Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim has become the largest shareholder of the New York Times Co., publisher of the newspaper of the same name. He increased his stake from 7% to 16.8%, according to a statement posted on the publication’s website . He now owns a total of 28 million shares. Slim's fortune, who ranks 2nd in the global ranking of billionaires according to Forbes, is estimated at $72 billion.

On Thursday, January 15, the first train with a through passage for passengers was launched on the “gray” line of the capital’s metro. This was reported by the Moscow agency with reference to the head of the department of transport and road infrastructure development of the city, Maxim Liksutov.

In 2014, Russians bought only 2.49 million cars and light commercial vehicles, which is 10.3% less than a year earlier.

In the Armenian city of Gyumri, clashes began between protesters who demand the extradition of a Russian soldier to Armenia and the police. They gathered at the Russian Consulate General in the city. Protesters throw stones at the police cordon, and law enforcement agencies try to push back the protesters In the Armenian city of Gyumri, protesters began throwing a police cordon near the Russian Consulate General. This was reported by the Armenian news agency ARKA.

The head of Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, said that the government’s demand to disclose information about the income of the heads of state-owned companies, including his salary, forces him to choose - either to comply or to go to work in the private sector. At the same time, the head of Russian Railways still categorically refuses to talk about how much he receives.

The official dollar and euro exchange rates dropped by more than a ruble. Analysts link the strengthening of the ruble to rising oil prices Photo: Getty Images The official dollar exchange rate, established by the Bank of Russia since January 16, 2014, is 64.8337 rubles, which is 1.26 rubles. below the previous value. At the same time, the official euro exchange rate dropped by 1.63 rubles. – from January 16, it was determined by the Central Bank at 76.3352 rubles.

The government has significantly narrowed the range of banks that can apply for additional capitalization through federal loan bonds (OFZ) with a total volume of 1 trillion rubles.

The price of Brent futures for February delivery fell below $48. At 11:32 Moscow time they cost $47.63. This is $0.85 (1.76%) below yesterday's closing level. At the same time, futures for delivery in March are trading at $48.64. This is $1.22 (2.45%) below the closing level of yesterday's trading. Today, the fall in oil prices has resumed after rising on January 14. The growth in futures prices began at approximately 21:30 Moscow time.

The timing of the start of work of the Turkish Stream will not differ much from those in which it was planned to launch the South Stream. Gazprom official representative Sergei Kupriyanov announced this in an interview with Kommersant FM . “As soon as we agree on the exit point on the Turkish coast, work will go quickly,” Kupriyanov assured.

Suspect Christopher Lee Cornell planned explosions in the building of the American Congress and the shooting of panicking people. To realize his plan, he saved his personal money and studied bomb making. A police car next to the US Congress building. Archive photo. (Photo: Global Look Press) The FBI has arrested a man from Ohio on suspicion of plotting an attack on the US Capitol building (US Congress building), ABC News reports .

The Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia (ICR) opened a criminal case into the shelling of private houses on the outskirts of the Donetsk city of Shakhtersk, during which a five-year-old child died. A criminal case was initiated against the Ukrainian military on the grounds of crimes provided for in Articles 356, 105, 30 and 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (use of prohibited means and methods of warfare, murder and attempted murder).

Gazprom-Media will continue to independently sell advertising on the holding’s NTV and TNT television channels. Previously, it was assumed that advertising sales on TV channels would be taken over by a monopolist seller created on the basis of the Vi seller Photo: Getty Images The fact that Vi will not sell advertising on TNT and NTV is reported by Vedomosti, citing the heads of two large advertising agencies.

The Venezuelan authorities have introduced restrictions on visiting state-owned stores, which set low fixed prices - now you are allowed to go there no more than twice a week. The police were assigned to monitor the observance of order and check documents at the entrance. Venezuela receives 95% of its foreign exchange earnings from oil exports, the fall in the price of which has aggravated the crisis.

The petition for the resignation of the Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg Igor Albin was signed by more than 10 thousand St. Petersburg residents. Photo: I. Albin/TASS The petition for the resignation of the Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg Igor Albin was signed by more than 10 thousand St. Petersburg residents. An appeal to dismiss the official was posted on the Change.org portal by activist of the “Living City” movement Alexandra Barykina on January 13 of this year.

Two militants killed in Belgium in police raids were planning "large-scale terrorist attacks". This was stated by Belgian Federal Prosecutor Eric Van Der Sypt, reports Reuters . Two men were shot and killed Thursday in the town of Viviers during a shootout with police. “The suspects immediately opened fire and fired at the federal police special unit for several minutes before they were neutralized,” Van Der Cypt said.