 28, 2008). Three of the first four lines in the top list occupied works about the adventures of vampires of the American writer Stefani Mayer, writes OpenSpace.ru . Of the Russian writers, Boris Akunin with the Roman-Teater game "Quest" was above all in the ranking. On the last, twentieth line, the third volume of the complete works of A.P.

In the New Year’s congratulation, Prime Minister of Ukraine Julia Tymoshenko promised that the coming year would be better for the country than the current one, and asked the country's residents not to lose faith in a miracle. In the congratulation posted on the website of the Ukrainian government on Wednesday, Tymoshenko notes that the past year was not easy and careless, Interfax reports. “But still we survived. Ukraine is a strong state that can overcome any problems.

In the south of the capital, police officers discovered a car where criminals who robbed the collectors disappeared. At the same time, one of the guards was shot dead, and several million rubles became the prey of the raiders. In Moscow on Timurovskaya Street, a VAZ-2105 car was discovered, on which criminals who robbed two collectors hid on Tuesday evening, Interfax reports with reference to a source in the capital's law enforcement agencies.

The mission of the International Monetary Fund and the Government of Belarus has reached an agreement on the economic program for a period of 15 months, within the framework of which Belarus will be allocated a stabilization loan of about $ 2.5 billion. According to the IMF press release, this statement was made on December 31 by the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Dominic Struss-Cann.

Up to a million people are expected at a solemn meeting of the new 2009 in New York. The authorities of the largest city in the United States do not hide their desire to attract the maximum number of residents and guests of the metropolis to the main place of events - the famous Times Square Square in the center of Manhattan. “I have no reason for concern, except for ordinary worries. There is no reason for anyone to stay (on New Year's Eve) at home.

The Russians call the most desired gift for the New Year, and also dream of not getting sick, about happiness in the personal life and well -being of loved ones. This is evidenced by the survey conducted by the Superjob portal research center. To the question "What would you first ask Santa Claus?" The most popular answers were: “new work” (26%), “Health” (15%), “Blessing in personal life”, “Something good for loved ones” (13%each), “Money” (12%), RIA Novosti reports.

The Moscow City Hall did not allow the Russian motorists (FAR) to hold on January 10 to hold a protest rally against raising duties on used imported cars. According to the leader of the Moscow Branch of the Farm Sergei Kanayev, on Thursday it will be possible to receive an official response of the city authorities. “They just called me from the city hall and reported that we were refused a rally planned ... in the Novopushkinsky Square,” he said.

The global financial and economic crisis can only be overcome by joint efforts made on a global scale, and Germany makes an important contribution to this matter. This was emphasized today by the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel in New Year's appeal to the country, ITAR-TASS reports. According to Merkel, the crisis is a serious test, but it also opens the opportunity to strengthen the German economy. “We want to not just survive the consequences of the world financial crisis.

Parts of the Proton-M missile that started from Baikonur, about 20 square meters, unexpectedly fell off the coast of Canada, reports the North American missile defense command. Parts of the third stage of the Russian missile "were included in the dense layers of the atmosphere over the territory of the Eastern Labrador along the descending trajectory leading to the Northern Sector of the Atlantic Ocean,” said Gary Ros in an interview with the Kanadsky National Lieutenant of the US Navy.

December 31 marks 75 years of one of the most beloved Russian artists - Semen Farade. Despite the fact that the phrases pronounced by him in the films "Sorcerers", "Formula of Love", "The same Munchausen" have long become winged, Semyon Lvovich himself still does not consider himself a star, RIA Novosti reports. For several years now, the actor has not starred in new films and does not appear in the theater, since he has serious health problems.