Lars Jorgensen, CEO of Novo Nordisk, has been named the Financial Times Person of the Year for his leadership in developing diabetes drugs with significant weight loss effects, which allowed the company to become the most valuable in Europe in 2023.
A six-story building on Gorokhovaya Street in St. Petersburg that was undergoing renovation collapsed at night; residents had been evacuated earlier, and no casualties were reported.
Ukraine's defense forces are expanding their positions in Kherson and have repelled numerous enemy attacks in various regions, despite Russia's continued missile and air strikes on both military and civilian targets, resulting in civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure.
In January, the US Congress will return to the issue of aid to Ukraine, and Schumer and McConnell will announce progress in the negotiations, but admit that there are still outstanding issues. They aim to address national security issues, including support for allies such as Ukraine after the crisis.
Trevor Milton, the founder of Nikola Electric Trucks, was sentenced to 4 years in prison and a $1 million fine for fraud. He was found guilty of securities and bank account fraud, with further restitution and parole.
French lawmakers have reached a preliminary agreement on a new immigration bill that aims to streamline the asylum process and strengthen measures to expel illegal migrants, in line with President Macron's election promise.
Turkish President Erdogan said that the EU will slow down the accession process of Ukraine and Moldova, noting that Turkey has faced political delays in its own long-standing application to join the bloc.
A Kyiv resident was sentenced to two years in prison for throwing paint on pedestrians in Podil. The offender, who was caught with the paint and a bicycle, was found guilty of eleven counts of hooliganism.
Russian occupiers are recruiting "cadets" from a fake training complex in Luhansk region, hoping to create a loyal fighting force. The Kremlin's efforts include "patriotic talks" and sending the best recruits to Moscow for further training.
Kyiv police exposed pharmacists at three pharmacies who illegally sold codeine-containing drugs, seized more than 6,000 pills, and charged four people with criminal charges. The suspects face up to three years in prison.
The guerrillas obtained secret documents showing that the Russian machine-building plant did not fulfill the plan for the production of X-32 cruise missiles, producing 61 units out of 80.
The United States has announced the launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a multinational initiative to secure shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks.
The cyberattack led to the closure of approximately 70% of Iranian gas stations, with the NIORDC attributing the incident to foreign sabotage, but expecting normal operations to resume soon.
"Ukrzaliznytsia" is launching the Christmas Express retro steam train in Kyiv and Lviv on December 23, 24, 30, and 31, with tickets available via a mobile app.
A Finnish court has detained Russian neo-Nazi Jan Petrovsky on suspicion of committing war crimes in Ukraine; he is to be charged by May 31, 2023. Petrovsky is associated with terrorist activities in Donbas and is under international sanctions.
Russian servicemen wounded in Ukraine are suing hospitals for failing to issue certificates of injury or misclassifying their fitness for military service.
The Avdiivka Coke Plant will be impossible to rebuild after the war ends due to the destruction caused by Russian shelling, Metinvest CEO Ryzhenkov said. The plant's main consumers, Azovstal and Ilyich Iron and Steel Works, also face an uncertain future.
Sweden, Lithuania, and Canada have created the CIG4U initiative to help modernize Ukraine's transportation sector and logistics routes.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, SES pyrotechnics have defused more than 462,000 explosive devices on an area of more than 112,000 hectares.
The Church of Peter and Paul in Bucha held its first liturgy in Ukrainian after officially joining the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, as reported by the Bucha City Council. Father Isaac greeted all those present at the service in Ukrainian, expressing gratitude to the country's defenders.
"The LPR announced a second attempt to combat high prices amid reports of looting by Russian contractors in Rubizhne, as heavy fighting continues in the region with significant enemy losses.
In eastern Slovakia, a Ukrainian bus with 53 passengers overturned, 8 people sustained moderate injuries; the Embassy of Ukraine provides consular assistance and ensures medical care and transportation.
Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said that the frequency of drone strikes indicates that Russia has stockpiles of Shahed drones, noting that Russia continues to receive metered supplies from Iran. Russia recently used a record 75 drones against the capital and now relies more on drones than missiles.
In Kharkiv region, more than 20 settlements were shelled by enemy artillery and mortars, damaging houses and outbuildings, but causing no casualties.
The leaders of Venezuela and Guyana have agreed to avoid violence over the Essequibo province dispute and plan to meet in Brazil within three months to continue discussions.
In Sevastopol, the Ukrainian Navy's Cherkasy minesweeper, which was seized in 2014 after a confrontation involving helicopters and boats, is being prepared for disposal.
Charles McGonigal, a former FBI officer, was sentenced to 4 years in prison for conspiring with a Russian oligarch to launder money. Before the sentencing, he expressed remorse.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has introduced a new procurement system based on NATO standards, moving away from the post-Soviet model to improve planning and efficiency, as explained by Deputy Minister Dmytro Klymenkov.
Valentyna Chekhova, an ophthalmologist from Mariupol, was sentenced to life in prison for handing over seven wounded Ukrainian soldiers to Russian troops during the fighting in 2022.
South Korea protested to China and Russia after their warplanes entered the air defense zone, forcing Seoul and Tokyo to raise the alarm.
