The finance ministers of the Eurozone countries approved the next round of stress tests of banks in the countries of the unified European currency. The assessment methodology will be ready in March, and the tests of banks will end by the end of May, Reuters reports. Pan-European banking tests were held in the summer of 2010. The 91 largest bank in Europe, which accounted for 65 assets of the European market, underwent tests.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated during the visit to the Middle East that began on Tuesday, that in order to resume direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, the Israel must stop settlement activity in the Palestinian territories. "We discussed the possible prospects for the resumption of dialogue.

Countries with a transition economy continue to move the growth of labor productivity in the world. As the report published by the Conference Board research organization shows, the largest and most dynamic economies in regard to labor productivity are China and India, where this indicator grew in 2010 by 8.7 and 5.4%, respectively, Prime-Tass reports.

A resident of Madrid built a church out of garbage about 40 meters high on the outskirts of the city, RIA Novosti reports citing the BBC. From the material it follows that 85-year-old Justo Gallego built the building with his own hands, and began its construction more than half a century ago. "I did it just out of faith," the "builder" explained to the BBC. According to him, he had neither a building permit nor an architectural plan.

The author of the new book about the adventures of the British Supershpion James Bond opened the veil of secrets surrounding the novel. The book "Cart Blanche", in which agent 007 will fight enemies in Dubai, will be published on May 26, 2011, RIA Novosti reports. Its author is the American writer Jeffrey Diver , the creator of many thrillers. In the UK, the book is published by the publishing house of Hodder and Stoughton, in the USA - Simon & Schuster.

The Japanese financial corporation Mitsui acquired 14.9% QIWI LTD., which controls the largest payment system in Russia, Finmarket reports with reference to the message of the Japanese company. The amount of the transaction in the message is not named. According to its results, QIWI manager, including general director Andrei Romanenko, belongs to 63.7%, and the share of Mail.ru Group decreased to 21.4%from 25.09%. The agreement on the acquisition of shares was signed on December 20.

The Volgograd, now living in Moscow, Oleg Ermolov in 2010 managed to star in at least 60 films. And in 2011, his filming schedule was painted for months in advance.

The police became interested in video recordings, which shows how a young man who seems to the son of the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia Mikhail Sukhodolsky drives by car with special signals on the counterclaim, RIA Novosti reports with reference to a source in law enforcement agencies. Several videos made on a mobile phone appeared on the Internet. The bloggers calculated that it was the son of the deputy minister that was captured on them.

The Bank of Russia withdrew from January 18 a license from the Moscow Bank International Financial Technologies (MFT Bank) and appointed a temporary administration in it. This is stated in the message of the Department of Foreign and Public Relations of the Central Bank. "MFT Bank" lost a license to carry out banking operations, since he did not comply with federal laws and regulatory acts of the Bank of Russia.

In the East Rashtsky District of Tajikistan (180 km from Dushanbe), a special operation of power structures to neutralize the armed anti -government group of the field commander Kamol began. This was reported by local and regional media with reference to the head of the Rasht police, Mustafo Rustamov, ITAR-TASS reports. According to him, in the Kamol detachment, according to some reports, up to 20 people are located.

A group of researchers from the Japanese University of Yamagata, headed by Professor Masato Sakai, opened several previously unknown drawings in the famous Peruvian NASKOM Desert, which many consider to be a prehistoric cosmodrome. Two new drawings were found in the southern part of the NASKA plateau. One of them is 4 meters long and 3 meters wide depicts a human face with eyes, mouth and ears, ITAR-TASS reports.

For three years, it is planned to send 90 billion rubles to the development of sports and physical education in Russia. This was announced at a meeting on sports development in Russia by the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. According to him, the means for the development of physical culture and sports for the first time in the budget are allocated in a separate independent section.

The American company Advanced Optical Systems introduced the AirPrint device, reading the fingerprint of a person at a distance of two meters. The company promises that in the third quarter of this year two devices will go on sale: one simpler (with a scanner for one finger), the second is more complicated and more expensive (for the whole palm). Airprint is equipped with a source of polarized light and two chambers for 1.3 megapixels, capturing the light of various polarization.

In Belarus, a scandal is flared around the inauguration of the elected president of the Republic of Alexander Lukashenko. According to the Belarusian media, an event that will be held on January 21, according to unofficial information, will be held without journalists. According to the "Belarusian partisan" , only a direct broadcast on Belarusian television will be organized. The presence of other representatives of the press at the ceremony is not provided.

The leadership of the Russian branch of the British oil and gas concern BP was focused on a deal with Rosneft two years ago to the detriment of partnership with TNK-BP holding. Moreover, the top managers expected that the Russian authorities would have a holding, as a result of which its assets would go to state companies - oil to Rosneft, and gas to Gazprom.