France closed the embassy in Yemen because of the threat of attacks by Islamic extremists. The French Foreign Ministry called on the French in Yemen to show special caution and avoid traveling around the country. For the same security reasons on Sunday, the diplomatic mission of the United States and Great Britain closed in Yemen.

Alexander Genis: For many winter holidays-from Hanukka to Christmas, from the pagan festival of the winter solstice to the African-American quance-are associated with religious experiences. This is a time of spiritual exercises, spiritual meditation, and, of course, prayers.

Vodka on the conveyor In Russia, from January 1, 2010, the minimum price for vodka has been introduced: in half a liter- at least 89 rubles . The innovation is part of the anti -alcohol campaign, begun in 2009 by Dmitry Medvedev. Experts do not deny the need to reduce alcohol consumption in Russia, however, state measures to eradicate this bad habit consider it ineffective.

Alexander Lukashenko opens a hockey tournament in Minsk Negotiations of government delegations of Russia and Belarus on the issue of oil supply in 2010 were unsuccessful. As a result, there were reports of cessation of Russian oil supplies to Belarusian oil refineries. In turn, this information caused an increase in cost on world exchanges: the price of oil on the exchange in New York during the first trading session overcame the mark of $ 80 per barrel.

Irina Schlippe Mikhail Sokolov: There has been no Russian Munich for a long time who sheltered refugees of the second wave of Russian emigration. There were camps of displaced persons - Dipy (Displaced Persons), was the Russian University, led by Professor Mikhail Novikov, gave a lecture at Munich University, probably the last philosopher of the Silver Age - Fedor Stepun.

American special services have information on the training of al-Qaeda militants in a large terrorist attack in the capital of Yemen Sanya. This was announced on the air of the ABC television company Advisor to US President Barack Obama to combat terrorism John Brennan. According to him, in Yemen there are several hundred members of Al-Qaeda. On Sunday, for security reasons, the closure of the US and Great Britain embassies in this country was announced.

The personal secretary of the Pope Benedict XVI visited a woman in the vicinity of Rome in the clinic for the mentally ill in the vicinity of Rome, who knocked down the pontiff from his feet while serving with St. Peter's Council. The Vatican press service said that the head of the Roman Catholic Church wanted to demonstrate attention to the fate of 25-year-old Susanna Majolo, an investigation into which continues.

Five US citizens who appeared today in court in Pakistan rejected accusations of planning terrorist attacks together with Al-Qaeda militants. Speaking at the process, the defendants said that they did not try to make contact with the ecthremers, but only wanted to get to Afghanistan to help their Muslim co-religionists. Last week, the Pakistani Police said that she would seek for the Americans detained in early December. Hearing in this case will continue in two weeks.

Georgian Airways, Georgian airline received all the necessary permits for charter flights to Russia from January 8 to 10. As the head of the press service of the company Nino Giorgobiani told Interfax, flights from Tbilisi to Moscow and St. Petersburg will be executed. Ticket sales have already begun.

The political processes of the last decade have been discussing TEXPETS Dmitry Oreshkin and Alexander Kynev.

Head Coach of Barcelona Josep Guardiola with Champions Cup 2009 The head coach of the Russian youth team in hockey Vladimir Poyshchev, head coach of the Russian national football team, HUS Hiddink, President of the Barcelona football club Juan Laprata - the main newsmakers of the Russian sports press. The observer of the site "Daily Journal" Anton Oresh sums up the results of 2009 of the sports year.

"Honest Game" and "Football" - not always synonyms In Germany, a scandal is not subsided related to the organization of contractual football matches in professional leagues of different levels. The German prosecutor’s office has doubts the results of about two hundred games in nine countries. According to the investigation, members of the criminal group, captivating players, coaches and judges, agreed on the results of the upcoming matches, and then relied in bookmakers.

In Iran, the Court of Appeal rejected the statement of the famous journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi and left an earlier sentence - six years of prison and five years of exile to a remote city. The journalist was convicted on charges of spreading propaganda directed against a system in the Islamic Republic. Zeydabadi, like dozens of public figures and activists of the opposition, was devoted to the court after the June mass protests against the official results of the presidential election in Iran.