Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has stated his readiness for dialogue with the United States on combating drug trafficking and oil. This comes amid increased American pressure on his government, including attacks on vessels and port infrastructure.
The index of business activity expectations of Ukrainian businesses in December 2025 was 49. 2 points, which is the highest indicator for December in the entire history of observations. Economic activity was constrained by the deteriorating security situation and power outages, while stable consumer demand and international aid were positive factors.
In 2025, the Russian army increased the pace of its offensive in Ukraine, capturing 4,831 square kilometers of territory and reclaiming 473 square kilometers in the Kursk region. This was made possible by a new operational model, technological adaptations, and a change in attack tactics.
Starting January 1, Ukraine begins full testing of the eExcise system, a digital tool for controlling the circulation of tobacco and alcohol products. The testing will last until October 12, giving businesses time to adapt and set up their IT systems.
The Tax Service included 4,558 business inspections in its 2026 plan, slightly fewer than last year, with peak activity in March-April. The inspections will primarily concern companies (78%), as well as individual entrepreneurs, with Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Lviv regions leading in the number of visits.
A federal judge in California has invalidated the Trump administration's decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 60,000 immigrants from Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. This ruling will allow TPS holders from these countries to legally work in the US and avoid deportation.
The Ukrainian language will be added to the list of languages for correspondence with Santa Claus. Santa Claus's post office is initiating steps for its inclusion.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has decided to extend restrictions on the export of timber and scrap metal until the end of 2026. This decision provides for a licensing regime with zero quotas to preserve strategic raw materials in Ukraine and direct them to the needs of domestic processing.
The State Duma of the Russian Federation announced possible disconnections of mobile internet on New Year's Eve, explaining it as concern for citizens. Throughout 2025, mobile internet was disconnected more than 11 thousand times in Russian regions.
The Cabinet of Ministers has allowed healthcare facilities to purchase housing for medical workers in frontline regions. Housing will be provided for the period of employment in the settlement or within 30 km of it.
The "Impulse" system has started to be implemented in the units of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to automate accounting and increase work efficiency.
The Coordination Headquarters for the first time released data on more than 10,000 Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine over almost four years of war. In the incomplete year 2025, more Russians were captured than in 2022 and 2023 combined.
A citizen of Ukraine was subjected to a group beating and insults on national grounds in the Polish city of Radom. The Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, reported serious bodily injuries to the victim and his hospitalization.
In Ukraine, volunteer registration has been simplified, and it is now possible to obtain extracts from the Register electronically. These changes are stipulated by the order of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine dated 25.09.2025 No. 494.
The Federation Council of the Russian Federation approved a resolution codifying the Kremlin's foreign policy course for long-term confrontation with the West. The document provides for the reorientation of foreign relations to Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
The United Nations has approved a 7% budget cut to $3. 45 billion for 2026, which is $270 million less than the current budget. This decision is due to a financial crisis caused by US debt and involves cutting 2,900 positions.
Two Ukrainian citizens have been sentenced to life imprisonment for treason. They provided the enemy with coordinates of Ukrainian Armed Forces units and military facilities for air strikes on Zhytomyr, Donetsk, and Odesa regions.
Around 300 members of the PCS union, who guard the Palace of Westminster, are preparing to strike on New Year's Eve over disputes concerning pay and conditions. This will be the fourth day of the strike, and Docklands Light Railway cleaners will also strike over a separate pay dispute.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has ordered the expansion of the buffer zone in Ukraine's Sumy and Kharkiv regions by 2026. This statement was announced by the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov.
Law enforcement officers uncovered a large-scale network of fraudulent call centers in Kyiv and Odesa, which operated under the guise of international financial companies. The operations of 27 offices were shut down, whose victims included citizens of Ukraine, Europe, and Asia.
Agents of the ATESH partisan movement burned down a communication tower in Novosibirsk, which provided command and communication for Russian army units. This facility was also used to intercept civilian and military communications.
In South Africa, at least 41 young men died in November and December as a result of circumcision procedures during traditional initiation rituals. Minister of Traditional Affairs Velencosini Hlabisa blamed the negligence of schools and parents.
Two oil tankers, KALBAJAR and ALATEPE, collided in the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul. A rescue operation is underway in difficult weather conditions.
Four children aged 8-11 fell through the ice while caroling in Kolomyia. They were rescued by a cadet, a student, and a local resident who provided first aid.
Kyivzelenbud officials and a contractor have been notified of suspicion of embezzling UAH 1. 2 million during the major renovation of Hydropark. They inflated the prices of building materials in the estimate.
In 2025, Ukraine attracted over $52. 4 billion in external aid, of which more than 70% came from frozen Russian assets. These funds allowed for the full provision of social and humanitarian expenditures, while domestic resources were directed to security and defense.
In Ukraine, snow and frosts down to -14 degrees are expected on New Year's Eve, with ice on the roads. Warming will begin on January 2, but frosts will return.
Prosecutors notified the commander of a Russian combat vehicle of suspicion for ordering the shooting of a civilian car in Bucha. Three civilians died as a result of the 30mm cannon shelling.
France has postponed its ban on single-use plastic cups for four years, until 2030, due to difficulties in finding alternatives. The Ministry of Ecological Transition announced that a new review of progress would take place in 2028.
A coordinated anti-Ukrainian campaign is unfolding in the Polish information space. AI-generated content discrediting Ukrainians and inciting hostility with Poles is being spread on social media.
