The Government of the Russian Federation approved an agreement with Thailand on the conditions for refusing visa formalities. According to the press service of the Government of the Russian Federation, the corresponding order was signed by the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Fradkov, reports Newsru.com with reference to Interfax.

Vladimir Putin visited a rink on Red Square, where he was met by children who visited a Christmas tree in the Kremlin, RIA Novosti reports. The president congratulated them on the upcoming New Year.

In Iraq, three cars exploded at the same time, at least 10 people died, another 35 were injured. According to Reuters , the explosions occurred at the intersection in the southwestern part of Baghdad in the Bayaa quarter.

The election of the President of Turkmenistan is scheduled for February 11. In addition, the People’s Council adopted the law on the presidential election of the country, RIA Novosti reports. As already reported by Polit.ru, Khudaiberda Orazov became a single presidential candidate from the president of Turkmenistan.

The only political party of Turkmenistan, democratic, nominated the acting The head of state, Deputy Prime Minister Kurbankuli Berdimuhamedov, presidential candidate in the elections, which, as the People’s Assembly decided today, will be held on February 11. After the death of Saparmutar Niyazov, the 49-year-old Berdymuhamedov (according to rumors, the illegitimate son of Niyazov) is considered as the most likely president.

** What to expect in the coming hours. Announcement of events ** Putin-State Council Vladimir Putin will hold in the Kremlin the last meeting of the State Council this year. It will be devoted to the state support of traditional folk culture in the Russian Federation. Turkmenistan Deputies of Khalk Maslahata / People’s Council / will consider the proposed candidates for applicants for the post of head of state and will name the date of the election of the new president.

Azerbaijan will not buy gas from Russia at a price of $ 235 per thousand cubic meters, said the President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (GNCAR) Rovnag Abdullaev, RIA Novosti reports. “Why does Russia sell gas to Ukraine at a price of $ 130, Armenia - $ 110, and we must buy it at a price of $ 235 per thousand cubic meters?”, President GNCAR noted.

Gazprom prepared in advance for the gas expected to turn off the gas of Belarus. Therefore, the situation that arose a year ago with gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine should not be repeated. As it became known, Gazprom prepared in advance for the crisis: he downloaded additional gas volumes into underground storage facilities in Germany (called to provide Poland) and the Baltic states.

The Japanese government intends to create a new special service with the aim of “effective protection of secrets of ministries and departments from foreign intelligence”, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the General Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers of Yashisa Shiozaki. Currently, a commission to create such a special service has already been formed, which should submit to the Cabinet of Ministers of its achievements and proposals by the end of February.

Due to the large influx of passengers in the center of Moscow at the metro station "Culture Park" -Koltsevaya, the entrance is limited, RIA Novosti reports. Police officers blocked several doors to the entrance to the station's lobby, the station attendants stopped one of the escalators leading down to the platform so that the tank would not form there.

Recent messages about the discovery of two types of organic molecules of methylin and ethylamine as part of the Wild-2 comet were accompanied by the statement that the new fact is evidence in favor of the cometary theory of the origin of life on Earth. For the emergence of life on Earth, comets were not needed, claims in a commentary given by Polit.ru , candidate of biological sciences, senior researcher at the State Net AGENITIC Evgeny Levitin.

Yesterday, Gazprom for the first time officially allowed the repetition of last year's Ukrainian scenario of gas disconnecting in relation to Belarus. The monopoly warned that the contract for the supply of gas was expired on December 31, and its position in the negotiations was called irresponsible, the Kommersant newspaper writes today.

Starting in the evening of December 25 from Baikonur, the Proton-K launch vehicle at 2:50 Moscow time on December 26 brought into orbit three Russian navigation satellites Glonass-M. “The department of the spacecraft was regularly and in the calculated time,” said Roskosmos, RIA Novosti said.

Today, Turkmenistan is in the focus of the attention of politicians and experts not only of the post -Soviet space. One of the most information -closed countries of the world (in this regard, even the DPRK was a competitor for the Central Asian state) opens up to the world. And this is perhaps the first and most tangible consequence of the death of Saparmurat Niyazov, the “Father of Turkmen”. It’s too early to judge others.

The paintings of the Norwegian artist Edward Munk “Scream” and “Madonna” may not be fully restored. This was told by the employees of the Munch Munch in Oslo, reports Ar . Damage to the canvases was caused by robbers who stole them from the gallery in 2004. In August 2006, the police returned the masterpieces to the museum , but did not report the details of the find. Experts submitted a 200-page report to the Oslo police.