A number of dragon measures directed against graffitti entered into force in New York on January 1, reports GIF.ru with reference to Artinfo.com . The age, at which it is allowed to buy and own tools, "with which graffitti is made" - aerosol paint, as well as indelible markers - increases from 18 to 21 years. In addition, if someone is detained with such tools on suspicion of intention to use the city walls as a canvas, he will be arrested.

Medical experts from 25 EU member countries will hold a meeting on bird flu in Luxembourg on Thursday, RIA Novosti reports . Experts should analyze the situation with the evolution of the viral epidemic and discuss the measures that EU countries need to take in this regard at the national and pan-European levels in order to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

The scandal around the book of American James Frey "A million fragments" played an angry joke with his author. To the opinion of the critics who did not leave James Frey “Million Little Pieces) from James Frey, not only readers listened. The Random House publishing house announced that it would return the money spent on James Frey’s book “A million fragments”, but only to those who bought the book directly from the publishing house through his site.

Russian gas will be sold to all countries, including Belarus, at market prices, Echo of Moscow reports the pushing Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov. According to him, the transition to market prices is in the interests of everyone. Gas prices will change only depending on the proximity of the consumer country to Russia and on what volume of gas this country purchases.

Doctors evaluate the condition of two victims during an attack on the synagogue as a difficult, the lives of the rest of the six are out of danger, RIA Novosti reports. Michael Mishulevin, one of those who neutralized the attacker, has an operation. Its condition is stable. In the 1st Grad Hospital, Aron Menachen continues to operate. He has a knife wound of the neck, the condition is serious. The lives of the remaining six victims are out of danger.

Today in Berlin, the international exhibition-fair "Green Week" opens, RIA Novosti reports. The Russian delegation at the exhibition will be headed by the head of the Ministry of Agriculture Alexei Gordeev. "Green Week" is the largest international agricultural and food forum, which in 2006 will celebrate the 80th anniversary of its existence. For the first time in 12 years of participation, the Russian Federation acts in the status of a partner country.

President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, excludes the possibility of becoming Belarus into the Russian Federation, RIA Novosti reports. “Our prospects are not bad, but we limited the framework: what we can go for and what not. We all want to live in our country, and there is a line that we cannot end,” Lukashenko said in Vitebsk. "We cannot join the Russian Federation.

**President of the Russian Federation and his administration** President V. Putin believes that the current negotiations with the President of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev are “another evidence of truly allied relations between our two countries, aimed at the closest cooperation and interaction.” V.

On Thursday, in the Supreme Court of North Ossetia, the trial of Nurpashi Kulaev, who participated in an attack on a school in Beslan, continues, RIA Novosti . At the next meeting, the former head of the republic Alexander Dzasokhov will appear as a witness in court. At the last meeting, on December 20, the victims refused to leave the courtroom after that, and demanded that Alexander Dzasokhov provide an appeal to the court as a witness.

Synagogues of Moscow will be constantly guarded by employees of state law enforcement agencies, RIA Novosti reports. Such a decision was made at a meeting of the main rabbi of Russia Berla Lazar with the head of the Central Internal Affairs Directorate of the capital Vladimir Pronin, the head of the Department of Public Relations of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia Borukh Gorin, who also took part in the meeting, told RIA Novosti.

The Palestinian extremist group "Hamas" removed the promise to destroy Israel from its election "manifesto", reports RBC. “Pragmatism is a keyword in this case,” the Hamas leader commented on the situation, candidate for elections in January 25 Gazi Hamad. “We want our manifesto to read as many people as possible, not only in Palestine, but throughout the world.

The first laureates of the Mathematical Competition of Delin, organized by an outstanding scientist after receiving the Award of E. Balzan (1 million Swiss Franks) in 2004, were declared in Moscow. Under the terms of the Balzan Foundation, half of the amount from the award handed should be spent on the support of young researchers.

Foreign Ministers of Germany, Great Britain and France came to a consensus that the Iranian dossier must be submitted to the UN Security Council, RBC reports. A joint decision was developed after consultations in Berlin.

Vnesheconombank and the Bank of the Development of Kazakhstan on Thursday will sign an agreement on cooperation, RIA Novosti reports. According to the chairman of Vnesheconombank Vladimir Dmitriev, this agreement provides for the further development of relations, aimed primarily on the consideration and subsequent implementation of projects related to the strengthening of integration processes between Russian and Kazakhstani enterprises.

On the western bank of the Jordan River, clashes occurred between local residents and the police, reports AP . More than 300 local residents were thrown by Israeli police detachments with banks with paint, eggs and stones. The clashes were caused by the intention of the Israeli troops to destroy illegal Jewish settlements on the western bank of the Jordan River. Residents tried to prevent the work of bulldozers who were heading to the village to destroy 8 residential buildings.