Authorities have recovered suspected bomb-making devices at the scene of a deadly terror attack in New Orleans that left 10 people dead and at least 35 injured. The attack, which took place on Bourbon Street during New Year’s celebrations, is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
The FBI is leading the investigation after improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were discovered near the scene. “We are working to confirm if these devices are viable,” said Aletha Duncan, assistant special agent in charge.
The attack began when a gunman rammed a white pickup truck into a crowd on the city’s famed Bourbon Street. Witnesses described the vehicle speeding through the barricades and intentionally targeting pedestrians. After the vehicle stopped, the suspect exited and opened fire with an assault rifle, injuring two police officers.
Police shot and killed the gunman at the scene. Investigators later uncovered what appeared to be bomb-making materials in the vicinity of the attack. Photos and videos shared on social media showed chaotic scenes, with panicked revelers fleeing and gunfire echoing through the French Quarter.
“This was a coordinated act of terror,” said Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick. “The recovery of these devices underscores the deliberate and calculated nature of this attack.”
Mayor LaToya Cantrell urged residents to remain vigilant and avoid the area. “This terrorist act has shaken our city, and the discovery of explosives has escalated the urgency of the investigation,” she said.
The FBI, local police, and Homeland Security are working to determine if the devices were meant to be detonated during the attack or were part of a larger plot.
The attack occurred just hours before New Orleans’ annual Allstate Sugar Bowl, a major college football event that attracts thousands of visitors. Bourbon Street, a popular nightlife destination, remains shut down as authorities continue their investigation.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the incident, while President-elect Donald Trump called the attack “an act of pure evil” and pledged full federal support to New Orleans. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry also issued a statement, saying, “The discovery of bomb-making devices is deeply troubling. Please join us in praying for the victims and first responders.”
Nigerian highlife musician from Delta State, Dr. Arube Otor, known as “Isoko Fela One,” is set to marry three women in a single ceremony on January 19, 2025. The wedding will take place at the Anglican Church Field in London Base, Uzere Kingdom, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.
A wedding flier circulating on social media shows Arube wearing matching attire with his three brides-to-be: Oghenekome, Ewoma, and Oghenekaro, all from Delta State.
Arube’s foster son and event coordinator, Emperor Efih, confirmed the wedding details on Wednesday. Efih explained that four women were initially planned for the ceremony, but one withdrew for personal reasons.
“The decision to marry all three women at once was partly to save costs,” Efih said. “Arube had previously married two women, but one divorced him, leaving him with one wife. He decided to remarry multiple partners this year.”
Dr. Arube has been a fixture in the Delta State music scene for over three decades, gaining fame for his contributions to Isoko highlife music. He began his career as a driver while performing music part-time before forming his own band 12 years ago. Arube has since released more than 10 albums.
The three brides come from various regions of Delta State.
– Oghenekome is from Lagos-Iyede, Ndokwa East LGA.
– Ewoma hails from Oruamudhu, Ozoro Kingdom, Isoko North LGA.
– Oghenekaro represents Uroto Quarter, Ozoro Kingdom, Isoko North LGA.
Arube completed traditional marriage rites with all three women simultaneously last year. Two of the brides have already given birth to children with him, while the third is yet to conceive.
The wedding is expected to attract significant attention due to Arube’s prominence in Delta State’s music industry and his unconventional marital arrangements.
Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and owner of social media platform X, has drawn widespread attention after changing his display name to “Kekius Maximus” and updating his profile image to a meme-inspired depiction of Pepe the Frog.
Musk, known for his unpredictable online behavior and influence over financial markets, has not provided any explanation for the name change or the new profile image. The image features the popular internet character Pepe dressed as a Roman soldier, holding what appears to be a game console.
The sudden change caused a ripple effect in the cryptocurrency world, sending the value of a memecoin—digital currency inspired by internet memes—that shares the name “Kekius” soaring. While Musk’s comments on social media have previously influenced the prices of cryptocurrencies such as Dogecoin, there is no indication that he is directly associated with the Kekius coin.
The term “Kek” originated as a gamer slang equivalent to “LOL” (laugh out loud) and has since been linked to certain online communities, including those associated with alt-right ideologies. It is also the name of an ancient Egyptian deity of darkness, often depicted with the head of a frog, adding layers of ambiguity to Musk’s latest social media persona.
Observers have drawn connections between “Maximus” and the character Maximus Decimus Meridius, played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 film *Gladiator*. The Roman-inspired theme, paired with Musk’s profile image, has sparked discussions about whether the tech mogul’s move is a playful nod to pop culture, a deeper philosophical statement, or simply an inside joke.
Musk has a history of using his social media platform to provoke reactions and dominate online conversations. However, the use of Pepe the Frog—a character co-opted by far-right groups in the past—has also reignited debates about the cultural significance of memes and their political implications.
As speculation continues, neither Musk nor representatives from X have commented further on the changes.
A major power outage on New Year’s Eve left nearly all of Puerto Rico without electricity, with officials estimating it could take up to 48 hours to fully restore service.
As of 9 p.m. Tuesday (0100 GMT), around 58% of customers remained without power, down from 90% earlier in the day, according to energy distribution company LUMA Energy. Puerto Rico, which has long struggled with chronic power outages due to its aging infrastructure, experienced yet another island-wide blackout that disrupted celebrations and daily life.
LUMA Energy stated that power had been restored to critical facilities, including Centro Médico and Municipal Hospital in San Juan, but warned it could take between 24 to 48 hours to fully restore electricity. Preliminary investigations pointed to a failure in an underground line as the likely cause of the outage.
“This incident is under investigation,” LUMA said in a statement.
The outage affected power plants operated by both Genera, the island’s power generator, and private suppliers, as the failed line disrupted their operations. Ivan Baez, a Genera spokesperson, noted that the issue stemmed from infrastructure managed by LUMA.
Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi urged LUMA and Genera to expedite the restoration process. “They must bring generator units online quickly and keep the public informed about their progress,” he said on social media.
The blackout dampened New Year’s Eve festivities across the island, where family gatherings, fireworks, and traditional celebrations are customary.
“New Year’s Eve is about family reunions and celebrations, but this outage changes everything,” said Ramon Luis Nieves, a San Juan attorney and former senator. Nieves expressed frustration over the island’s ongoing power woes, which he attributed to years of neglect and underinvestment.
“This disaster has been more than a decade in the making,” he said, criticizing the aging power grid and lack of modernization efforts.
Such criticism is widespread in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory where residents, despite being American citizens, lack voting representation in Congress and cannot vote in presidential elections. Protesters have frequently called for the termination of LUMA’s contract to manage the island’s energy system.
In response to a previous protest in 2022, LUMA stated it had “inherited an electrical system that suffered years of neglect and disrepair.”
Jenniffer González, who assumes office as governor of Puerto Rico on Thursday, addressed the blackout on social media, announcing plans to form an energy task force.
“We cannot continue with an energy system that repeatedly fails our people,” González wrote. “Blackouts like this morning’s event undermine our economy and quality of life.”
Steven Pacheco, a former lineman visiting from Florida, echoed these concerns. “It’s exhausting to live in constant fear of when the next outage will occur,” he said.
As restoration efforts continue, residents remain on edge, grappling with an energy crisis that has become a defining issue for the island.
Russia launched a New Year’s Day drone strike on Kyiv early Wednesday, killing two people, injuring at least six, and damaging buildings in two districts, authorities said.
Explosions echoed across the morning sky as Ukraine’s air force warned of incoming drones. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said air defenses were working to repel the attack.
Two floors of a residential building in central Kyiv were partially destroyed, according to the State Emergency Service. Photos shared by the agency showed firefighters extinguishing flames at a gutted corner of the building while rescuers aided elderly victims.
The National Bank of Ukraine reported that one of its buildings nearby sustained damage from debris caused by a downed drone. Authorities also confirmed debris hit a non-residential building in another neighborhood.
“Even on New Year’s Eve, Russia focused only on causing harm to Ukraine,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post responding to the attack.
Ukraine’s military said it shot down 63 out of 111 drones launched by Russia overnight, with an additional 46 intercepted via electronic jamming.
Russia has continued targeting Ukrainian towns and cities with airstrikes far behind the front lines of its nearly three-year-long invasion. Moscow’s forces claim territory in eastern Ukraine through a grinding advance.
On Tuesday, Russian forces fired 21 missiles at Kyiv and the northern Sumy region, damaging buildings and infrastructure in the city of Shostka.
Separately, officials in the southern front-line city of Kherson reported that a 23-year-old volunteer worker was killed by Russian shelling on Wednesday.
Authorities have identified the woman who was killed after being set on fire earlier this month on a New York City subway. Debrina Kawam, 57, of Toms River, New Jersey, died from thermal and inhalation injuries, the city’s medical examiner’s office said Tuesday, ruling her death a homicide.
Kawam was identified through fingerprint analysis, according to Julie Bolcer, a spokesperson for the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. Police said the attack occurred on a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue stop in Brooklyn, where Kawam was allegedly set on fire while dozing.
Sebastian Zapeta, a 33-year-old Guatemalan citizen, has been charged with murder and arson in connection with the attack. Authorities allege Zapeta used a lighter to ignite Kawam’s clothes and watched as she burned.
Zapeta was arrested six hours after the incident. According to the Department of Homeland Security, he entered the U.S. without authorization in 2018 and was deported shortly after. It remains unclear when he re-entered the country unlawfully.
Police have stated that there appeared to be no prior interaction between Kawam and Zapeta before the attack.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that Kawam had “a brief stint in our homeless shelter system,” but provided no further details about her circumstances.
The Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to pursue removal proceedings against Zapeta once he is released from New York custody, which could follow a lengthy prison sentence if he is convicted.
A vehicle drove into a large crowd on New Orleans’ iconic Bourbon Street early Wednesday, killing at least 10 people and injuring 30 others in what authorities are calling a “mass casualty incident.”
The City of New Orleans confirmed the casualty figures in a statement on its website, stating that the incident occurred at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon streets during New Year’s celebrations.
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) said in a separate statement reported by NBC affiliate WDSU that “mass casualties are reported on Bourbon and Iberville streets,” and confirmed that a vehicle had plowed into pedestrians.
Bourbon Street, located in the French Quarter, is one of New Orleans’ most popular tourist destinations, known for its vibrant nightlife and restaurants. Police anticipated large crowds as locals and visitors celebrated the New Year.
The NOPD stated earlier this week that it was operating at 100% staffing levels and had drafted an additional 300 officers to help maintain order during the holiday festivities.
Details on the driver’s identity and motive were not immediately available, and authorities are investigating the incident.
A driver struck two New Zealand police officers as they patrolled on foot early on New Year’s Day, killing one and seriously injuring the other, officials said. The incident occurred in the South Island city of Nelson and shocked a country where on-duty police fatalities are rare.
Scene of the crime
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers said the vehicle drove “at speed” into the officers during a routine patrol in a parking lot before the driver rammed a police car. A 32-year-old man was arrested and charged shortly after the attack, which occurred around 2 a.m.
One of the officers, Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, died in a local hospital hours later. Fleming, a 38-year veteran of the force, was described by Chambers as a “well-known and hugely respected member of the Nelson community.” She is survived by her spouse and children.
The second officer remains in serious condition but is expected to recover fully. A third officer, who was in the rammed police car, sustained a concussion. Two members of the public were also injured, including one who came to the aid of the officers.
Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming
Chambers condemned the “senseless act of an individual who appears to have been determined to cause harm,” though he did not suggest a motive.
“There was, at this stage, no indication that this would occur,” Chambers said.
New Zealand’s Police Minister Mark Mitchell labeled the incident a “cowardly attack,” adding that the officers appeared to have been targeted.
The attack happened in downtown Nelson, a city of 55,000, just hours after New Year’s Eve celebrations had concluded.
The last time a police officer was killed on duty in New Zealand was in 2020, when an officer was shot by a fleeing driver. Since 1890, 33 officers have died due to criminal acts while on duty, according to police records.
The man charged in the attack is set to appear in court on Friday.
Today, representatives of the religious community who supported the democratic movement are widely persecuted in Belarus. Clergy and believers from various faiths are being arrested, with some facing criminal charges, and religious communities are being labeled as containing “extremist materials.”How is this happening in 2024?
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shake hands during a welcome ceremony at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Dmitriy Azarov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
On the air of Radio Svaboda, a theologian and representative of the Christian Vision, spoke about various cases of pressure on believers in detention, bullying, and even torture.
“People who are believers see their path even inside prison not as some kind of end, not as lost years; they often see it in the context of their eternal life, the fact that they are now serving God.”
Administrative persecution of priests
At least 11 cases of administrative persecution of priests have been known in 2024.
Raman Razhdzestvenski
On January 9, it became known that Raman Razhdzestvenski, who was arrested for 14 days, was the pastor of a Baptist community in the town of Veramiejki (Mahilioŭ region), part of the Union of Evangelical Christian Baptists in the Republic of Belarus. He was convicted under administrative Article 19.11 (distribution of extremist materials). The pastor had previously been detained, was fined, and had his laptop confiscated in March 2022.
Ihar Kavalchuk
On February 10, after returning from a trip to Italy, priest Ihar Kavalchuk was detained. He is the former rector of the Parish of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Rahačoŭ, Homieĺ diocese of the Belarusian Orthodox Church. Subscriptions to “extremist” resources were found in his phone, and a report was drawn up on him under Article 19.11 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Belarus. The priest was arrested for a period of 15 days. On February 25, the priest was not released, and a new administrative process was initiated against him under Article 19.11 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Belarus. The second period of arrest was 12 days. On March 9, he fled from persecution in Belarus.
Aliaksandr Zaretski
On February 22, Pastor Aliaksandr Zaretski was detained. Propagandists have repeatedly complained that in his church there were prayers for ending the war in Ukraine and threatened persecution. The pastor was arrested for a period of 15 days, after that for another 15 days under Article 24.23 of the Administrative Code (violation of the procedure for organizing and holding mass events). The reason for the persecution was the statements which he allegedly made during a service: “Let’s pray for those who are in prisons for falsified reasons”; “look at how higher-ranking officials say one thing, but people see another on the streets”; “they show us to say that everything is fine, that everything is pleasant and satisfactory, and sometimes it’s easier to agree”; “let’s pray for U., come to prayers for U.“
Pavel Hedroits
On March 14, Catholic priest Pavel Hedroits faced administrative prosecution. He is a rector of the Holy Cross Church in the village of Halynka and the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Perstuń, Hrodna region. The priest was brought to administrative responsibility for distributing extremist materials, and his mobile phone was confiscated. He was also accused of liking to sing “beautiful Bandera songs.” The priest was fined 1200 rubles (340 euros).
On March 15, Orthodox priest Mikalai Haiduk was punished with an administrative fine; he is a cleric of the church in honor of the Cathedral of All Belarusian Saints in Hrodna. The authorities discovered that he had posted information on VKontakte with the TUT.BY logo, as well as a photo of Goebbels with a swastika. The actions were recognized as the storage of extremist materials for the purpose of dissemination (Part 2 of Article 19.11 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Belarus), as well as the dissemination of Nazi symbols (Part 1 of Article 19.10 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Belarus). Haiduk explained that he posted Nazi symbols as part of a historical photograph in order to criticize Nazi views, which was confirmed by the context of the information he posted, but he was fined 1,600 rubles.
On May 8, priests of the Order of Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who serve in the diocesan sanctuary of the Our Lady of Fátima in Šumilina (Viciebsk region), priests Andrzej Yukhnevich OMI and Pavel Lemekh OMI, were detained. Yukhnevich is also the head of the coordinating group of abbots and representatives of the monastic communities of Belarus. The detention occurred after the participation of both priests in a meeting of priests of the Viciebsk diocese, which took place in their church. The priests are accused of “sabotage activities to the detriment of the Belarusian state.” Before the trial, the priests were held in a temporary detention facility in Viciebsk. The priests were sentenced via Skype: Yukhnevich to 15 days and Lemekh to 10 days.
On May 17, it became known about the persecution of Pastor Yury Hardzei (Grace Church, Iŭje, Hrodna region). The Iŭje District Court convicted him under Part 2 of Article 19.11 (storage for the purpose of distributing information included in the republican list of extremist materials). The priest was charged with one subscription to a so-called extremist resource on Odnoklassniki. He pleaded not guilty. The judge took into account the medical certificate, according to which the pastor cannot be sent to a pre-trial detention centre, and sentenced him to a fine of 1,200 rubles (approximately 400 euros) with confiscation of the phone.
On June 7, 2024, Evangelical Baptist Church minister Dzmitry Chouhan, a father of four children (the youngest only three years old), was detained while crossing the border. He was apprehended during his trip to Poland and taken to a detention center, where he was sentenced to 15 days of administrative detention. The reasons for his persecution remain unclear. Authorities gained access to his social media and replaced his Facebook profile picture with the red-green national flag of Belarus.
On August 16, 2024, Catholic priest Pavel Yarashievich, dean of the Pružany deanery and parish priest of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Pinsk diocese), was detained. On August 19, he faced trial and was held administratively accountable for subscribing to so-called extremist media (Article 19.11 of the Belarusian Administrative Code). He received a fine of 1,200 rubles (400 euros), and his mobile phone was confiscated.
On October 7, 2024, Catholic priest Yury Barauniou, the parish priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Krulioŭščyna, Dokšycy district (Viciebsk region), was detained. He was accused of possessing and distributing “extremist materials” (Article 19.11, Part 2, of the Belarusian Administrative Code) and sentenced to 10 days in detention.
On October 8, 2024, another trial was held in Horki, Mahilioŭ region, against Catholic priest Andrei Keulich, dean of the Mahilioŭ deanery and parish priest of the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Bialynick in Horki. Judge Yaskovich presided over the case.
Priests who are political prisoners
Siarhei Rezanovich
Siarhei Rezanovich is an Orthodox priest, rector of the Church of St. Archangel Michael in the agro-town of Stsiapanki (Brest region). He was detained together with his wife Liubou and his sons Pavel. Judge Maksim Filatau sentenced Rezanovich to 16 years in a medium security penal colony and a 19,200 rubles fine (5,418 euros).
Uladzislau Beladzed
On May 31, 2023, Uladzislau Beladzed, a catechism teacher at the Minsk Arch-Cathedral, was detained. During the peaceful protests of 2020, he actively participated in common Christian prayers for an end to violence and lawlessness in connection with the developing political crisis in Belarus. Inhuman and degrading treatment was used against the believer: he was forced to record a so-called “repentant” video where he looked very depressed and had to declare his homosexual orientation twice on camera, which puts him under additional threat of pressure in places of arrest or detention. On March 14, 2024, a verdict was passed in the case of Uladzislau Beladzed. Judge Alena Ananich (Minsk City Court) sentenced him to 3 years of imprisonment. The trial was held behind closed doors.
Henrykh Akalatovich
Henrykh Akalatovich is a priest from Valožyn. The man was detained in November 2023. He was 70 years old at the time of his arrest. He suffered a heart attack and recently underwent gastric surgery due to cancer. He needs to have medical supervision and constantly take medications. He is held in the KGB detention center. Earlier it was reported that the priest is charged with “treason against the state” (Article 356 of the Criminal Code).
On May 29, it became known that a criminal case had been initiated against Mikalai Khilo, a preacher of the Evangelism Church, who was detained on April 24. He was taken into custody and is in a new pre-trial detention center in Kaliadzičy. According to preliminary information, he may be charged with insulting Lukashenka (Article 368 of the Criminal Code).
Andrzej Yukhnevich is a Catholic priest, serving as the pastor of the Roman Catholic parish in Šumilina, dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima. He was detained on May 8, 2024. On June 24, 2024, it became known that he had not been released from the Viciebsk temporary detention facility after serving 45 days in detention. Father Andrzej faced administrative arrests four times, including charges under Article 24.23 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus for conducting an “unauthorized picket” by displaying the Ukrainian flag on his social media profile. Authorities allowed him to receive only essential medicines from outside.
In early July 2024, it was reported that a criminal case had been initiated against him, and he was being transferred from the temporary detention facility to a pretrial detention center (SIZO). As of this update, the specific charges remain undisclosed. According toChristian Vision in the fall of 2024, pressure continues to be applied on the priest in SIZO-2, where he has been held since his initial detention on May 8, 2024. He was first allowed a shower only after two months of imprisonment. Now, he faces potential charges related to crimes against the sexual integrity of minors.
Persecution of religion
On February 7, there was a court hearing in the Minsk City Court on the dissolution of the local charitable foundation in honor of St. John the Russian, associated with the St. Elizabeth Monastery in Minsk. The plaintiff in the case was the Main Department of Justice of the Minsk City Executive Committee.
In the spring, the authorities refused to allow Catholic believers in Baranavičy to hold an annual Way of the Cross on Good Friday, which in 2024 was celebrated on March 29. Previously, the event took place every year and even became the hallmark of Baranavičy. The authorities did not specify the reasons for the ban.
On May 15, it became known that the priest of the Belarusian community in Vilnius, Archpriest Heorhii Roi, was added to the Russian search database. A criminal case has been initiated against him in Belarus, but it is not known under what article. Roi actively helped detainees during the peaceful protests of 2020, opened the cathedral so that protesters could escape persecution, and made pro-democratic and anti-war publications on his social media. Due to the threat of persecution, he was forced to leave Belarus.
Catholic intellectual Piotr Rudkouski was sentenced in absentia to 11 years of imprisonment in connection with the Tsikhanouskaya analysts case. Rudkouski, a former director of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies, is a well-known Catholic intellectual in Belarus who regularly contributes to the Ephphatha section on Vatican Radio. In addition to being placed on the “extremist list,” his name was added to the list of individuals allegedly involved in “terrorist activities.”
In October 2024, Christian Visionreported that Aliaksandr Rumak, the Commissioner for Religious and Nationalities Affairs — the government agency overseeing religious organizations — demanded that leaders of religious organizations applying for re-registration include specific provisions in their statutes. According to these provisions, anyone listed as affiliated with extremist or terrorist activities in official government lists would be prohibited from founding or leading a religious community.
Rumak openly threatenedreligious organizations on the ONT TV channel that they would face consequences if they interfered in politics, with clergy participating in protests, criticizing the government, or calling for political action.
In July, the authorities blocked access to the Catholic resource Katolik.life, an independent Catholic initiative reporting on the Catholic Church’s activities in Belarus — including the closure of the Red Church, arrests of clergy and believers, and accounts of torture and the experiences of believers during the war. In August, the Telegram channel of the publication was recognized as “extremist materials.”
Religious “extremist” materials
After the events of 2020, the Belarusian regime began a crackdown on the media, recognizing independent media, websites, Telegram channels, social media, as well as symbols associated with peaceful protest as “extremist materials.” As a result, persons who forward information from these sources, or information containing logos of these sources, are prosecuted under Article 19.11 of the Administrative Code.
Now there are at least 13 cases on the list as of March 18, 2024, not counting believers on the list of “extremists”. Among the sources are the pages of Priest Viachaslau Barka, Orthodox Archbishop Artsemii of Hrodna, Orthodox theologian Natallia Vasilevich.
At its meeting on March 15, 2023, the European Parliament adopted a resolution The Ongoing Persecution against the Belarusian People, in particular, against Ales Bialiatski and Andrzej Poczobut.
The document draws attention to the persecution of the religious community: “The illegitimate regime of Lukashenka continues to suppress freedom of religion and belief; taking into account that, according to the Coordinating Council, several Catholic, Greek Catholic, and Orthodox priests and Protestant pastors have faced various forms of pressure, from fines to long prison terms; among them is Siarhei Rezanovich, who was sentenced to 16 years of imprisonment.”
The article uses information collected by Christian Vision. On February 10, it presented materials for the report to the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus to the UN Human Rights Council for 2024, dedicated to freedom of association. The report was submitted in English, and there is a translation into Russian.
Vladimir Putin delivered an optimistic midnight address to Russians on the 25th anniversary of his first presidential speech, expressing confidence that “everything will be fine” in 2025 and emphasizing national advancement.
The Russian leader focused on domestic themes, stating “the absolute value for us was, is and will be the fate of Russia, the well-being of its citizens.” While acknowledging soldiers fighting in Ukraine, Putin avoided specific mentions of the ongoing war or economic challenges.
Russia faces significant economic pressures with inflation reaching 9.5% in 2024, following the central bank’s decision to maintain its key interest rate at 21%.
