The clashes in Russia were sparked by the arrest and sentencing of Fail Alsynov, a local rights activist in the region of Bashkortostan. Alsynov was convicted of inciting ethnic hatred, a charge he denied, and sentenced to four years in a penal colony.

His supporters gathered in the town of Baymak to protest the verdict, and clashed with riot police who fired tear gas and hit them with batons. The protest was a rare display of public outrage in Russia, where large demonstrations are usually suppressed by the authorities.

The case of Alsynov also highlighted the tensions between the ethnic minorities in Russia and the central government, as well as the growing demand for cocaine in Europe and the violence it fuels.

Belgium authorities seized a record amount of cocaine at the port of Antwerp in 2023. The port city has become Europe’s main gateway for the drug shipped from South America. The cocaine trade has also sparked violence and corruption in Belgium and other European countries.

Customs seized 116 tons of cocaine in Antwerp, a 5% increase on 2022. It is thought only a small fraction of the drug, possibly a tenth, is actually detected on arrival at the port. Antwerp has seen dozens of grenade attacks, fires and small bombs, many linked to gangs trying to carve up the thriving cocaine market. In 2023, 22 people, including three police officers, were arrested in a major anti-drug bust targeting individuals suspected of smuggling cocaine through Antwerp.

Record amounts of cocaine are being seized in Europe, with 303 tons stopped by EU member countries in 2021, the most recent year for which figures are available, 75% of that quantity was seized in Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. The demand for cocaine is growing rapidly across the EU, and governments blame the drug trade for outbreaks of violence in major port cities like Antwerp, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Marseille in France

Prosecutor named César Suárez, who was investigating an attack on the set of a public television channel in Ecuador, was shot to death on Wednesday in Guayaquil, the most dangerous city in Ecuador. It is not clear whether Mr. Suarez’s death is linked to his investigation into the TV station attack. During the dramatic incident last week, masked men burst into public TV channel TC’s studio during a live broadcast and attacked journalists with sticks and stones.

Thirteen alleged perpetrators have been arrested in the assault at TC Television, which was broadcast live and led President Daniel Noboa to declare that Ecuador is in an “internal armed conflict” amid a surge of killings and other crimes tied to drug trafficking.

China’s population is facing a crisis due to the disastrous long-term effects of the one-child policy. In an attempt to address this crisis, the Chinese Communist Party is now urging women to have more children. However, despite the introduction of the two-child policy in 2016, birth rates have continued to drop every year. The population declined by 2.08 million in 2023, with a record-low fertility rate.

Many women are reluctant to marry and have children, putting their own life goals ahead of what Beijing and relatives want. The Chinese government has offered incentives such as cheaper housing, tax benefits, and cash to encourage women to have more children. However, these attempts have not been successful so far.

The Ministry of Transport has asked the public to disregard the purported increase in transport fares by some transport operators in Ghana. The Ministry said it has not held any negotiations with the transport operators for a review of the transport fares and will inform the public when such a decision is taken.

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Commercial Transport Operators of Ghana had announced a 20% increase in transport fares effective January 24, 2024, citing the rise in the costs of lubricants, spare parts, and DVLA service charges.

However, the Ministry of Transport said the announcement was premature and urged the transport operators to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue with the relevant stakeholder.

Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has fined Nana Kwame Bediako, also known as Cheddar, GH₵50,000 for failing to file personal income tax returns from 2013 to 20161. The GRA also cited him for evading taxes of over GH₵7 million for 2021 and 2022. Nana Kwame Bediako is a presidential aspirant and the leader of the New Force Movement, a political party that aims to bring change and development to Ghana.

He is also a businessman and a philanthropist who claims to have made his first million pounds at the age of 21. His involvement in a tax evasion scandal has raised questions about his credibility and suitability for a leadership role.