fortune gems free play no deposit
A Russian man arrested in October for operating a travel agency for gay customers was found dead in his Moscow cell while in pretrial detention, the OVD-Info rights group said on December 29. The group quoted the lawyer of Andrei Kotov, 48, as saying the man had died by suicide in his cell, although the report cannot independently be confirmed. Kotov was director of the Men Travel agency, and was facing charges of "organizing extremist activity and participating in it." Russia in recent years has intensified its relentless crackdown on LGBT rights, often accusing suspects of extremist activities. To read the original story by Current Time, click here . Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has accused Russia of trying to hide the cause of a deadly plane crash this week, calling on Moscow to admit responsibility. The Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane was flying from the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya region on December 25 when it was diverted and crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. There has been growing evidence that the jet was hit by a Russian air-defense missile in Chechnya before it went down near the city of Aqtau in western Kazakhstan. Aliyev said the plane was mistakenly shot down while approaching Grozny, adding that the jet's GPS systems were affected by electronic jamming. "Our plane was hit by accident," Aliyev told state television on December 29. "Therefore, admitting the guilt, apologizing in a timely manner to Azerbaijan, which is considered a friendly country, and informing the public about this -- all these were measures and steps that should have been taken." "Unfortunately, for the first three days, we heard nothing from Russia except for some absurd theories," added Aliyev, citing statements in Russia that attributed the crash to birds or the explosion of some sort of gas cylinder on the plane. Those theories, Aliyev said, showed "that the Russian side wanted to cover up the issue." Aliyev's comments came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Aliyev but did not accept blame for the plane crash. In a phone call with Aliyev, Putin said Russian air defenses were repelling an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on Grozny when the plane was trying to land at the airport there, a Kremlin statement said. Putin "conveyed his apologies in connection with the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace," the statement said, indicating that Putin acknowledged the plane was damaged over Chechnya but stopped short of stating a Russian missile strike was the cause. Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation into the possible violation of flight safety rules, the statement said. It said two Azerbaijani prosecutors were working with Russian law enforcement in Grozny and that Russian, Azerbaijani, and Kazakh authorities were working together at the crash site in Kazakhstan. The Kremlin statement is likely to further increase suspicions that a Russian missile damaged the Embraer-190 jet before it was diverted to Aktau, across the Caspian Sea from Chechnya, where it crashed near the shore after a steep descent and burst into flames. Evidence of a missile strike includes footage of damage inside the plane before the crash and images of the hole-pocked tail section after the crash, as well as comments from survivors who said they heard at least one explosion outside the plane over Chechnya. Azerbaijani lawmaker Hikmat Babaoghlu told RFE/RL on December 27 that there is a "very strong" possibility that the plane was damaged by a Russian air-defense missile. He said that the "observations and conclusions drawn so far support the idea that the plane being shot down is the closest to the truth." TBILISI -- Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former soccer player and right-wing populist, has been sworn in as Georgia's new president amid a monthslong political crisis , likely further complicating the country's prospects for European Union membership. Outgoing President Salome Zurabishvili left her residence in the presidential palace in the capital, Tbilisi, on the same day but said she remained the legitimate head of state. The pro-Western Zurabishvili, whose term ended on December 29, had said she would not step down. She claimed her successor -- chosen by an electoral college dominated by the ruling Georgian Dream party -- is "illegitimate." Georgia has been the scene of anti-government protests since Georgian Dream claimed victory in October parliamentary elections that were marred by instances of vote-buying, double-voting, physical violence, and intimidation. The rallies intensified after a government decision last month to delay negotiations on the South Caucasus country joining the European Union. In a defiant speech to thousands of supporters outside the presidential palace on December 29, Zurabishvili said she remained the "only legitimate president" and vowed to continue to fight on. "This building was a symbol only as long as a legitimate president was sitting here," she said. "I take the legitimacy with me." Zurabishvili, who called for new parliamentary elections, called Kavelashvili's inauguration a "parody." Her remarks came moments after the 53-year-old Kavelashvili, a hard-line critic of the West, was formally sworn in during a ceremony in parliament. In his speech, Kavelashvili called for the country to unite behind him around "shared values, the principles of mutual respect, and the future we should build together." Kavelashvili has been known to make fiery anti-Western remarks in the past, although during his speech he stated that Georgians should "strengthen our country and move toward the European family." In 2016, he helped found the People's Power party, a more-radical offshoot of Georgian Dream. But he has remained close to the ruling party and has been criticized for his ties to Moscow-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and founder of the Georgian Dream party, The presidency is a largely ceremonial post, but in the current tense political environment holds deeper symbolic meaning, and the departure of Zurabishvili could deepen Georgia's split with the West -- once the nation's closest backers. Several hundred protesters rallied outside the parliament building, with some holding up red cards in a gesture to Kavelashvili's soccer career. The demonstrators dispersed shortly afterward but vowed to rally again in the evening. The Interior Ministry said six protesters were detained outside the parliament building. Local media reported that several demonstrators were injured by police. A day earlier, Zurabishvili joined protesters in Tbilisi as rally participants waved Georgian and EU flags, played music, and marched along the Saarbruecken Bridge in the capital to form a "chain of unity." The rally marked one month since the start of the recent wave of protests, which have been met with violent police action, injuries, and mass arrests by Georgian authorities. Protesters accuse the Georgian Dream-led government of moving the country away from the EU and tilting closer to Russia. A U.S. State Department spokesperson on December 29 told RFE/RL in e-mailed comments that the United States is closely monitoring the situation in Georgia. The spokeperson added that respect for the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly are critical to a functioning society. On December 27, the United States said it had slapped fresh sanctions on Ivanishvili for undermining Georgia's democracy for the "benefit of the Russian Federation." "Under Ivanishvili's leadership, Georgian Dream has advanced the interests of the Kremlin by derailing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory -- in direct contradiction to what was envisioned by the Georgian people and the Georgian Constitution," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. The action prompted anger from the Georgian Dream party, while the Georgian opposition hailed the action and called on the EU to also move against Ivanishvili and other Georgian leaders. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said in an X post on December 29 that he commends Zurabishvili "for her vital leadership and unwavering commitment to Georgia's European course." "For a month now, Georgian people are peacefully defending their democratic and European future in the streets despite violence and intimidation," he said, adding that the Georgian government should "restore public trust" and "consider possible new elections." Zurabishvili -- who has spilt with the government and backed the protesters early in the wave of rallies -- had called on Georgian Dream to set a date for new parliamentary elections by December 29. In another show of Western support, U.S. Republican House member Joe Wilson on December 27 wrote on X that he welcomed the new sanctions and added that he had invited Zurabishvili -- "as the only legitimate leader in Georgia" -- to Donald Trump's presidential inauguration on January 20. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023, but ties with Brussels have been tense in recent months following the adoption in May of a controversial "foreign agent" law pushed through parliament by Georgian Dream, which has been in power since 2012. Russia's state energy giant Gazprom on December 28 said it would cease gas deliveries to Moldova at the end of this year because of a dispute over debt with the small Balkan nation that is aligned with the West. Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean condemned Gazprom's decision, describing it as "an oppressive tactic" through which Russia "uses energy as a political weapon" and said he would pursue international legal means to fight it. The head of Moldovagaz said that, as early as December 2022, the entire volume of gas supplied by Gazprom was intended for the Moscow-backed separatist region, Transdniester , located on the left bank of the Dniester River. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service, click here . Drone attacks and fighting intensified in Ukraine and Russia on December 28, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Slovakia's prime minister of taking "orders" from the Kremlin to harm Kyiv and his own people as an energy feud heightened as well. "It appears that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin gave [Robert] Fico the orders to open the second energy front against Ukraine at the expense of the Slovak people's interests," Zelenskiy wrote on social media. "Fico's threats to cut off Ukraine's emergency power supply this winter while Russia attacks our power plants and energy grid can only be explained by this." The comments came after Fico on December 27 threatened to halt supplies of electricity to Ukraine if Kyiv blocks transit of Russian gas to Slovakia. Ukraine has announced it will not extend the transit contract of Russian state-owned company Gazprom after January 1 -- ceasing deliveries of gas to several European nations -- as the West looks to cut off the Kremlin's source of funding for the war. The transport deal was signed before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, and most European nations have since begun developing alternative sources of gas, although Fico says finding alternatives would be too costly for Slovakia. Fico, along with Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, has angered the West by continuing to have close ties to Putin despite U.S. and EU sanctions. Fico visited Putin in Moscow earlier this week and has offered to host potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. Zelenskiy said Slovakia accounts for nearly 20 percent of Ukraine's power imports. "Slovakia is part of the single European energy market and Fico must respect common European rules," Zelenskiy wrote. "Any arbitrary decisions in Bratislava or Moscow's orders to Fico regarding electricity cannot cut Ukraine's power supply, but they can certainly cut current Slovak authorities' ties to the European community," he added, suggesting the move would deprive Slovakia itself of some $200 million a year. Meanwhile, as Russia's full-scale invasion grinds on toward its fourth year, Ukraine and Russia exchanged accusations of drone attacks in several regions as battlefield clashes intensified along the front lines, with the "hottest" fighting reported around the embattled Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk. Russian air defenses destroyed 56 drones overnight, the Defense Ministry said on December 28. It said 28 drones were shot down in the Rostov region, 17 in the Voronezh region, and 11 in the Belgorod region, where local officials reportedly said two residents of a village were injured by shrapnel from a blast. The Russian claims could not be independently verified. A Russian occupation official said on Telegram that four people were wounded in what he said was a Ukrainian drone attack that hit a car in the Russian-held city of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraine’s Kherson region early in the morning. In Mykolayiv, the Ukrainian-held capital of a region adjacent to Kherson, the military said Ukrainian defenders had neutralized all 16 drones launched by Russia on December 28. "Of the 16 UAVs launched, 15 were shot down, another one was a simulator. All 15 were shot down in the Mykolaiv region," the Ukrainian Air Force said Earlier, a Russian drone attack in the city caused fires on the roof of a five-story residential building and on the grounds of a commercial enterprise, regional governor Vitaliy Kim said on Telegra. He said that nobody was hurt, and that the military had destroyed 12 drones over the region overnight . Russia and Ukraine have used drones regularly since Russia launched the full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022. There are mounting suspicions that the crash of a Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet earlier this week near Aqtau, Kazakhstan, that killed 38 of the 67 people aboard was caused by Russian air-defense systems on alert for Ukrainian drone attacks on the Chechnya region, where the jet was due to land in Grozny before it was diverted across the Caspian Sea. Ukraine said its forces struck a "protected facility" of the Russian military in the Oryol region near the border with Ukraine. It said the target was a warehouse holding Iranian-made Shahed drones. Also on December 28, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed it had thwarted a plot to kill a high-level Russian military officer and an unnamed Russian “war blogger” who writes about the invasion. The FSB, whose claim could not be independently verified, said it had arrested a Russian man it said was acting under instructions from Ukrainian military intelligence. It said it had found a cache outside Moscow with an improvised explosive device camouflaged as a stereo speaker. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the FSB claim, which came 11 days after the general who headed Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defense Forces (RKhBZ) was killed, along with an assistant, by a bomb concealed in a scooter. A source at Ukraine's SBU security service told RFE/RL that the blast that killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant was the result of a special operation by the Ukrainian agency. In the United States, White House spokesman John Kirby on December 27 said Washington has reports of North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian troops "taking their own lives rather than surrendering to Ukrainian forces." He said the action was "likely out of fear of reprisal against their families in North Korea in the event that they’re captured. " In a video address, Zelenskiy had said "several" North Korean soldiers -- badly wounded in fighting alongside Russian forces -- have died after being captured by Ukrainian troops on the battlefield. Zelenskiy said, without providing details, that Kyiv had reports of North Korean "enforcers" executing wounded soldiers to prevent them being captured alive by Ukrainian forces. Western sources estimate that 12,000 North Korean troops are in Russia's Kursk region, parts of which are occupied by Ukrainian forces amid ongoing pitched battles and reports of heavy losses. Germany's foreign minister described the suspected sabotage of a Baltic Sea power cable as a "wake-up call" for the West and urged the European Union to impose new sanctions targeting what is known as Russia's " shadow fleet ." Meanwhile, a media outlet focusing on shipping news and intelligence reported that the ship suspected of damaging the cable linking Finland and Estonia on December 25 was equipped with "special transmitting and receiving devices that were used to monitor naval activity." The Eagle S "had transmitting and receiving devices installed that effectively allowed it to become a 'spy ship' for Russia," Lloyd's List reported on December 27, citing "a source familiar with the vessel who provided commercial maritime services to it as recently as seven months ago." Finland seized the Eagle S on December 26, citing suspicions that it caused an outage of the Estlink 2 undersea power cable and damaged four Internet lines. Finnish investigators said the ship may have caused the damage by dragging its anchor along the sea floor. Finnish and EU officials say the Eagle S is believed to belong to a "shadow fleet" of old, uninsured oil vessels used to bypass Western sanctions and maintain a source of revenue for Russia's economy and its war against Ukraine. The poor condition of these ships has also raised concerns about environmental disasters. "The suspected vessel is part of Russia’s shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment , while funding Russia's war budget," the European Commission said on December 26, suggesting the incident was part of a deliberate effort to damage "critical infrastructure" in Europe. "We will propose further measures, including sanctions, to target this fleet." In comments on December 28, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged "new European sanctions against the Russian shadow fleet," which she said is "a major threat to our environment and security" that is used by Russia "to finance its war of aggression in Ukraine." "Almost every month, ships are damaging major undersea cables in the Baltic Sea," Baerbock said in a statement to the Funke media group. "Crews are leaving anchors in the water, dragging them for kilometers along the seafloor for no apparent reason, and then losing them when pulling them up.” "It's more than difficult to still believe in coincidences," she said. "This is an urgent wake-up call for all of us." TBILISI -- On the eve of a potentially explosion day, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili called for supporters to gather at the presidential palace on December 29 as she joined a mass rally against the Georgian Dream-led government’s moves to delay closer European Union integration. "Greetings from the Orbeliani Palace,” she said in a video released to social media. "I am here, I will be here, I will spend the night here as well." "Tomorrow, I will be waiting for you...at 10 a.m. -- and from here, I will tell you what tomorrow will be like. I will tell you what the following days will be like, and what the days of victory will be like." A potential showdown looms on the streets of Tbilisi on December 29 as Zurabishvili has vowed not to step down at the end of her term on that day, claiming her successor -- chosen by an electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream -- was "illegitimate." She joined protesters in the capital on December 28 as rally participants waved Georgian and EU flags, played music, and marched along the Saarbruecken Bridge in the capital to form a " chain of unity ." The rally marked one month since the start of the recent wave of anti-government protests, which have been met with violent police action, injuries, and mass arrests by Georgian authorities. Protesters accuse the government of the Georgian Dream party of moving the country away from the EU and tilting closer to Moscow. The political crisis erupted after Georgian Dream claimed victory in October parliamentary elections that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said was marred by instances of vote-buying, double-voting, physical violence, and intimidation. The rallies intensified after a government decision last month to delay negotiations on Georgia joining the EU. On December 24, Human Rights Watch called for Georgian security forces to be investigated for the "brutal police violence" against largely peaceful protesters who have taken to the streets for the demonstrations. On December 27, the United States said it had slapped fresh sanctions on Russia-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and the founder of the Georgian Dream party, for undermining Georgia's democracy for the "benefit of the Russian Federation." "Under Ivanishvili's leadership, Georgian Dream has advanced the interests of the Kremlin by derailing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory -- in direct contradiction to what was envisioned by the Georgian people and the Georgian Constitution," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. The action prompted anger from the Georgian Dream party, while the Georgian opposition hailed the action and called on the EU to also move against Ivanishvili and other Georgian leaders. Zurabishvili -- who has spilt with the government and backed the protesters early in the wave of rallies -- on December 22 called on Georgian Dream to set a date for new parliamentary elections by December 29. In a show of Western support, U.S. Republican House member Joe Wilson on December 27 wrote on X that he welcomed the new sanctions and added that he had invited Zurabishvili -- "as the only legitimate leader in Georgia" -- to Donald Trump's presidential inauguration on January 20. "I am in awe of her courage in the face of the assault by Ivanishvili and his friends" in China and Iran, Wilson added, without mentioning Russia. Earlier this month, an electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream chose Mikheil Kavelashvili, a 53-year-old former soccer player and right-wing populist, as Georgia's next president. His inauguration is supposed to take place on December 29, though the 72-year-old Zurabishvili, whose term ends this year, has said she will not step down, setting up the potentially tense showdown. "Next week at this time, I will be president," Zurabishvili restated on December 27. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023, but ties with Brussels have been tense in recent months following the adoption in May of a controversial "foreign agent" law pushed through parliament by Georgian Dream, which has been in power since 2012. Afghanistan's Taliban-led government said Taliban forces targeted what it claimed were "centers and hideouts for malicious elements" it said were involved in a recent attack in Afghanistan, as an upsurge of cross-border fighting continues. The statement from the Taliban's Defense Ministry followed reports of deadly early morning clashes on December 28 between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards. It came days after the government said Pakistani aircraft bombed targets in Afghanistan in an attack it said killed dozens of civilians. The ministry gave few details about the strikes, which it said were launched against targets in several districts behind the "hypothetical line" -- a reference to a portion of the border with Pakistan that Afghan authorities have long disputed. Local sources told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi that three people in Paktia Province were killed and two wounded by gunfire from Pakistani border guards, and that clashes also took place in the Khost province. The reports could not be independently verified. There was no immediate comment from the Pakistani government. But the head of a community in the Kurram district told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that Taliban forces fired rockets at two security posts near the border at about 6 a.m., setting off fighting that continued for several hours. The Taliban's Defense Ministry suggested the strikes on Pakistan were retaliation for what the Taliban-led government said were Pakistani air strikes that killed 46 civilians in Paktika Province, which also borders Pakistan, on December 24. Pakistan says that militants from the Islamist group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are hiding across the border in Afghanistan, and Islamabad has repeatedly asked the Afghan Taliban to take action against them. The Afghan Taliban say the TTP is in Pakistan. There has been a steady increase in TTP attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces from Afghanistan. Authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka extended a wave of pardons ahead of a January presidential election in Belarus, ordering the release of 20 prisoners jailed on extremism charges his opponents and rights groups say were politically motivated. Lukashenka's press service suggested the pardons were issued on humanitarian grounds, saying 14 of those ordered released have chronic illnesses and 10 of them have children. It said 11 of the 20 are women. The press service claimed the prisoners had all sought pardons and expressed remorse, an assertion that could not be independently verified. It said that authorities would "monitor their behavior following their release." Since July, Lukashenka has pardoned more than 225 people whom activists consider political prisoners. Rights groups have recognized nearly 3,600 people as political prisoners since the state launched a massive crackdown when pro-democracy protests erupted after Lukashenka, in power since 1994, claimed a landslide victory in an August 2020 election that millions believe was stolen though fraud . Many of those have served out their sentences. Ahead of a January 26 election in which he is certain to be awarded a new term, Lukashenka may be seeking to signal to the West that he is easing off on the persistent clampdown that the state has imposed since the 2020 election. But the crackdown continues, with frequent arrests and trials on what activists say are politically motivated charges. At least 1,253 people whom rights groups consider political prisoners remain behind bars, and the real number is believed to be higher. Lukashenka has roped Belarus closely to Russia and has provided support for Russia's war on neighboring Ukraine, including by allowing Russian forces to invade from Belarusian territory, and he says Russian nuclear weapons have been deployed in Belarus. But over 30 years in power, he has often tried to capitalize on Belarus’ position between Russia in the east and NATO and the European Union to the west and north. Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized over the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane this week, the Kremlin said, amid growing evidence that the jet was hit by a Russian air-defense missile in the Chechnya region before it went down in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. In a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Putin said Russian air defenses were repelling an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on Chechnya’s capital, Grozny, when the plane was trying to land at the airport there, a Kremlin statement said. Putin "conveyed his apologies in connection with the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace," the statement said, indicating that Putin acknowledged the plane was damaged over Chechnya but stopped short of stating a Russian missile strike was the cause. "In the conversation, it was noted that...the aircraft tried more than once to approach the Grozny airport for landing," it said, adding that “at this time, Ukrainian combat drones were attacking Grozny [and the nearby cities of] Mozdok and Vladikavkaz, and Russian air-defense systems were repelling these attacks." Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation into the possible violation of flight safety rules, the statement said. It said two Azerbaijani prosecutors were working with Russian law enforcement in Grozny and that Russian, Azerbaijani, and Kazakh authorities were working together at the crash site near Aqtau, Kazakhstan. The Kremlin statement is likely to further increase suspicions that a Russian missile damaged the Embraer-190 jet before it was diverted to Aktau, across the Caspian Sea from Chechnya, where it crashed near the shore after a steep descent and burst into flames. Evidence of a missile strike includes footage of damage inside the plane before the crash and images of the hole-pocked tail section after the crash, as well as comments from survivors who said they heard at least one explosion outside the plane over Chechnya. Azerbaijani lawmaker Hikmat Babaoghlu told RFE/RL on December 27 that there is a "very strong" possibility that the plane was damaged by a Russian air-defense missile. He said that the "observations and conclusions drawn so far support the idea that the plane being shot down is the closest to the truth." On the same day, White House spokesman John Kirby said U.S. experts "have seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air-defense systems." Reuters quoted an Azerbaijani source familiar with the investigation as saying results indicated the plane was hit by a Pantsir-S air-defense system, a self-propelled antiaircraft gun and missile system designed by Russia. The crash has disrupted air traffic in the Caucasus and beyond. An Azerbaijan Airlines flight bound for the Russian spa town of Mineranlye Vody, not far from Grozny, took off from Baku on December 27 but then abruptly headed back after receiving a flight information notice that Russian airspace it was due to fly through was closed. Azerbaijan Airlines later said it is suspending flights to several Russian cities, including Mineralnye Vody, Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Grozny, and Makhachkala. Turkmenistan Airlines announced on December 28 that it was canceling all its flights between the capital, Ashgabat, and Moscow from December 30 to January 31, giving no reason for the decision. Turkmenistan borders Kazakhstan on the eastern shore of the Caspian. Also on December 28, Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said that restrictions were briefly placed on the operation of the airport in the Tatarstan regional capital, Kazan, to ensure flight safety, and media reports said that all departures and arrivals had been suspended. Flights heading to Kazan from the Siberian cities of Tomsk, Surgut, and Kemerovo were redirected to an airfield in Nizhnekamsk, Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing the airport's press service. No specific reason was given for the measures, which Rosaviatsia said had been lifted a few hours later. Russia has closed airports at times due to alleged drone attacks, and a drone attack hit high-rise buildings in Kazan on December 21. NATO has said it would bolster its presence in the Baltic Sea after undersea power lines and Internet cables were damaged by suspected sabotage believed to be carried out by vessels belonging to Russia’s so-called “ shadow fleet .” Estonia also announced on December 27 that it had begun a naval operation to guard a crucial electricity line in the Baltic Sea in coordination with allies as tensions mounted in the region. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said in a social media post following discussions with Finnish President Alexander Stubb that "NATO will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea." Both Finland and Estonia have coastlines on the Baltic Sea. When asked for details about planned actions, NATO officials told AP that the alliance “remains vigilant and is working to provide further support, including by enhancing our military presence” in the region. "We have agreed with Estonia, and we have also communicated to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, that our wish is to have a stronger NATO presence," Stubb told a news conference. Stubb added that investigators did not want to jump to conclusions, but a day earlier he had said that "it is necessary to be able to prevent the risks posed by ships belonging to the Russian 'shadow fleet.'" The "shadow fleet" is a reference to old, uninsured oil vessels typically used to bypass Western sanctions on Russia and maintain a source of revenue. European government and the United States have accused Russia of intensifying "hybrid attacks" following reports of damage to Baltic Sea communications cables, although they have not yet directly tied Moscow to the damage. NATO stepped up monitoring critical infrastructure in the Baltic following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the destruction of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline seven months later. Chinese-linked ships have also been suspected of sabotaging undersea infrastructure over recent years. Sweden -- NATO's newest member, which also has a coastline on the Baltic Sea -- said its coast guard had stepped up surveillance of sea traffic and had deployed aircraft and vessels in concert with regional allies. The European Commission on December 26 said a cargo ship suspected of having deliberately damaged power and Internet cables in the Baltic Sea was part of Russia's "shadow fleet." The poor condition of these ships has also raised concerns about environmental disasters. Finnish authorities on December 26 boarded and took command of the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S oil tanker in the Baltic Sea as part of its investigation into the damages, saying it likely belong to the "shadow fleet." Investigators have said the damage could have been caused by the ship intentionally dragging its anchor. The Kremlin said it had no connection to the ship seized by Finland. It has regularly denied that it is involved in any of the many incidents involving Baltic Sea region infrastructure assets. The United States said it has slapped fresh sanctions on Russia-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a former prime minister and the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, for undermining Georgia's democracy for the "benefit of the Russian Federation." "Under Ivanishvili's leadership, Georgian Dream has advanced the interests of the Kremlin by derailing Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic trajectory -- in direct contradiction to what was envisioned by the Georgian people and the Georgian Constitution," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on December 27. Blinken added that "Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream's actions have eroded democratic institutions, enabled human rights abuses, and curbed the exercise of fundamental freedoms in Georgia." "We strongly condemn Georgian Dream's actions under Ivanishvili's leadership, including its ongoing and violent repression of Georgian citizens, protesters, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures." The new measures will block transactions involving entities owned by Ivanishvili, the statement said. According to Bloomberg News, Ivanishvili's fortune is estimated at $7.5 billion, much of it coming through metals, banking, and telecom assets in Russia during the 1990s. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the U.S. action "blackmail" and said it was Ivanishvili's "reward" for protecting Georgia's national interest. However, opposition leader Giorgi Vashadze of the Unity National Movement hailed the U.S. decision, according to Georgia's Interpress news agency. "I welcome this step from the United States and believe that we are quickly moving toward victory and will celebrate Georgia without Ivanishvili, who is the bringer of chaos and misery to this country," he was quoted as saying. In a previous action, the United States on December 12 said it would "prohibit visa issuance to those who are responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Georgia." That move affected some 20 people, "including individuals serving as government ministers and in parliament, law enforcement and security officials, and private citizens," it said in a statement , without naming the individuals. Georgia, once a closer U.S. ally, has angered Washington and the European Union with its perceived tilt toward Russia and its violent crackdown on dissent in the Caucasus nation. The sanctions come at a crucial time, as Georgia's fate hangs in the balance -- whether it will intensify its tilt toward Moscow, return to the pro-Europe path, or remain in an environment of unrest and uncertainty. Police in Tbilisi have clashed with pro-West protesters over the past several weeks, detaining dozens and injuring scores of people who accuse the government of the Georgian Dream party of moving the country away from the European Union and closer to Moscow. The political crisis erupted after Georgian Dream claimed victory in October parliamentary elections that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said was marred by instances of vote-buying, double-voting, physical violence, and intimidation. The rallies intensified after a government decision last month to delay negotiations on Georgia joining the EU. The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) on December 24 called for Georgian security forces to be investigated for the “brutal police violence” against largely peaceful protesters who have taken to the streets for huge anti-government demonstrations. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili – who has spilt with the government and backed the protesters -- on December 22 called on Georgian Dream to set a date for new parliamentary elections by December 29. "Next week at this time I will be president," Zurabishvili restated on December 27. U.S. Republican House member Joe Wilson wrote on X that he welcomed the new sanctions and added that he had invited Zurabishvili -- "as the only legitimate leader in Georgia" -- to Donald Trump's presidential inauguration on January 20 "I am in awe of her courage in the face of the assault by Ivanishvili and his friends" in China and Iran, Wilson added, without mentioning Russia. Earlier this month, an electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream chose Mikheil Kavelashvili, a 53-year-old former soccer player and right-wing populist, as Georgia's next president. His inauguration is supposed to take place on December 29, though the 72-year-old Zurabishvili, whose term ends this year, has said she will not step down, setting up a potentially explosive showdown. Georgia received EU candidate status in December 2023, but ties with Brussels have been tense in recent months following the adoption in May of a controversial "foreign agent" law pushed through parliament by Georgian Dream, which has been in power since 2012. PODGORICA -- After a multinational back-and-forth legal battle, Montenegro on December 27 said it would extradite South Korean cryptocurrency entrepreneur Hyeong Do Kwon -- the so-called Crypto King -- to the United States. Do Kwon is sought by both the United States and South Korea and also faces possible legal action in Singapore. Montenegrin courts have previously issued at least eight often-contradictory decisions regarding Do Kwon's fate. In September, the Montenegrin Supreme Court ruled that Do Kwon could be sent to either the United States or South Korea and that the final decision on which country would be up to Justice Minister Bojan Bozovic. On December 24, Do Kwon lost his final appeal against extradition with Montenegro's Constitutional Court. In the latest ruling, the Justice Ministry said the U.S. request had met the threshold for removal and, as a result Bozovic "issued a decision approving the extradition." The ministry said the criteria included the gravity of the criminal acts, the order of submission of the extradition requests, and the citizenship of the person in question. The former CEO and co-founder of the cryptocurrency company Terraform Labs is wanted by U.S. and South Korean authorities for his alleged role in capital market and securities fraud involving assets worth some $40 billion. Do Kwon was arrested with business partner Chang Joon in March 2023 at Podgorica airport while attempting to fly to Dubai using on allegedly forged passports. They each received a four-month prison sentence on the forged-passport charge. Chang, who was wanted only by South Korea, was extradited to that country on February 5. After serving his sentence, Do Kwon was sent to a shelter for foreigners near Podgorica, where he awaited extradition. Do Kwon in October claimed that the South Korean charges were illegitimate and "politically motivated." Despite the legal struggle, Do Kwon's trial in absentia took place in the United States, where a New York jury on April 5 found him and Terraform labs liable on civil fraud charges, agreeing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that they had misled investors. Terraform Labs agreed to pay about $4.5 billion in a civil settlement with the SEC following the court's ruling. Do Kwon was ordered to pay $204 million. Following the verdict, a Terraform spokesperson said, "We continue to maintain that the SEC does not have the legal authority to bring this case at all" and that the company was weighing its options. Italy’s Foreign Ministry said journalist Cecilia Sala, who was in Iran to carry out "journalistic activities," has been detained by Tehran police authorities. The ministry said in a statement on December 27 that Sala, who has a podcast called Stories that covers life in places around the world, was detained on December 19. It gave no reason for the detention, but said in a statement that the ambassador from Italy's embassy in Tehran had paid a consular visit "to verify the conditions and state of detention of Sala." "The family was informed of the results of the consular visit. Previously, Sala had the opportunity to make two phone calls with her relatives," it said. Sala posted a podcast from Tehran on December 17 about patriarchy in the Iranian capital. Iran is routinely accused of arresting dual nationals and Western citizens on false charges to use them to pressure Western countries. Earlier this month, Reza Valizadeh , a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda, was handed a 10-year sentence by Tehran's Revolutionary Court on charges of "collaborating with a hostile government." Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 after a decade of work. He returned to Iran in early 2024 to visit his family but was arrested on September 22. His two court sessions, held on November 20 and December 7, reportedly lacked a prosecution representative, with the judge assuming that role. Sources close to the journalist claim he fell into a "security trap" despite receiving unofficial assurances from Iranian security officials that he would not face legal troubles upon returning to Iran. Iran is among the most repressive countries in terms of freedom of the press. Reporters Without Borders ranked Iran 176th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index. The Paris-based media watchdog says Iran is now also one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists. An Azerbaijani lawmaker said there is a "very strong" possibility that the crash of a passenger jet earlier this week was caused by Russian air-defense systems on alert for Ukrainian drone attacks. Speculation has mounted that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which was headed from Baku to Grozny, the capital of Russia’s Chechnya region, may have been hit by an air-defense missile before crossing the Caspian Sea and crashing near Aqtau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 passengers and crew. Lawmaker Hikmat Babaoghlu told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service in an interview on December 27 that such an explanation is most likely "closest to the truth." "This is only a possibility, but a very strong one, and the observations and conclusions drawn so far support the idea that the plane being shot down is the closest to the truth," he said. "In this specific case, the incident involves Azerbaijan's airliner being damaged within the territory of the Russian Federation, with the event causing the crash occurring there. Therefore, there is no doubt that responsibility falls on the Russian Federation. If these assumptions are correct, accountability also undoubtedly rests with Russia," he added. Kazakh experts arrived on December 27 to examine the crash site and black box of the ill-fated passenger jet, as speculation -- and evidence -- mounted suggesting that a Russian air-defense missile may have inadvertently struck the craft. Even as the probe intensifies, countries with victims aboard the plane -- Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan -- continue to mourn their dead and treat the injured from the crash of the Embraer 190 aircraft. Since the crash, uncertainty has rocked the aviation industry throughout the Caucasus. An Azerbaijan Airlines flight bound for the Russian spa town of Mineranlye Vody took off from Baku on December 27 but then abruptly headed back after receiving a flight information notice that Russian airspace it was due to fly through was closed . Azerbaijan Airlines later said it is suspending flights to several Russian cities, including Mineralnye Vody, Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara, Grozny, and Makhachkala. Speculation has swirled around the tragedy, with some experts pointing to holes seen in the plane's tail section as a possible sign that it could have come under fire from Russian air-defense systems engaged in thwarting Ukrainian drone attacks. White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters on December 27 that the United States has seen signs suggesting that the jet could have been hit by Russian air defense systems. U.S. experts "have seen some early indications that would certainly point to the possibility that this jet was brought down by Russian air defense systems," he said. Kirby added that Washington has “offered our assistance...should they need it" to the ongoing investigation being conducted by Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Evidence, yet to be corroborated by authorities, includes footage from inside the plane before the crash, images of the hole-pocked tail section after the crash, a survivor's comments, and accounts indicating there was a suspected drone attack around the time the plane apparently tried to land in Grozny. Reuters quoted an Azerbaijani source familiar with the investigation as saying results indicated the plane was hit by a Pantsir-S air-defense system, a self-propelled antiaircraft gun and missile system designed by Russia. It was not immediately clear where the black box would be examined. The process can be highly technical, and not all countries have the resources to undertake such work. Gulag Aslanli, a leader of Azerbaijan's opposition Musavat party, told RFE/RL that an international commission was needed to investigate the incident. "Russia cannot be allowed there," he said. "If the black box is going to be taken to Russia and examined there, I will look at its outcome with suspicion." Officials said it typically takes about two weeks to fully assess a black box, although various conditions can alter that time frame. Commenting on unconfirmed reports that the plane may have been shot down by a missile, Kazakh Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbaev said it was "not possible" to say what may have damaged the aircraft until the investigation is finished. "Real experts are looking at all this, and they will make their conclusions. Neither Kazakhstan, Russia, nor Azerbaijan, of course, is interested in hiding information, so it will be brought to the public," Ashimbaev said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made a similar comment, reiterating Moscow's previous stance on the deadly incident. "An investigation is under way, and until the conclusions of the investigation, we do not consider we have the right to make any comments and we will not do so," Peskov told reporters on December 27. Russia's Interfax news agency quoted Russian officials as saying the plane, commissioned in 2013, had passed a maintenance check in October and that the pilot had "vast experience" with more than 15,000 flying hours. Azerbaijan Airlines President Samir Rzayev also told reporters the plane had been fully serviced in October and that there was no sign of technical malfunction. But he said it was too early to determine a cause: "The plane has been found with a black box. After detailed research, all aspects will be clear." The airline suspended flights along the route of the crash pending completion of the investigation. Azerbaijan's Prosecutor-General's Office said that "all possible scenarios are being examined." As the first seven survivors arrived back in the country on December 26, Azerbaijan observed a national day of mourning. Burials of four of those who lost their lives were conducted during the day, with additional funerals expected in the coming hours and days. Officials in Baku said the wounded arrived on a special flight arranged by Azerbaijan's Emergency Affairs Ministry and that the injured, many with severe burn wounds, were accompanied by medical professionals. Ayhan Solomon, Azerbaijan’s chief consul in Aqtau, told reporters that 26 of those killed were Azerbaijani citizens. He said 16 Azerbaijani citizens survived. “Of those, 10 to 12 are in good condition and others remain critically stable,” he added. Azerbaijan Airlines' supervisory board said on December 26 that the families of those killed will be compensated with 40,000 manats ($23,460), while those injured would receive 20,000 manats ($11,730). Along with the 42 Azerbaijani citizens, those aboard Flight J2-8243 were listed as 16 Russian nationals, six from Kazakhstan, and three Kyrgyz citizens, officials said. The survivors include nine Russian citizens, who were flown to Moscow on December 26 by the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. Three of the Russian survivors were in critical condition, according to Russian health authorities. KYIV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said “several” North Korean soldiers – badly wounded in fighting alongside Russian forces – have died after being captured by Ukrainian troops on the battlefield and he accused Moscow of having little regard for their survival. Zelenskiy, echoing earlier remarks by U.S. officials, said soldiers sent to Russia by Pyongyang are suffering major losses in fighting in Russia's Kursk region. The Ukrainian leader accused Moscow and North Korean “enforcers” of leaving the soldiers unprotected in battle and even executing fighters to prevent them from being captured alive. He did not provide evidence to back up the claims and they could not independently be verified. The North Korean military has suffered “many losses. A great deal. And we can see that the Russian military and the North Korean enforcers have no interest in the survival of these Koreans at all,” he said in a video address on December 27. “Everything is arranged in a way that makes it impossible for us to capture the Koreans as prisoners – their own people are executing them. There are such cases. And the Russians send them into assaults with minimal protection.” He said Ukrainian soldiers had managed to take some prisoners. "But they were very seriously wounded and could not be saved.” The remarks came after South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said that a North Korean fighter had died of wounds suffered before his capture by Ukrainian special operations troops in the Kursk region. "We have confirmed through an allied intelligence agency that a North Korean soldier who was captured on the 26th died a little while ago due to serious injuries," the news release said. On December 26, the Ukrainian news outlet Militarnyi said a soldier believed to be North Korean had been captured by Ukrainian Special Operations Forces in the Kursk region. A photo of a captured soldier, who is believed to have been injured, also was previously shared on Telegram. The photo has not been independently verified. Details about the soldier's condition and status are not known. Last month Pyongyang ratified a "comprehensive strategic partnership" agreement with Russia, cementing a deal that paved the way for its soldiers to fight on Russian soil against Ukraine. Western sources estimate that 12,000 North Korean troops are in the Kursk region, parts of which are occupied by Ukrainian forces amid ongoing pitched battles. U.S. Response White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters on December 27 that North Korean forces are suffering heavy casualties on the front lines, adding that some 1,000 of their troops have been killed or wounded in the Kursk region over the past week. "It is clear that Russian and North Korean military leaders are treating these troops as expendable and ordering them on hopeless assaults against Ukrainian defenses," Kirby said. Kirby said also U.S. President Joe Biden would likely approve another package of military aid for Kyiv in the coming days as he bids to bolster Ukraine’s forces before leaving office on January 20. U.S. officials later told reporters that a new package of military assistance worth $1.25 billion is scheduled to be announced on December 30. North Korean Losses Zelenskiy on December 23 said more than 3,000 troops, or about a quarter of the North Korean special forces sent to Russia, had been killed or injured, though he couched his statement by saying the data was preliminary. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported on a lower figure, saying on December 19 that about 1,100 North Korean special forces have been killed or injured in Russia since entering the fray against Ukraine. On December 15, Skhemy (Schemes), an investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, received photos from Ukrainian military sources purportedly showing the bodies of dead soldiers in Kursk, including what was said to be North Korean fighters. RFE/RL has not been able to independently verify the claims. Russia has not commented on the report. North Korean military support is coming at a critical time in the war. Russia is seeking to overpower an undermanned and under-resourced Ukrainian infantry and gain territory before its own manpower and resources become constrained. Russia has lost more than 600,000 soldiers in the nearly three-year war, the Pentagon said in early October. It has burned through so much war material that it is struggling to replace its artillery and missile needs amid sweeping Western sanctions. Now nearly two-thirds of the mortars and shells Russia launches at Ukraine come from North Korea, the Wall Street Journal reported , citing Andriy Kovalenko, a Ukrainian Army officer. And every third ballistic missile was made in North Korea, Ukrainian officials said. The European Commission said a cargo ship suspected of having deliberately damaged power and Internet cables in the Baltic Sea is part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," prompting the EU to threaten new sanctions against Moscow. "We strongly condemn any deliberate destruction of Europe’s critical infrastructure," the commission said in a statement on December 26. "The suspected vessel is part of Russia’s shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment, while funding Russia’s war budget. We will propose further measures, including sanctions, to target this fleet," the statement added. The statement added that "in response to these incidents, we are strengthening efforts to protect undersea cables, including enhanced information exchange, new detection technologies, as well as in undersea repair capabilities, and international cooperation." The remarks come after two fiber-optic cables owned by Finnish operator Elisa linking Finland and Estonia were broken on December 25. A third link between the two countries -- owned by China's Citic -- was damaged, authorities said. An Internet cable running between Finland and Germany belonging to Finnish group Cinia was also believed to have been severed, according to officials. Investigators said the damage could have been caused by the ship intentionally dragging its anchor. Finnish authorities on December 26 boarded and took command of the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S oil tanker in the Baltic Sea as part of the investigation. The Finnish customs service said the Eagle S is believed to belong to Russia's so-called “shadow fleet” of old, uninsured oil vessels used to bypass Western sanctions and maintain a source of revenue. The poor condition of these ships has also raised concerns about environmental disasters. Finnish President Alexander Stubb also suggested the cargo has Russian links and that his country is closely monitoring the situation. "It is necessary to be able to prevent the risks posed by ships belonging to the Russian shadow fleet," Stubb wrote on X . EU foreign ministers on December 16 adopted a package of sanctions against Moscow targeting tankers transporting Russian oil as the bloc looked to curb the circumvention of previous measures aimed at hindering Kremlin's ability to wage war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, NATO chief Mark Rutte said on December 26 that the alliance is ready to help Finland and Estonia as they launch their probe into the possible "sabotage." "Spoke with [Estonian Prime Minister] Kristen Michal about reported possible sabotage of Baltic Sea cables,” he wrote on X. “NATO stands in solidarity with Allies and condemns any attacks on critical infrastructure. We are following investigations by Estonia and Finland, and we stand ready to provide further support." Russian President Vladimir Putin said on December 26 that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is ready to offer a “platform” for possible peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv to end the war in Ukraine. Putin told the media Fico said during a recent meeting that "if there are any negotiations, [the Slovaks] would be happy to provide their country as a platform." Most terms suggested so far by Putin have been deemed unacceptable to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Fico is one of the few European leaders Putin has stayed friendly with since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, prompting criticism of the Slovak leader by Zelenskiy and many Western leaders. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here . Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian is scheduled to travel to Russia on January 17, state-controlled media in Iran and Russia reported on December 26. Quoting Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali, Iran's Tasnim news agency said that “the president will visit Russia on January 17 and a cooperation agreement between the two countries will be signed during the visit." Russia and Iran both are under severe financial sanctions imposed by Western nations and have stepped up bilateral cooperation on many fronts in recent years. The West has accused Iran of providing weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine. Tehran has denied the allegations despite evidence widespread use of Iranian-made drones in the war. SARAJEVO -- Bosnia-Herzegovina’s security minister has been arrested on charges of money-laundering, abuse of office, and accepting bribes, the Balkan nation’s prosecutor’s office said. The minister, Nenad Nesic, was among seven people arrested on similar charges, the office said on December 26. The charges stem from an investigation by the Bosnian state prosecutor and the Interior Ministry of Bosnia's ethnic-Serb entity, Republika Srpska, into suspected corruption at the Roads of RS (Putevi RS) public company, where Nesic was general manager from 2016 to 2020. The company's current general manager, Milan Dakic, was also among those arrested, prosecutors said. The company did not immediately comment. Nesic, 46, has been Bosnia’s security minister since 2022. When asked by reporters about the case as he was entering an East Sarajevo police station, Nesic said only that "I continue to fight for Republika Srpska," according to Reuters. Nesic is president of the Democratic People's Alliance (DNS), which is in a coalition with Milorad Dodik's Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD). Dodik, who is president of Republika Srpska, claimed on social media that this was an "unacceptable procedure" and a "persecution of cadres" from the Bosnian government. The pro-Russia Dodik is under sanctions imposed by the United States and Britain for his efforts to undermine the Dayton agreements that ended the 1992-95 Bosnian war. He is currently facing trial himself on charges he failed to comply with the decisions of international High Representative Christian Schmidt. Ethnic Serb lawmakers this week said Dodik's trial was political and based on illegal decisions by the high representative. They claimed that the court was unconstitutional because it was set up by Schmidt and not by the Dayton agreement. Since the Dayton peace accords were put into effect, the country has consisted of a Bosniak-Croat federation and the mostly ethnic Serb Republika Srpska under a weak central government, where Nesic holds the security portfolio. Israel carried out large-scale air strikes on the main airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on December 26 as it steps up attacks on the Iranian-backed Huthi rebels in what Tehran called a “violation” of peace and security. Huthi rebels said three people were killed and 14 were injured or missing following the Israeli attacks on the airport and other sites in Yemen, including port facilities. "Fighter jets conducted intelligence-based strikes on military targets belonging to the Huthi terrorist regime on the western coast and inland Yemen," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. The attacks followed recent rocket launches by the Huthi fighters against the Tel Aviv area, although little damage was reported. The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli strikes on Yemen, calling them "aggressions" that it claimed were "a clear violation of international peace and security." It said they represented "an undeniable crime against the heroic and noble people of Yemen," who had "not spared any effort to support the oppressed people of Palestine." The Israeli military has said air strikes in Yemen are targeting Huthi sites that have been used to receive Iranian weapons, which are then often transported to other Tehran-linked groups in the Mideast -- mainly Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hamas has been designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, while Hezbollah has also been deemed a terrorist group by Washington. The EU blacklists its military arm but not its political wing. The U.S. State Department designated the Huthis as a terrorist group at the start of this year. Hamas and Hezbollah have been severely weakened following massive Israeli military strikes on their respective sites in Gaza and Lebanon, and most of their leaders have been killed in Israel's military response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would continue against the Huthi rebels, who have also targeted shipping in the Red Sea, claiming they are in solidarity of Hamas fighters in Gaza. "We are determined to cut this branch of terrorism from the Iranian axis of evil. We will continue until the job is done," Netanyahu said in a video statement. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus -- head of the World Health Organization who was at the Sanaa airport during the Israeli attack -- said he was safe but that "one of our plane's crew members was injured.” A Pakistani military court has sentenced 60 people to prison terms ranging between two and 10 years over violent protests that erupted after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2023, the army’s media wing said on December 26. The defendants, who included a relative of Khan as well as two retired military officers, were sentenced in connection with attacks on military facilities. Twenty-five other people were sentenced on the same charges on December 21. They have the right to appeal the sentences, the military’s media wing said in a statement. Protests erupted across Pakistan in May 2023 when Khan was arrested during his court appearance on corruption charges that he and his supporters deny. Thousands of Khan’s supporters ransacked military facilities and stormed government buildings. Several people were killed, and dozens were injured in the unrest. At least 1,400 protesters, including leaders of Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) party were arrested following the riots. But only 105 of those detained faced military trials. PTI condemned the sentencing, and said the court had violated the defendants’ rights. The United States expressed deep concern about the sentences, while Britain said that trying civilians in military courts "lacks transparency, independent scrutiny, and undermines the right to a fair trial.” The European Union said the sentences are "inconsistent with the obligations that Pakistan has undertaken under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” Kazakh experts are due to arrive on December 27 to examine the crash site and black box of the ill-fated Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet, as speculation – and evidence – mounted suggesting that a Russian air defense missile may have inadvertently struck the craft. Even as the probe intensifies, countries with victims aboard the plane – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan -- continue to mourn their dead and treat the injured among the 67 passengers and crew who were aboard when the Embraer 190 aircraft fell from the sky on December 25. The plane went down on a scheduled flight from the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya region after it was diverted and attempted an emergency landing near the city of Aqtau in western Kazakhstan, killing 38 and injuring 29, many with severe burns suffered in the flaming crash. Speculation swirled around the tragedy, with some experts pointing to holes seen in the plane’s tail section as a possible sign that it could have come under fire from Russian air defense systems engaged in thwarting Ukrainian drone attacks. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told news agencies that indications suggest a Russian antiaircraft system struck the airliner, although the official provided no details. Canada expressed concerns about reports that Russian air defenses may have caused the crash. "We call on Russia to allow for an open and transparent investigation into the incident and to accept its findings," the Canadian Global Affairs office said on X. Evidence, yet to be corroborated by authorities, includes footage from inside the plane before the crash, images of the planes hole-pocked tail section after the crash, a survivor’s comments, and accounts indicating that there was a suspected drone attack around the time the plane apparently tried to land in Grozny. Reuters quoted an Azerbaijani source familiar with the investigation as saying results indicated the plane was hit by a Pantsir-S air defense system, a self-propelled antiaircraft gun and missile system designed by Russia. It was not immediately clear where the black box would be examined. The process can be highly technical, and not all countries have the resources to undertake such work. Gulag Aslanli, a leader of Azerbaijan's opposition Musavat movement, told RFE/RL that an international commission was needed to investigate the incident. "Russia cannot be allowed there," he said. "If the black box is going to be taken to Russia and examined there, I will look at its outcome with suspicion." Talgat Lastaev, Kazakhstan's vice minister of transport, told RFE/RL that experts are scheduled to arrive at the site on December 27 to assess the next steps regarding the black box. Officials said it typically takes about two weeks to fully assess a black box, although various conditions can alter that time frame. Commenting on unconfirmed reports that the plane may have been shot down by a missile, Kazakh Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbaev said it was “not possible” to say what may have damaged the aircraft until the investigation is finished. "Real experts are looking at all this and they will make their conclusions. Neither Kazakhstan, Russia, nor Azerbaijan, of course, is interested in hiding information, it will be brought to the public," Ashimbaev said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made a similar comment, saying: "We need to await the end of the investigation.” It was “wrong” to speculate before the investigators gave their findings, Peskov added. Russia's Interfax news agency quoted officials as saying the plane, commissioned in 2013, had passed a maintenance check in October and that the pilot had "vast experience," with more than 15,000 flying hours. Azerbaijan Airlines President Samir Rzayev also told reporters the plane had been fully serviced in October and that there was no sign of technical malfunction. But he said it was too early to determine a cause: "The plane has been found with a black box. After detailed research, all aspects will be clear." The airline suspended flights along the route of the crash pending completion of the investigation. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also said it was too early to determine a cause but at one point had suggested bad weather could have contributed to the crash. The office of Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General said that "all possible scenarios are being examined." As the first seven survivors arrived back in the country on December 26, Azerbaijan observed a national day of mourning. Burials of four of those who lost their lives were conducted during the day, with additional funerals expected in the coming hours and days. National flags were flown at half-mast across Azerbaijan, and signals were sounded from vehicles, ships, and trains as the nation observed a moment of silence at noon to honor the victims of the plane crash. Officials in Baku said the wounded arrived on a special flight arranged by Azerbaijan's Emergency Affairs Ministry and that the injured were accompanied by medical professionals. There was no immediate word on the condition of the injured, who were among 29 survivors from the crash, many of whom suffered severe burn wounds. Ayhan Solomon, Azerbaijan’s chief consul in Aqtau, told reporters that 26 of those killed were Azerbaijani citizens. He said initial reports indicate that 16 Azerbaijani citizens survived. “Of those, 10 to 12 are in good condition and others remain critically stable,” he added. Azerbaijan Airlines' supervisory board said on December 26 that the families of those killed will be compensated with 40,000 manats ($23,460), while those injured would receive 20,000 manats ($11,730). Along with the 42 Azerbaijani citizens, those aboard Flight J2-8243 were listed as 16 Russian nationals, six from Kazakhstan, and three Kyrgyz citizens, officials said. The survivors include nine Russian citizens, who were flown to Moscow on December 26 by the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. Three of the Russian survivors were in critical condition, according to Russian health authorities. Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Qanat Bozymbaev -- who is in charge of a special government commission to investigate the incident -- said many of those who died in the crash were not immediately identifiable due to massive burns suffered. Bozymbaev said the 29 survivors had injuries ranging from moderate to severe, with many also suffering from major burns. According to Kazakhstan’s Health Ministry, the injured included at least two children and 11 people had been placed in intensive care.Former President Jimmy Carter , the longest-living U.S. president at 100 years old, passed away on Sunday, December 29 . The Carter Center confirmed he died in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. He had laid his wife, Rosalynn Carter , to rest on November 28, 2023. Rosalyn’s memorial service came nine months after it was announced that the former president would receive hospice care in February. Jimmy “decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention” after a series of short hospital stays, according to a statement from The Carter Center . Rosalyn’s passing was announced shortly after she began hospice care herself earlier in November, following a dementia diagnosis . Following her death, the former president paid tribute to her in a statement shared by the Carter Center. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” he said. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.” The former Georgia senator had an incredible career as a humanitarian following his four years in the White House from 1977 to 1981. He became synonymous with Habitat for Humanity and worked tirelessly as an ambassador to impoverished countries, earning himself the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. “When I was president of the most powerful and influential nation on earth, I had more total influence over peace and progress and things like that,” Jimmy said in a 2017 interview with Oprah Winfrey . “But the last 35 years since I’ve left the White House has been the most challenging and interesting and adventurous and unpredictable and gratifying times of my life. ... And the things that I tried and didn’t quite accomplish because of change in circumstances and so forth. But, I did the best I could. As my vice president said, ‘We told the truth, we obeyed the law and we kept the peace.'” Along with his incredible career, Carter had an extremely successful personal life. He married his childhood sweetheart, Rosalyn Smith, on July 7, 1946 and they welcomed four wonderful children. In a 2015 interview with CNN , the former politician said his wife and children are “the foundation for my entire enjoyment of life.” He added, “We have a big family now, we have 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, 38 of us in all. So, we try to hold our family together and just enjoy the family life.” Learn more about Carter’s kids, below. Jack Carter The Carter’s eldest child, son Jack Carter , was born on July 3, 1947 at Portsmouth, Virginia during his father’s naval service, according to The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library . After attending Georgia Tech, Emory University, and Georgia Southwestern, Jack joined the Navy. He returned to Georgia in 1971, where he married Judy Langford , and they had two children: Jason James born August 7, 1975 and Sarah Rosemary born on December 19, 1978. Jack then earned a degree in nuclear physics at Georgia Tech and a law degree at the University of Georgia. However, he entered the political arena in 2006, when he ran as the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Nevada before losing to the Republican incumbent. Jack remarried in 1992, and his second wife, Elizabeth Brasfield , had two children from a previous relationship: John Chuldenko and Sarah Reynold , per Country Living . James ‘Chip’ Carter Born April 12, 1950, in Honolulu, James “Chip” Carter is the second child of Jimmy and Roselyn. He is an attorney and served as a state senator in Georgia from 1995 to 1999. On June 23, 1973, Chip married Caron Griffin , whom he had met while working on his father’s campaign for Georgia governor, per People . They welcomed a son named James Earl Carter IV on Feb. 25, 1977. After Chip and Caron split in 1979, Chip married Ginger Hodges and had a daughter named Margaret Alicia Carter with her on Sept. 23, 1987. However, that marriage ended in divorce in 2001, and Chip would go on to marry his third wife, Becky Payne . Following his mother’s death, Chip released his own statement, honoring the former first lady. “Her life of service and compassion was an example for all Americans. She will be sorely missed not only by our family but by the many people who have better mental health care and access to resources for caregiving today,” he said. Chip also confirmed his father’s death on Dec. 29 in a statement, “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love. My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” Donnel ‘Jeff’ Carter Donnel “Jeff” Carter was born on Aug. 18, 1952, in New London, Connecticut. He graduated from George Washington University in 1978 with a geography degree and a specialty “in computer cartography,” per Time . Jeff and his former professor co-founded the company Computer Mapping Consultants the same year of his graduation. He and his wife, Annette Jene Davis , welcomed three sons together: Joshua, Jeremy, and James . Sadly, Jeremy passed away at the age of 28 in 2015. He was found unresponsive after taking a nap at his home and later died in a hospital, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Annette died on Sept. 19, 2021, at age 68. Amy Lynn Carter The youngest child and only daughter of Jimmy and Rosalynn, Amy Carter , arrived on Oct. 19, 1967. She was only 10 years old when her family moved into the White House. She became known for her political activism during her 20s. Amy then went on to get her bachelor’s degree from the Memphis College of Art in 1991. Four years later, Amy illustrated her father’s children’s book, The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer . She would go on to get her master’s in art history from Tulane University in 1996. That same year, Amy married computer consultant James Wentzel and the couple welcomed son Hugo in July 1999.Khalid has just publicly shared that he is gay, but he clarified that he only chose to reveal his sexuality after being outed. On Friday, Nov. 22, the seven-time Grammy nominee posted multiple updates on X , including one in which he stated, “I got outted and the world still continues to turn.” He then added, “Let’s get this straight (lmao) I am not ashamed of my sexuality! In reality it ain’t nobodies business! But I am okay with me 🖤 love y’all.” Fans quickly speculated that rapper and singer Hugo Almonte was behind the outing. The 28-year-old posted a photo on X—which has since been deleted—with the 26-year-old artist less than 30 minutes before Khalid came out on social media. Here’s what to know about Almonte and a closer look at their relationship. Who Is Hugo Almonte? Almonte is an openly bisexual Dominican American from New York. A social media star, he has since been working to build a career in music. In March 2023, he released his debut album, El Can Se Acabó . A post shared by Hugo D Almonte (@hugodalmonte) On Instagram, Almonte has over 300k followers, and he also has a YouTube channel with 11,000 subscribers. Did Almonte Out Khalid? Almonte took to X with claims about an ex, whom he did not initially identify by name, but said, “One of your favorite gay R&B singers suck my d**k and it was really bad.” He then claimed he dated and broke up with a “dumb a** singer” who allegedly falsely accused him of breaking into their home. “He’s ugly as f**k but he tried to set me up and lie and say I broke into his house because I broke up with him like why would I go to your house and do all that if I broke up with you dumb a**!” Almonte followed up with a since-deleted selfie with Khalid, captioning it, “B**ch a** 🥷🏾 lied and said that I broke into his house cause I didn’t want him.” When addressing the situation in a series of his own social media posts, Khalid mentioned that he “wasn’t hiding anything,” responding to supportive followers who noted that the revelation wasn’t all that shocking. However, Khalid emphasized that it was his decision to make and that, ultimately, it was nobody’s business. I wasn’t hiding anything! It’s just not any of your business https://t.co/jAW9f7I5oO — Khalid (@thegreatkhalid) November 23, 2024 In an email statement to Vulture , Almonte defended his actions, saying, “[It’s] really funny how it works because my intentions was never to out someone who’s clearly been out already in the community in Los Angeles.” Almonte added that people have started to “belittle” his character and send him death threats. “All I’ve learned from this is never allow anyone to silence me, it’s crazy that these people said I was chasing clout, when I was holding onto this for five years, and I finally had enough,” he concluded. Almonte also tweeted and deleted a longer, similar statement from the Notes app, doubling down on his position. He declared, “If I had a chance to do it all over, I would do it again and again and again the same way.”
It is that time of the year, where we not only need to be grateful for all the good that happened, but also hold a mirror to ourselves to see where we can be better. It is no different for us at bl.portfolio . Here, we take this annual ritual very seriously as we are in the business of giving ideas for your hard-earned money. In the world of investing, no one can predict the markets with certainty but what we can do is prefer prudence over popularity and rationalism over exuberance. That has always been our credo and in the same spirit, we curated our product every week this year. Here is an honest report card of all we did 2024: Caution has been the watchword in our approach to and writings on the equity markets in 2024. On the back of the nearly 20 per cent rally in the markets in 2023, our equity outlook for 2024, published on January 7 , set the tone saying that while there was no case for pessimism, there was ample case for caution this year. Our stance emanated from the market valuation at the beginning of the year (23.8 times trailing) being above long-term averages as well as heightened optimism on earnings growth. In this firm belief, even as the markets raced to their all-time highs well into the year until end-September, we gave more hold/sell/book profit calls on stocks (44) as against buy/accumulate (31). Looking back, we stand vindicated, with the markets now 10 per cent below the September peak and India Inc faced with a consumption slowdown, a slow pick-up in private capex as well as a cooling off in earnings growth. In our assessment period for our stock calls (July 2023 to June 2024), we gave 117 calls across the primary (42) and secondary markets (75). About one-third of the sell /book profits/avoid calls have worked for us, prominent among them being the calls on telecom and IT players such as Vodafone Idea, Indus Towers, Tata Communications and Birlasoft. With Nifty IT up 23 per cent this year on the back of last year’s 22 per cent, book profit calls on stocks such as HCL Tech haven’t worked well. But we continue to remain watchful on IT stocks, as we believe the rally has been driven by valuation multiple expansion rather than earnings growth. Our book profits call on PSUs such as Power Grid and NHPC worked well too, but calls to take money out on IRFC, RVNL and Mazagon Dock, though backed by sound fundamental arguments, were given a bit early, in hindsight. These stocks have eventually seen corrections since the September market peak. Reiterating our cautious views on overvalued PSUs especially in the defence space, we highlighted the significant risks in holding on to these stocks, despite their growth potential. In our edition dated July 7 , we had noted why the stocks trading at obscene valuations would be unable to ‘ avert a painful retreat when market cycle attacks with a vengeance .’ It was near-perfect timing given the significant fall in defence stocks since then. Our article on the underlying factors driving the PSU rally published on May 11, 2024, is one of the top-read articles this year from the bl.portfolio section on our website. That said, half of our well-researched ‘buys’ this year (six in 11 calls) have outperformed the bellwether and the broader markets. These include value-picks NCC, KNR Constructions and UTI AMC, international pick Alphabet as well as Godrej Agrovet and Motilal Oswal Financial Services. In-house expertise on international investing is our USP, but we do admit we have been very choosy this year due to our conservative stance. Apart from the call on Alphabet mentioned above, we recommended a partial book profit on Meta Platforms in February 2024. Investors would have made 5x returns from our earlier buy recommendation in our November 2022 edition in a 14-month timeframe on this stock. This year, we also consciously covered special situations such as buyback, open offers, buyouts etc. to give more actionable ideas to investors on their existing shareholdings. The call to tender the shares at ₹10,000 in the Bajaj Auto buyback citing the massive rally and the valuation expansion has worked well, with the shares now trading 11 per cent below. Ditto with the ‘subscribe’ recommendation to the Grasim Rights issue, which has paid off. On the other hand, we found that we did not see much success with ‘accumulate’ and ‘hold’ calls. Only six of our 20 ‘accumulate’ calls (Nippon AMC, Caplin Point Labs being examples) provided opportunities to accumulate on dips. We also found that the 15 ‘hold’ calls (expected to perform inline with the markets) didn’t work for us. But it is better to err on the side of caution. On the fixed income side, at the beginning of the year , we were very clear that while rate cuts may or may not happen in India in 2024 , interest rates have peaked and that investors should make the best of the rates available. We found both the short-end and the long-end of the yield curve attractive and recommended bonds/mutual funds at these ends. Fast forward to end-2024 and 10-year G-Sec yields have dropped to 6.79 per cent from 7.21 per cent a year ago and a similar pattern can be seen across maturities. Investors have thus benefitted from a rally in bond prices this year. Keeping in tune with our cautious stance on equities as well as the expectation of a peaking out of interest rates, we carefully showcased options in categories such as balanced advantage, equity savings, multi-asset, ultra short-term as well as gilt/long-duration funds in our weekly ‘Fund Call’ space in the mutual fund section. For the risk-averse investors, we also recommended safer FD options across tenures from banks and NBFCs whenever attractive options came up. If you bet on gold as a diversifier this year, you would not be disappointed. Post gold’s decent 13 per cent upside in 2023 to end at $2,063 an ounce, we had predicted it to touch $2,200 this year (technical analysis) in our annual outlook published on January 14. We further followed it up with a more bullish case for gold in our article ‘ Goldilocks moment for gold ’, published on March 17 , as it neared $2,200 in early March. At that point, expectations of US Fed rate cut amidst some uncertainty on whether inflation battle was actually won or not, geopolitical turmoil in West Asia, Russia-Ukraine war and high government debt and fiscal deficit levels in developed countries, made the case for gold too good to ignore. Gold went on to hit a high of $2,790 in October this year. Although it has cooled off marginally from those levels, investors who had taken a cue from our writing would have been solidly rewarded. Rupee depreciation, too, has added to gains for investors in gold in India, offsetting some of the impact of customs duty cut in the July Budget. While we have been receiving your feedback regularly through mail or social media, 2024 has been a landmark year for brand bl.portfolio in terms of making an on-ground connection with readers/investors. Towards this, the first of the ‘ bl.portfolio Investor Conclave ’ was held in Coimbatore in June with a presentation followed by a panel discussion with various experts on the topic of retirement planning. This event was extremely well-received and enabled us to understand the mindset of our audience. There is a plan to do more such events especially in tier-2 cities in the coming year. With bl.portfolio being entirely behind paywall on our website, online subscribers are a lifeline. To reach out to them, we initiated subscriber-exclusive webinars this year. We have so far done one on US investing and another on the market outlook for 2025 is being planned soon. Our in-house technical analysis has a great following and to add value to these readers, we commenced our YouTube Shorts video series for the ‘Today’s Pick’ column (BL Today’s Pick: Stocks to Buy or Sell) this year. Our Nifty Prediction Weekly Video series, which has a big fan base, crossed a milestone of 100 episodes in March this year with 139 having been completed so far. This year, we also experimented with guest stories written by readers based on their personal investing experience. SEBI’s report on F&O trading put out in late September gave us this opportunity. Reader response to our call was overwhelming and at the same time, heart wrenching as well. We carried a few stories with their permission to help the larger investor community take away important lessons. As the New Year dawns, bl.portfolio will see new leadership at the helm. I step down after what has perhaps been the best four-and-a-half years both for the product as well as for me, professionally. The structural changes and demands that the pandemic brought about has seen team bl.portfolio grow from strength to strength in this period and am glad that I have been able to do my bit. The show will go on and if you are looking for best parking places for your money, fresh and unbiased perspectives await you in 2025 too, at bl.portfolio . Keep reading us in print or online, tuning into our podcasts and watching our videos. Do share your valuable feedback too. Happy New Year! Comments
Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’
WSP Global Inc. (WSP) To Go Ex-Dividend on December 31st
Former President Jimmy Carter , the 39th president of the United States, was honored by multiple lawmakers on social media following the news of his death on Sunday afternoon. Carter’s death, confirmed by his son Chip Carter and shortly after by the Carter Center , comes just under three months after the former president celebrated his 100th birthday . The death of the former president, the nation’s only Georgian to hold the position, was preceded by the death of his wife, Rosalynn Carter , who died in November 2023. JIMMY CARTER TURNS 100: SNAPSHOTS OF HIS LIFE BREAKING - Former President Jimmy Carter died at the age of 100 Sunday. DETAILS: https://t.co/z08s3SIhO7 pic.twitter.com/J8FFIHBpUt — Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) “Today, I join Americans across the country in mourning the loss of our 39th President, Jimmy Carter,” Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) posted on X. “Born in a small town in Georgia, President Carter’s dedication to public service, leadership, humanitarian work, and Christian spirit touched the lives of countless individuals.” Today, I join Americans across the country in mourning the loss of our 39th President, Jimmy Carter. Born in a small town in Georgia, President Carter’s dedication to public service, leadership, humanitarian work, and Christian spirit touched the lives of countless individuals.... pic.twitter.com/ri6LuUCBXl — Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) Shortly after Carter’s death was announced, the Empire State Building in New York City announced it would be illuminated in red, white, and blue lights to honor the former president. Tonight we will shine in Red White and Blue to honor the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter 📷: captiv_8/IG pic.twitter.com/xIksQuUp68 — Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) Suzanne and I join our nation to mourn the passing of Jimmy Carter, a devoted public servant and 39th President. He served our country in the Navy, as a Georgia state senator, and as the Governor of Georgia. We are praying for the Carter family during this difficult time. His... — Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin) Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia. pic.twitter.com/aqYmcE9tXi — The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) We pray for the peace of the Lord to be with former President Jimmy Carter and his family. We are deeply grateful for his years of sacrifice, including his tireless work building homes through Habitat for Humanity and his dedication to supporting the incarcerated. We also honor... — Lt. Governor of Virginia - Winsome Earle-Sears (@WinsomeSears) We disagreed on many issues and how he ran our country, but his humanity is undeniable. Prayers for his family, and may God grant him mercy. Rest in peace, President Jimmy Carter. 🕊️ — Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) Rest in peace, President Jimmy Carter. May you be welcomed into the arms of Jesus in heaven. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family at this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/rNTSxiMBfe — Kari Lake (@KariLake) CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Carter’s presidency , lasting only one-term from 1977 through 1981, was set back by numerous foreign policy events like the Iranian hostage crisis. Despite this, the former president received increased popularity following his time in the White House, specifically for his work with the housing nonprofit organization Habitat for Humanity. The former president’s political career started in 1963 as a Georgia state senator, in which he ran on the platform of racial inclusion and integration. Prior to politics, Carter was a Naval Academy graduate, in which he served from his graduation in 1946 until 1953.AICTE declares 2025 as ‘Year of AI’ to shape India as global leader
AS we approach the end of another year, many of us are left reflecting on the goals we set and the progress we've made. The reality, however, is that life rarely unfolds according to our plans, especially when it comes to personal finance. Perhaps you started the year with ambitious goals — to save more, invest in your future or finally pay off those lingering debts. Yet, as 2024 draws to a close, you might be feeling a mix of pride in what you've achieved and disappointment in what remains unfinished. But here's the truth: there's still time to turn things around, and more importantly, there's time to end the year feeling strong, proud and financially secure. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.