International
Ali Khamenei calls for participation in Iran elections to “make our friends happy and disappoint our enemies”
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, called for participation in parliamentary elections on Friday to “disappoint the enemies,” marking the country’s first elections since the protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
“Many people around the world, whether ordinary individuals or politicians and authorities, have their eyes on Iran, on you, to see what you will do in these elections,” said Khamenei in a message to Iranians after casting his vote shortly after the opening of polling stations, in an event televised by Persian channels.
“Make our friends happy and disappoint our enemies. Please vote,” urged the religious leader, who in recent days has appealed to Iranians to vote given the popular indifference. Iranian authorities often use the term “enemies” to generally refer to the United States, Israel, and opposition groups.
Some 60,000 polling stations opened at 08:00 local time (4:30 GMT) and will remain open for 10 hours nationwide, with over 61 million people called to the polls, as reported by the official IRNA news agency.
Around 15,200 candidates – 1,713 of whom are women – are competing for the 290 seats in Parliament, while 144 clerics are running for the 88 seats in the Assembly of Experts, which selects Iran’s Supreme Leader in case of vacancy. This body is elected every eight years and the outcome of these elections could be crucial for the future of the Islamic Republic, given the advanced age of Khamenei, 84 years old.
Electoral Process in Iran
The elections are dominated by the conservative bloc, which now holds a parliamentary majority, following the disqualification of numerous reformist candidates, raising doubts about the freedom of elections and, in some cases, calling for a boycott.
The electoral process is marked by some indifference and apathy among voters due to the country’s poor economic situation, the disqualification of many reformist candidates, and political detachment, which was exacerbated by the protests sparked by Amini’s death after being arrested for not wearing the veil properly.
For months, young Iranians protested in the streets of the country chanting “woman, life, freedom,” demanding freedoms and an end to the Islamic Republic, in protests that subsided after the death of about 500 protesters at the hands of security forces.
Polls estimate participation between 30% and 41%, compared to the 42% turnout in the 2020 legislative elections, the lowest level in the history of the Islamic Republic.
Hundreds of activists, politicians, student associations, teachers, as well as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, consider boycotting as “a moral obligation for Iranians who love freedom and seek justice.”
International
Regional mexican music mourns the death of Banda Gota de Oro singer Giovanni Vera
Regional Mexican music is mourning the death of Giovanni Vera, lead vocalist of the band Banda Gota de Oro, who was among the victims of an armed attack that occurred on Sunday, December 28, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato.
The incident took place inside a residence located in the Los Presidentes neighborhood, in the municipality of Irapuato.
According to preliminary reports, several people were gathered at the house when armed men burst in and opened fire on those present. The attack left five people dead, including the singer.
Hours after the shooting, Banda Gota de Oro confirmed Vera’s death through its official Instagram account. In one of the posts, the group expressed its grief with an emotional message: “Today, the sky is dressed for a celebration because you are singing up there. Your voice and your joy will live on forever within us.”
Messages of support and condolences from fans and fellow musicians quickly flooded social media, paying tribute to the artist and expressing solidarity with his family and bandmates.
International
One Dead, Three Injured in Shooting at Cree Nation in Saskatchewan
One person was killed and three others were injured in a shooting reported early Tuesday in the Big Island Lake Cree Nation, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, according to local media.
Police said they were alerted to the incident in a remote area located approximately 392 kilometers northwest of the city of Saskatoon. Authorities issued a dangerous persons alert for two suspects, who were described as armed.
Saskatchewan police urged residents to seek shelter immediately, lock their doors, and avoid the area while the situation remains under investigation. Officers are working to determine whether the shooting was a targeted attack or a random act of violence.
As a precautionary measure, seven health-care facilities in the surrounding area were placed under lockdown, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in a post on X.
International
Mexico’s President Visits Victims After Train Derailment Kills 13 in Oaxaca
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum visited on Monday the victims injured in a train accident that left 13 people dead in the southern state of Oaxaca and announced financial assistance for those affected by the derailment of the Interoceanic Train, which was inaugurated in 2023.
The train, carrying 241 passengers and nine crew members, derailed on Sunday while traveling along the Interoceanic Corridor, a major infrastructure project that connects the Pacific coast with the Gulf of Mexico across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The corridor was one of the flagship initiatives of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration (2018–2024).
Sheinbaum visited three hospitals in the neighboring towns of Tehuantepec and Salina Cruz, where around 20 injured passengers remain hospitalized. She also went to a funeral home to accompany the families of those who lost their lives in the accident.
According to Mexico’s Navy Secretary, Raymundo Morales, the accident occurred when one of the locomotives derailed, causing all four railcars to leave the tracks.
Regional mexican music mourns the death of Banda Gota de Oro singer Giovanni Vera
One Dead, Three Injured in Shooting at Cree Nation in Saskatchewan
Mexico’s President Visits Victims After Train Derailment Kills 13 in Oaxaca
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Regional mexican music mourns the death of Banda Gota de Oro singer Giovanni Vera