The official euro rate Breaks at 44 rubles - the first time in history

In the euro - a new record. During the trading on the MICEX its course for the first time exceeded 44 in the ruble. The Russian national currency and basket has become even closer to the maximum allowed the Bank of Russia - before it even 3 rubles, said Interfax.

Trading on MICEX calculations "Now the euro has begun a transaction at a price of 44 rubles. In the following minutes at a session of the calculations "tomorrow" for the euro was the deal at 44.4375 rubles. Nevertheless, most of the morning deals on the euro held near the level of 43.85 rubles, 10 cents above the value of rate and a 22 cent above the closing Tuesday.

As a result, the Central Bank of Russia set the official exchange rate for tomorrow, 29 January, at 33.2155 rubles to the dollar (21.76 cent). The official euro rate for tomorrow - 44.0305 rubles for one euro (31.82 cent).

The growth of the euro against the Russian continued to strengthen against the euro to the dollar. The single currency in Europe worth 1.3252 dollars on Wednesday morning, compared with 1.3160 on Tuesday evening. And experts think the euro will continue to rise on expectations that the European central bank will refrain from lowering interest rates from the current 2% at the next meeting, scheduled for February 5. And this is one more argument in favor of a strong euro.

It should be noted that the dollar rose to 33.8 ruble, the euro - up to 45.05 rubles on MICEX bid calculations "tomorrow" about 15:40 on Wednesday. Thus, both the American and European currency reached an historic high levels of the ruble.

Given that the Russian market follows the trends of the West, where the euro continues to push the dollar, it can be assumed that the European currency will continue its heroic climb to the top if the Russian participants have enough rubles to play in the currency market.

Recall that last week the Central Bank announced that the upper limit of the range of fluctuations basket (operational indicator CBR, $ 0.55 and EUR 0,45) is at the level of 41 rubles, which corresponds to mark 36 rubles to the dollar at the rate 1.3 U.S. for the euro. It is easy to calculate that, based on these assumptions, the rate of the euro is allowed up to 47 rubles. And if the euro will not cost 1.3 dollars, and above, as now, the upper limit for the euro to the ruble will move into a big party.

Meanwhile, the dollar and could add a little bit. Trading on MICEX dollar payments "tomorrow" started at 33 rubles, 5-7 minutes later, the dollar rose to 33,1-33,15 ruble - it is about 10-15 cents above the previous day's closing level and the current official exchange rate of the dollar.

Bivalyutnaya basket in the early trades of 38 rubles to 20 cents above the previous evening trading day. Thus a landmark in the 41 ruble to a level which the Central Bank has recently allowed it to get up, became even closer.

Berlin-Mitte: Die neue USA-Botschaft am Pariser Platz - 1.1.

Alexander Ovechkin made a masquerade before "Match all NHL stars"

Russian forwards Alexander Ovechkin (Washington) and Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh) were among the winners of competitions at the skill, traditionally held the day before "Match all of the stars of NHL.

The best player league last season Ovechkin the second year in a row, won one of the most spectacular species of the first day of "Star weekend - the competition for the most beautiful shot. The last attempt, he resorted to the assistance compatriot - Malkin borrowed attacker "Washington" to , and put him hat and sunglasses. As such, Ovechkin, leading washer with two clubs, reached the gates and scored a goal in the second attempt. Among the fans determined the winner, he won 42.8 percent of votes and ahead of another Russian - Alexei Kovalev of Montreal. "

Malkin became the best in the competition for accuracy throws. In the preliminary round 4, he struck a target and in the finals, where his rival was attacking "Ottawa" Dani Hitli - three.

Competition for the most powerful shot wins Slovak defender Boston Zdeno Hara, sent washer to aim at a speed of 105.4 miles per hour (about 170 km / h). In passing, he broke the record NHL, owned Elu Ayefreytu and components 105.2 miles per hour.

Among the best performers shootout was the captain of "Phoenix" Shane Doan, a forward "Edmonton" Andrew Kolyano to compete for speed skating, transmits information to a curious

As the program closes the first day of the "match of the young stars of the team league newcomers with the score 9:5, and the best in this meeting was considered to be forward" Boston "Blake Wheeler, 4 washers.

Russian producers of gold record speed. In 2009, investors can double its buying

While global gold production in 2008 fell by 4% in Russia production for the first time in several years has increased by about 12% to 5.88 million ounces. Some producers are even more impressive, says RBC daily.

On Wednesday, "Polimetall announced production results for the year 2008: in the past year, the company produced 285 thousand ounces of gold (up 15% compared to 2007) and 17.2 million ounces of silver (up 8%), exceeding its projections of the same made in October 2008. Sales of the company rose to 281 thousand ounces of gold (+20%) and 17.7 million ounces of silver (+9%). Revenues reached a record in history "Polimetalla" 500 million dollars, rising in 2008 to 62%. In 2009, the company expects to boost gold production to 280-300 thousand ounces of silver production to have 17-18 million ounces.

Companies helped that the crisis of precious metals are hedge instruments, which ensures a steady demand for them, said Stanislav Fomenko of IC "Veles Capital". "At the end of the year has an additional demand from investors looking for safe investment," - he said.

Thus, if the November quotes silver dropped below 9 dollars per ounce, now reach 11.25 dollars. Restored and the value of gold: the price per ounce in November dropped below 720 dollars, and now has about 850. This did not prevent either the continued reduction in the cost of most commodities, nor the sharp strengthening of the dollar.

HSBC metals analyst Jim Steel connects buy gold with the continuing fall in major stock indexes that compels investors look for less risky assets. Gold bought as an asset of refuge "- quoting his words" Prime-TASS news agency. " As an investor advocates and the Bank of Russia. The proportion of gold in its gold reserves in 2008 rose from 2,52 to 3,4% in volume totaled 16.7 million ounces (an increase of 15,7%), while only in December 2008 increased by 300 thousand ounces .

Production gains "Polimetalla" is not unique, and yet at the beginning of last year, predicted that gold production in Russia will grow for the first time in several years. According to the Union Russia in January-November domestic refineries produced more than 5.43 million ounces of gold, which is 11.1% more than in the corresponding period of 2007. However, the Union expects that production on the basis of the entire year will grow by 12% to 5.88 million ounces.

But in Russia's gold and the situation is not entirely straightforward. "At the end of 2009, gold production in Russia could be on the same level or even slightly , if not " ", - said the source of RBC daily in the industry. - The fact is that the extraction of gold ore to be profitable, while" "rather have a social function of employment."

On the world market situation is still much black. According to analysis of Gold Field Mineral Services (GFMS), the global gold production in 2008 declined by 4%, to about 2112 tons. The most significant decline occurred in South Africa (minus 14%), as well as in Australia and Indonesia. In addition to Russia among the largest producers of gold, the increase could also boast of China (+3%).

In doing so, experts GFMS noted in 2008, significantly (by 11% to 2380 tons) dropped a demand for the metal from the jewelry industry, but this decline was partially offset by growth in investment in gold. In 2009, buying gold for investment purposes, according to forecasts GFMS, can grow almost doubled, to 400 tons.

Egypt has invited the Israeli and Palestinian organizations in separate talks

Egypt has invited representatives of the authorities of the Palestinian Authority and Israel to hold separate meetings on 22 January, to discuss the Egyptian initiative to achieve a sustainable ceasefire, said NEWSru Israel with reference to the Egyptian agency MENA.

"Egypt has invited the Israeli and Palestinian organizations to hold separate meetings with the Egyptian side in Cairo on Thursday," - MENA quoted unnamed sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt.

Meanwhile, yet unknown whether the Palestinian and Israeli sides invitations to a new round of talks brokered by Egypt.

Recall last Sunday in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh has been an international emergency summit on the situation in the Gaza Strip, under the chairmanship of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Late in the evening of January 17, Israel had unilaterally ceased hostilities in the Gaza Strip, completing a three-week operation against Palestinian militants, which claimed the lives of 1.3, thousands of Palestinians (in the Palestinian data) and 13 Israelis.

In the middle of the next day and Hamas, along with other Palestinian factions declared a ceasefire. But despite this, in part, Israeli troops are still in the Palestinian enclave and retain the right to respond to Palestinian attacks, and the shelling of Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip continued for some time after the announcement of Hamas on a cease-fire.

How many will continue the ceasefire, it is not clear. Hamas said that "gives the week" for Israel to withdraw troops from Gaza. The government of Israel acting unilaterally and make clear that the army was ready at any moment to cause new strikes against terrorists. Egyptian mediators, seem to aspire to, it was agreed that "" (calm) for a period of six months, writes NEWSru Israel.

Prior began the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. As of the morning on 19 January in Gaza remain divisions of reservists. Units returned to Israeli territory, remain at bases near the border.

The main objectives of "Operation Cast lead" Israel has announced the cessation of rocket attacks and arms smuggling into the Palestinian enclave. The first tasks of the Israeli authorities to see the weakening of the Hamas military means and the establishment of a "deterrent", the second - to obtain adequate guarantees from the United States, Egypt and European countries.

For 22 days the anti-terrorist operation "Cast lead" in the Gaza Strip, IDF (IDF) had eliminated hundreds of tunnels along the border of Egypt and the sector is almost completely destroyed the infrastructure of the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, killed at least 500 fighters (and a few hundred fighters of other organizations ) and a number of leaders of the group, thousands of fighters were wounded. This loss of IDF: 10 killed, around 150 injured (of which about 10 were seriously injured).

At the same time, many publications in the Israeli media today draws attention to the fact that the declared goals before the anti-terrorist operation "Cast lead" had not been fully implemented, because Hamas has retained the ability to cause the rocket and mortar attacks on Israeli territory, and has at present day, hundreds of homemade rockets and dozens of missiles, "Grad". In doing so, yet it remains unclear how to ensure an end to the smuggling of weapons into Gaza and arms production in the sector.

Sami war, which had in January 2009 in Gaza, saying that the war was prepared much better than war with Hezbollah in summer 2006. The military noted that the operation "Cast lead was carefully planned and took place as planned. Emphasizes that this time, almost no problems with the army.

Meanwhile, leaders of the Israeli General Security Service and Military Intelligence believes that soon Hamas will try to "equal the score and give to another unpleasant surprise to Israel. According to estimates by Israeli secret services, "Hamas is able to within a few months' lull," to restore the system of tunnels along the border of Gaza and Egypt and the resumption of arms smuggling.

Israel Attacks Gaza - Palestine

The ten novelists have sold most in 2008

Our track record is the only one to take account of sales of each author, for all its titles, all editions combined. Other rankings include only the current editions, also called "large." Everyone knows that the format pocket is increasingly appreciated by the French. Moreover, except for Muriel Barbery, whose best-seller The elegance of the hedgehog is not in paperback, the format at an affordable price in the global sales often exceeds that of the classical format (Bernard Werber and Guillaume Musso, in particular, are very big sellers pocket, with 3 to 4 books sold in this format). Our ranking also takes into account the sale via the Internet and through book clubs, figures that are far from negligible. We can therefore say that this is the only classification to reflect exactly what the French buy and read.

What did the 2008 vintage? "Marc Levy remains number one, but is followed closely by Guillaume Musso," said Alice Cousin Crespel, marketing analyst at the research firm GfK, which we have made this list. She added: "Katherine Pancole made a grand entrance and took the sixth place, just behind Amelie Nothomb, a regular at the ranking." A godsend for Albin Michel: Pancole Nothomb and belong to this publishing house, which has ordered two other authors among the ten novelists who sell more books, Bernard Werber and ric-Emmanuel Schmitt. Note that Maxime Chattam also author by Albin Michel, arrived in ninth place last year, rate this year the tenth place for a few thousand copies.

The big sellers help small

The other surprise winners of the 2008 compared to the previous edition, the "millionaires" (those who are over a million copies sold) increased from two to four. Levy and Musso, millionaires in 2007 and 2008, were joined by Vargas and Gavalda.

And the crisis in? It seems to drag on our ten successful novelists. In 2008, they have indeed passed 8.4 million units against 7.8 million in 2007. Their weight in the edition is still higher (96.5 million euros against 84.5 million).

Alone Marc Levy performs 17.7 million euros of Business Anna Gavalda reached 15.4 million and Guillaume Musso exceeds 13 million. This means that these birds have turnovers that many SMEs dream to achieve. Obviously, these are not in the pockets of the perpetrators, far from it: a third goes to booksellers, about half is spent on printing, distribution and distribution. It remains for the novelist between 12 and 14% (according to the terms of the contract with his publisher) of the price of the book edition (and much less when it is a paperback edition).

authors of best-sellers allow big houses do their job of editor, ie also to publish books that sell less, and are sometimes published at a loss. In the economy very special book, the big sellers indirectly help the youngsters. Sometimes a successful novelist makes virtually live alone a small publishing house. Two publishers are proud a candle to their favorite author: Viviane Hamy and Le Dilettante which the bulk of sales is due to Fred Vargas and Anna Gavalda.

Inopressa: Russian, went to the London real estate market, prices by 50%

Wealthy people from Russia and Eastern Europe, affected by the economic crisis at home, stopped to buy housing in London, hit to the last bastion of real estate market, says InoPressa.ru with reference to The Sunday Times.

"They were the market, - said Andrew Lengton, head of real estate agency Aylesford, sell the most expensive homes in London. - A year ago there were about a dozen wealthy Russians seeking to buy. In their abandonment of the real estate has fallen in price to 50%."

- NEWSru real estate: prices for elite housing in London record last year

Lengton results as an example the case of a high-ranking Ukrainian politics, whose name he did not name, refused in September for financial reasons from the transaction to acquire a house in Chelsea for 80 million pounds sterling, which Lengton act as a mediator.

"The House - an important, unique properties, not intended for sale, but the customer wanted to buy and we are convinced the owner to sell it - he said." - And then the buyer called us and said: "Excuse me, I am in full disarray. I just came home and did not immediately realize that we have a cash crisis. More I can not participate in the transaction. "

While Lengton and its competitors did not hear that the owners of Eastern Europe began to sell off its assets - probably because in most cases, real estate in London is a relatively small part of their asset portfolio. "While we are not seeing panic selling, but perhaps it will begin in January," - said sales agent for real estate Charles Makdauel.

Luxury real estate Mallorca - Princely Villa

There are teachers in the creative teaching, encouraging ...

Emmanuelle Gall is a French teacher who has chosen for a few years to teach in difficult neighborhoods. His passion for art want him to report on its experience in the northern districts of Marseille, with a book it online.
How, when you are a teacher. French, freshly landed in Marseille, to teach at a college in northern districts, in classrooms where students are at 95% (or more) from the Comoros
That is the question that has ceased to exist Emmanuelle Gall for a year, sometimes at the edge of despair, but with the desire not to give up at the magnitude of the task (the basics of French often ignored these college), lack of motivation of some students, the lack of support from the administration ...
To keep track of this work of education and human relations, to bear witness probably also raised concerns about our educational system, often ill-suited, she wrote and illustrated a book, which she called simply: Quartiers North and has put on a blog where I recommend you go to see a reality that can sometimes surprise when we are ever faced.
Even beyond the documentary of this book, the graphic quality and inventiveness also deserve that we are interested.
Emmanuelle Gall seeks an editor, so if you know ...
http://www..fr/culture/expos-et-creations/80224-il--des--a-la--creative-a-encourager

The sector of the motorcycle in Spain at risk

On December 26 came into force? By surprise? the new registration tax for motorcycles and quads. This rate is now based on a scale of carbon dioxide emissions than the cars, which is applied to date.

However, since the change of rules has been in full Christmas holidays, it is virtually impossible to clarify the doubts about its implementation.

This situation has led to a stoppage of sales in last day of the year, says Pedro Quijada, production manager and senior vice president of Derbi Anesdor of the national association of industry of the two wheels.

Change legislation has come at a very sensitive time for the two-wheel market, a sector which until mid-December accumulating a 28% drop in sales of motorcycles and mopeds.

addition, this excess of legislative changes, this is the third amendment to the registration tax in the last three years, is creating an uncertainty in business, threatening the investments of the industrial sector in Spain. Thus, at least, I have said Quijada and Pedro Miguel Martinez, CEO of Piaggio Spain, a group of brands Vespa, Gilera, Moto Guzzi and Piaggio.

And if this were not enough, the forecasts for 2009 are not very optimistic. If the initial estimates were of a 30% decline in sales of motorcycles and mopeds, the arrival of the new tax will represent a cost of between 8% and 10%, could increase the market fall to 45%. The impact of this decline in sales of motorcycles and mopeds have already had their first impact in the industry of the two wheels.

Throughout the past year were canceled all contracts for workers, about 700 jobs and production has declined 30%, a percentage that could increase in 2009 and in addition to a fall of 3.2 % in 2007. So far nine plants operating in Spain have not resorted to regulate employment records Quijada but says that "2009 will be unavoidable" and warning that the major manufacturers could transfer production to the market more stable and less legislative changes.

Quijada

And Martinez, the current crisis in the sector is worse than the years 1993 and 1994, when it reached close to 75% of the workshops and dealers who worked then. They are now in danger of over 7,000 jobs in manufacturing, industry and ancillary distribution. Overall, the market for two wheels brings together nearly 30,000 workers between direct and indirect jobs.

In this regard, the directors of the Italian group added that manufacturers and users of the bike 'have never received aid and that this sector has been the plan discriminated Lives. " This is in addition to the actions of the General Directorate of Traffic, sometimes exaggerated to reduce an accident rate that is not always the responsibility of the users.

Until 3000

Euros more expensive

Since last December 25 was published in the Official Gazette the Law 4 / 2008 of December 23, the new motorcycles are taxed at rates different from those used for cars. This will establish four different sections in the registration tax. These charges are as follows: 0%-for motorcycles that emit less than 80 grams of CO2, 4.75%, to expel those between 80 and 100 grams of CO2-to-9.75% between 100 and 120 grammes of CO2 and 14.75%, exceeding the 120 grammes of CO2 emissions or not specified. Also, this new law also charged with the highest tax rate -14.75% - the 'quad' bikes and all those with more than 100 horsepower. This has led to an increase in the price of the most powerful motorcycles, according to the associations are now between 1,000 and 3,000 euros more expensive.

TaXmas Demo BBC News Coverage 14 Dec 08 - No To the Bike Parking Tax

Phil Jackson does not believe in utopias

The coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, has acknowledged that the set Angelino "has no options" to beat the best record for victories during a regular, holding the Bulls to Chicago, which in the 1995-96 season ended the season with a 72-10 balance, precisely directed by Jackson from the bench.

"I do not think that we have no option to beat the record for victories by the Bulls, to go to seventy victories," said Jackson, aware that his team can conclude the season with a great balance, but that in no case can achieve the registration of the Bulls.

"I will not say that we can not win matches if sixty health with us, but I do not see options to reach the seventies," said the coach of the Lakers, who outlined the changes time zones in the U.S. do "very difficult" to be consistent throughout the regular season.

The Lakers have started the season with a record of 15 victories for only two defeats, on the verge of matching the best in the history of the franchise, and with his current progression would be able to beat the record that the Bulls were in 1996.