The EU has agreed on new guidelines to combat human trafficking, including penalties for those who use the services of trafficking victims and adding forced marriage, illegal adoption and surrogacy to the list of human rights violations. This crime is punishable by imprisonment for a term of at least five years.
A military officer accused of selling armored vehicle components intended for repair to commercialists will stand trial in Chernihiv region of Ukraine. The suspect allegedly received a monetary reward for transferring a reinforced onboard gearbox to a private company that planned to resell it to India.
Ukrainian hackers from the BO Team group have successfully conducted a cyberattack on the Far Eastern Research Center for Space Hydrometeorology "Planeta", a Russian state-owned enterprise. More than 200 million gigabytes of data were destroyed and losses of about USD 10 million were caused.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a rapid increase in measles cases in Europe, with more than 30,000 cases reported between January and October 2023. The WHO attributes the increase in the incidence to a decrease in vaccination rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Novak Djokovic reached the semifinals of the Grand Slam for the 48th time, defeating Taylor Fritz with a score of 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
The nominees for the 2024 Oscar have been announced, with Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer leading the pack with 13 nominations, followed by Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Creatures with 11. The Oscar ceremony will take place on March 10.
A network of illegal poker clubs operating under the guise of the "Sports Poker Club" and conducting illegal gambling in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa has been exposed in Ukraine. The organization had previously been investigated but resumed its activities; ongoing law enforcement measures led to the seizure of cash and property worth about UAH 5.3 million.
The head of the department of housing and communal services of Dubno district, Rivne region, will be tried for receiving a $4000 bribe for the illegal lease of a land plot. The indictment has been sent to court.
After the massive attack in Kharkiv, despite damage to power grid facilities and ongoing repairs, power was restored to more than 6,000 customers. However, about 4,700 homes remain without power.
After the strike in Kyiv, residents of the affected buildings may be relocated to temporary housing, such as hotels or dormitories, while their homes are being restored. The next step depends on the decision of the district state administration.
European Union countries have reached an agreement in principle to launch a military operation to ensure the security of commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea amid attacks by the militant Islamist group Houthi. The details of the mission are yet to be agreed upon.
About 12 combined missile strikes on Kharkiv killed 3 people and injured more than 50. The hardest hit Saltovsky and Kiev districts. More than 30 houses were damaged, two educational institutions were actually destroyed.
Last week, more than 250 entrepreneurs received loans under the "Affordable Loans" program totaling UAH 1. 6 billion. Since the program was launched in February 2020, almost 80,000 loans worth UAH 271 billion have been disbursed.
NBA player Joel Embiid led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-123 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, making history as the ninth player to score 70 points in a game. He also set a career-high with 18 rebounds.
In Ukraine, a new sub-variant of the Omicron strain, called "Jenny," has been identified and 9 cases have been reported in Sumy, Volyn, Cherkasy, Rivne, and Zaporizhzhia regions. The World Health Organization believes that the risk is low and that existing COVID-19 vaccines protect against it.
Russian troops conducted about 150 strikes on 25 settlements in Zaporizhzhia region, damaging residential buildings. Despite the artillery and air strikes, which included 36 attacks using UAVs, there were no casualties.
Storm Isha has damaged several trees in the Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland, a place known for its appearance in the Game of Thrones series. Environmentalists have expressed concern about the state of the region after the storm.
Iran and Pakistan have agreed to restore normal diplomatic relations after a series of mutual strikes. The ambassadors of both countries are to resume their posts by January 26, and Iran's foreign minister is expected to visit Pakistan on January 29.
Ukrainian authorities have arrested five customs officers accused of bribery at the Tysa customs post. The defendants demanded up to €1.5 thousand from bus drivers for unimpeded customs clearance and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is urging airlines to inspect Boeing 737-900ER aircraft after an incident in which a part of the cockpit fell off during a flight.
Ukrainians Artem Dovbyk and Viktor Tsygankov led Girona to a victory over Sevilla, with Dovbyk scoring a hat-trick in six minutes.
In 2023, expenditures of the general fund of the state budget for security and defense amounted to 60. 8% of the total amount of expenditures of the general fund of the state budget of Ukraine. The funds were allocated for military salaries, equipment, and medical care.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully attacked Russian military forces near Avdiivka. The action, carried out by soldiers of the 23rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, was part of Ukraine's ongoing defense against occupation.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) detained in Mykolaiv an informant of the Russian special services who was collecting intelligence on the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was assumed that his data would be used to plan missile and drone strikes on the city's infrastructure.
Russia's State Duma is considering a bill that would allow for the confiscation of property for spreading "fakes about the armed forces. " The law will apply to actions that are considered "discrediting the army" and "calls for the collapse of the country"
Actress Jenna Ortega hints that the upcoming second season of Netflix's Wendy's will feature more horror elements. Production is due to start in April and the release is expected in the second half of 2024.
With his victory over Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic became the first player to play at least 100 matches at all Grand Slams.
Russian authorities have launched the first bus service from annexed Crimea to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in an attempt to create an "alternative" route to the Kerch Bridge. The route, which also serves Russian military logistics, passes through the Ukrainian cities of Berdiansk, Melitopol, and Mariupol.
A severe fire at the Vostochny Gorod clothing market in Chelyabinsk, Russia, has led to the declaration of a heightened level of complexity. More than 30 firefighters is being fought by more than 30 firefighters. No casualties have been reported. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
According to the UN Human Rights Representative Ajit Sungai, Israeli soldiers are accused of beating and humiliating Palestinian prisoners captured in the Gaza Strip. Some of them are reportedly held for up to 55 days in unknown locations. Sungai called for an end to such ill-treatment.
