Gazprom said that from eight in the morning on January 1, the company stopped gas supplies to Europe through the territory of Ukraine. This was reported on the Gazprom telegram channel. The press release said that the 2019 agreement between Russia and Ukraine on gas transit has expired.

In New Orleans, Louisiana, at about three o'clock in the morning local time, a truck driver drove into a crowd of people. The incident occurred in the French Quarter at the intersection of Canal Street and Bourbon Street. According to preliminary data, at least 10 people were killed and another 30 were injured. This is reported by CNN and CBS News . According to CBS News, the area was busy in the first hours after the New Year.

Russian drivers will have their driver's licenses automatically extended by three years if they expire in 2025. TASS reports this with reference to a decree of the Russian government. According to the agency, the document states that drivers do not need to make changes or renew their licenses. However, if desired, Russians can contact local traffic police departments and have their license replaced.

As a review of studies with a total sample of more than 600 thousand people showed, alcohol is harmful in any quantity. It’s likely that you’ve heard this many times, but still haven’t stopped drinking. Psychiatrist-narcologist, founder of the Sober One project Marat Aginyan told Kholod why even the most powerful arguments about the dangers of drinking alcohol do not convince addicts, but talking about it is still very important. I've been sober for 12 years, and here's why you should quit too.

Belgium has become the first EU country to ban the sale of disposable vapes on its territory in order to prevent nicotine addiction among young people and protect the environment. The Guardian reports this. The ban came into force on January 1. Belgian Health Minister Frank Vanderbroucke announced plans to introduce such a ban at the end of December. At the time, he called e-cigarettes an “extremely harmful” product that harms society and the environment.

United Russia deputy Andrei Sakovich from the Republic of Mari El, in response to complaints from local residents about rising prices, called their comments “stupid” and the women themselves “sluts.” The publication “7x7” drew attention to this. Residents of Yoshkar-Ola complained in the comments to Sakovich’s post about the rate of price growth in stores.

On January 1, 2025, a law increasing the fine for violating traffic rules (traffic rules) comes into force. At the same time, the discount with which you can pay the fine will also decrease, from 50% to 25%, although now it will be valid for 30 days, and not 20, as before. Vladimir Putin signed it on December 26, 2024, Interfax reports . Thus, for speeding by more than 20 kilometers per hour, but less than 40 kilometers per hour, the fine will increase from 500 to 750 rubles.

Norwegian chess player Magnus Carlsen and Russian chess player Ian Nepomniachtchi shared first place in the world blitz chess championship in New York for the first time in history. This was reported by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The press release says that the chess players played seven games in total. The first two were won by Carlsen, the next two by Nepomniachtchi.

From January 1, 2025, amendments providing for the introduction of a multi-stage progressive personal income tax scale will come into force . Under the new system, incomes of Russians up to 2.4 million rubles per year will be subject to 13% personal income tax; from 2.4 to 5 million rubles - 15%; from 5 to 20 million rubles - 18%; from 20 to 50 million - 20%. All income above 50 million rubles will be subject to 22% tax.