Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on December 16, 2013 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that he agreed with his EU colleagues about the possibility of “free choice” for Ukraine, when it comes to choosing whether to continue rapprochement with the West or Moscow. He called the opposition of Russia and Europe a false opposition.

In the Donetsk region of Ukraine on Monday, in an accident at the Svyatokrovskaya mine, four people were killed. According to the Donetsk regional administration, the accident occurred as a result of a fire at the mine. At the time of the accident, there were 28 miners there, including 12 people in an emergency site. Currently, the enterprise is working departments of the mining service.

Protests of miners in Irkutsk In Irkutsk on Monday, miners and metallurgists held a picket. The protest was held as part of a single day of the actions of the metallurgists of Russia for raising wages. According to Radio Liberty, Ekaterina Vertinskaya, primarily metallurgists require annual growth in the real wage of employees by at least ten percent per year, and also insist that the minimum wage is at least two living wages. All requirements were registered on the signs of Irkutsk picketers.

In Odessa, a video was shot in support of the requirements of Euromaidan

Masterpieces of Dutch painting in the Fricks Museum Alexander Genis: In the past year, Holland often turned out to be in the focus of the Russian media. Alas, not only because 2013 was dedicated to the historical and cultural relations of the two countries, but also because of a series of political scandals, which, in fact, are still ongoing. In order to distract from this momentary actual reality, it is best to move into the past in gold for the Netherlands of the 17th century.

Paul Delvo. "Dream", 1935 © Vegap, 2013 90 years of surrealism In the Madrid Museum of Tissen-Boremis, the exhibition " Surrealism and Sleep " is held: 163 works by Salvador Dali, fields Delvo, Iva Tangi, Max Ernst, Joan Mirritt, Andre Masson, Jean Arp and other artists. This largest exhibition of surrealists has been preparing for more than four years during the entire post -war period.

The perpetual action of supporters of European integration in Kyiv on Sunday again gathered more than a hundred thousand people

During the bombing of the city of Aleppo in the north of Syria, at least 76 people were killed, including 28 children and four women. As the Syrian Center for Human Rights, the Syrian Aviation on Sunday, reported in the UK today struck the Syrian Aviation in six areas of Aleppo, under the control of the rebels. According to another opposition group - a local coordination council, at least 83 people were killed.

The court in Yaroslavl today left under the arrest of the detached mayor of Rybinsk Yuri Lastochkin, accused of receiving a bribe. His lawyer Ruben Markaryan said that the court decision will be appealed. Yuri Lastochkin and his assistant Gennady Telegin in November were detained on suspicion of official crimes. A criminal case was opened against the mayor of Rybinsk under an article on receiving a bribe on an especially large amount, and against his assistant - on mediation in bribery.

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg on Monday accepted the statement of the Russian politician Vladimir Kara-Murzi Jr. about the violation of his right to be elected to the representative body of the Russian Federation. To submit a statement by Kara-Murza and his lawyer Vadim Prokhorov, they personally arrived in the ECHR. This was reported by the correspondent of Radio Liberty in Paris Natalia Kanevskaya.

Vladislav Tretyak, 2012 The International Hockey Federation on ice (IIHF), which has been headed by the Swiss Rene Fasel for two decades, announced the revival of the European Champions League. The leadership of the largest hockey tournament in Europe - the Continental Hockey League - refused to participate in such a tournament. What is this competition? What can be their prospect?

The court in Brazil ordered the suspension of work on the construction of the Amazonia stadium in the city of Manaus, which is being built to the World Cup planned for next year. The other day, a worker, breaking off the roof, died at this stadium. The prosecutor's office demanded the termination of construction until the developers present a detailed report on security measures at the facility, the BBC reports.

Gabriela d'annunzio Alexander Genis: Saying goodbye to quickly leaving the year, Ach wants to recall the double anniversary of the famous but almost forgotten poet, who influenced not only literature, but on the policy of the last century. In 2013, the 150th anniversary of his birth and 75 years since the death of Gabriela d'annunzio turned 150. We are talking about him with Vladimir Gandelsman.

Detention at the Duma Activists went to the State Duma demanding to expand the amnesty, which should be accepted before the end of the week In Moscow, at the building of the State Duma on the evening of December 16, civil activists conducted an action with a demand to expand the amnesty, which in the near future plans to accept the parliament in honor of the twenty years of the constitution, so that it touches those whom human rights activists consider political prisoners.

Negotiations in the European Union and Ukraine are suspended. Viktor Yanukovych goes to Moscow. Is Kyiv far from the Customs Union? What do they think of the Kiev Maidan in Lviv, Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk? The discussion of the amnesty project continues in connection with the twentieth anniversary of the Constitution of Russia. What is the essence of new amendments and suggestions? The candidate of the Left Forces Michelle Bashels for the second time became president of Chili.