In the consolidated budget of the Vitebsk region for January-September, gambling tax revenues amounted to almost Br16 billion, accounting for 0.2% of the total revenues in the region. Compared to the same period last year, there has been an increase in gambling tax revenues in actual prices by Br8.6 billion. The growth rate reached 216.6%.

As is known, Belarusians are one of the most tolerant, hardworking, and benevolent nations. It is not surprising that natives of this beautiful land of rivers, lakes, and forests adapt well to other countries.

The Department of Parasitology and Invasive Animal Diseases of the Vitebsk Academy of Veterinary Medicine has been recognized as the winner of the competition for the best department of higher educational institutions in Russia and CIS countries

Elections to the local Councils of Deputies of Belarus are planned to be held on March 23, 2014. The corresponding date was approved by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, as reported by the press service of the Belarusian leader following a working meeting between the head of state and the chairman of the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums of the Republic.

Br3 billion will be allocated for the reconstruction and restoration of the Transfiguration Church in Polotsk in 2013, the head of the culture department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Larisa Olenskaya, told a BELTA correspondent.

On March 31 at 6:30 PM, the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic will host a concert by the Patriarchal Choir of the Moscow Danilov Monastery – one of the most famous singing ensembles in Russia. This unique ensemble holds the status of the choir of the Synodal Residence of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

More than 5,000 residents of the Vitebsk region went through that war. Over 4,000 of them were awarded combat orders and medals. Two fellow countrymen – Vasily Shcherbakov (Polotsk district) and Vasily Pimenov (Vitebsk) – were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Leonid Belitsky (Vitebsk) was posthumously awarded the Order of Lenin. 145 soldiers whose fate is connected with the Vitebsk region did not return home.

The "Winter Fairy Tale" festival for the pupils of the Vitebsk City Socio-Pedagogical Center, held on the eve of Christmas, took place as part of the republican New Year's charity campaign "Our Children".

On March 15, the renowned scientist, Nobel laureate, native and Honorary Citizen of Vitebsk, Zhores Alferov, celebrated his 85th birthday. The academician was congratulated by the President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko. With the participation of Zhores Ivanovich, the first domestic transistors and power germanium devices were developed. Thanks to the research of our compatriot, the world received mobile phones, high-speed Internet,

In Vitebsk, on June 26, a monument to the Hero of the Soviet Union, participant of the Great Patriotic War, and honorary citizen of the city, Leonid Filippenko, was unveiled.

The first classes on the elective course "Medicine of Extreme Situations" in the general secondary education system for employees of the Department of Education, Sports and Tourism of the Administration of the Pervomaysky District of Vitebsk were held at the base of the fire and rescue squad "Vityaz" of the Vitebsk Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

In Vitebsk, a 5-year-old boy drowned in a pond on a private property near 1-ya Bitylevskaya Street.

Bailiffs of Belarus have been given the opportunity to disconnect debtors from the internet and mobile communications. This was announced today to journalists by the First Deputy Minister of Justice of Belarus, Valery Kulakovsky, at a press conference "On the work of enforcement bodies," which took place at the National Press Center.

Today at 6:00 PM, Vladyka Filaret will begin serving the All-Night Vigil at the capital's Annunciation Church (on Partizansky Avenue). Tomorrow at 10:00 AM, he will lead the Divine Liturgy at the ancient Annunciation Church in Vitebsk.