Month: January 2025

In New Orleans (USA), a car plowed into a crowd during New Year’s celebrations. Local authorities suspect it was a terrorist attack, according to CNN and ABC News.

“We do know that the city of New Orleans was impacted by a terrorist attack,” said New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

She clarified that the investigation into the tragedy is ongoing.

At the same time, as reported by CNN, one of the FBI representatives told journalists that the incident was “not a terrorist event.”

Later, it was reported that FBI agents at the scene of the incident found homemade explosive devices.

“There were improvised explosive devices that was found, and we are working on confirming if it’s a viable device or not,” said Alethea Duncan, Assistant Special Agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans Division.

She did not specify how many homemade explosive devices were found.

Driver was shot dead

According to ABC News, police representatives stated that while the driver of a white pickup truck was attempting to run people over, he also fired a pistol. After the perpetrator exited the vehicle, he was shot dead.

Tragedy in New Orleans

It should be noted that today, January 1, it was reported that a pickup truck had plowed into a crowd of people celebrating the New Year in New Orleans. Ten people were killed, and 30 others were injured.

Initially, media reported that the driver responsible for the incident “had not yet been detained.”

Recently, a similar terrorist attack occurred in Germany, where a car drove into people at a Christmas market. Many were killed as a result.

The Security Service of Ukraine servicemen destroyed over 170 units of Russian equipment during the week. Losses of equipment reduce Russia’s offensive capabilities, according to the Security Service of Ukraine.

Over the past week, fighters from the Security Service of Ukraine’s Special Operations Center A used attack drones to destroy 174 Russian military vehicles.

“And without the supply of ammunition and reinforcements, the Russian’s offensive capabilities are significantly reduced,” the statement said.

As reported earlier by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia has lost more than 790,000 soldiers since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Over the last day alone, Ukrainian defenders eliminated 1,250 Russian occupants and destroyed dozens of Russian vehicles. Among the destroyed equipment are tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery systems, helicopters, and vehicles.

Situation at front

Russian occupation troops continue to advance on the frontline, focusing on the east of Ukraine. Almost 200 combat engagements were registered on the frontline over the past day.

Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, Vremivka, Lyman, Kursk, and Kramatorsk sectors remain the most difficult areas. According to the Ukrainian Defense Forces, fighting is taking place in Chasiv Yar and Toretsk within the city limits.

Read more about what to expect at the front in 2025 in the RBC-Ukraine article.

Poland will chair the Council of the EU for the next six months. Ukraine looks forward to cooperation in advancing its European integration agenda, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reports.

The Foreign Minister emphasized that Ukraine counts on Poland’s leadership, principles, and determination. Sybiha wished Warsaw success in strengthening Europe.

The Foreign Minister also addressed Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, expressing hope for close cooperation with him to advance the Ukraine-EU agenda.

“We anticipate new initiatives to strengthen military support for Ukraine and sanctions pressure on the aggressor. We aim for a dynamic process of Ukraine’s EU accession, including the opening of Cluster 1 and other clusters based on the screening process’s results,” Sybiha emphasized.

Earlier, in the second half of 2024, Hungary chaired the Council of the EU before Poland. Following Poland, Denmark will assume the presidency of the EU Council.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, stated that Ukraine expects Warsaw’s support for European integration during its presidency in the EU Council. Bodnar also noted the importance of expert assistance from the Polish side in training specialists.

In New Orleans, USA, a car drove into a large crowd during New Year’s celebrations. Ten people were killed, and 30 others were injured, CNN reports.

According to ABC News, law enforcement officials claim the incident was likely intentional, but the driver has not yet been detained.

All the injured were hospitalized in five hospitals in New Orleans.

Currently, rescuers and authorities are working at the scene. Further details about the situation remain unknown.

“A horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning… I urge all near the scene to avoid the area,” Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry wrote on his X account.

One eyewitness reported hearing gunshots during the incident.

Meanwhile, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell called today’s incident a “terrorist attack.”

As RBC-Ukraine previously reported, in mid-December, a 17-year-old schoolgirl opened fire at a private Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. As a result, two people were killed.

In addition, in September, a car belonging to former vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz was involved in an accident while en route to a campaign event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Bulgaria and Romania welcomed the New Year with full accession to the European Union’s passport-free Schengen Zone, a move that will provide a new impetus for their economies, according to Bloomberg.

The EU had already allowed Bulgaria and Romania passport-free travel by air and sea in March last year. However, both countries have long emphasized that the elimination of controls at land borders is a critical factor.

According to an analysis by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, without queues at the border, the entire population of Bulgaria could save time equivalent to 242,000 days of waiting at checkpoints.

The same study revealed significant economic benefits. The direct impact of full Schengen membership on Bulgaria, one of the EU’s poorest members, is estimated at €866 million annually.

Key manufacturers, including those in the automotive industry — which accounts for about 15% of Romania’s economy and 4% of Bulgaria’s economy — have also expressed relief.

“It’s the best news we could’ve got in a period marked by big uncertainties for the auto industry overall,” said Adrian Sandu, head of Romania’s Association of Automotive Manufacturers. He estimated that staying outside Schengen cost the country’s automotive industry €180,000 per day.

Second-class citizens

Due to the long wait, 19 million Romanians and 6 million Bulgarians have said they feel like second-class citizens in the EU.

However, the Schengen they dreamed of is gradually changing. This is due to new restrictions already implemented in other parts of the passport-free zone. For example, once a champion of open borders, Germany has reintroduced controls at its borders with EU neighbors.

Meanwhile, rising anti-migrant sentiment is boosting support for far-right groups across the EU, and Romania and Bulgaria are no exception. Disputes over migration led to delays in the full accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen Zone as both countries sought to address Austria’s concerns.

As the final decision granting full access to the Schengen Zone was made only on December 12, authorities were unable to prepare for the abolition of border controls promptly.

Romania’s 2025 train schedule was approved before the Schengen agreement decision, meaning trains still have to stop for 30 minutes at the border for document checks.

The Schengen Zone is a group of European countries that have agreed to abolish border controls at internal borders to facilitate the movement of people and goods. This zone was established under the Schengen Agreement signed in 1985 in Schengen, Luxembourg.

The zone allows borders to be crossed freely without passport or visa checks. For short-term stays (up to 90 days within 180 days), a single Schengen visa allows visits to all countries in the zone.