Estonia will chair the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) format from January 1, 2026, coordinating the efforts of eight countries. Key priorities include supporting Ukraine and increasing pressure on the aggressor.
The State Emergency Service summarized its work for 2025, having made almost half a million deployments. Rescuers extinguished 92,892 fires and saved 7,757 people.
Iran has appointed a new head of the Central Bank, Abdolnaser Hemmati, who replaced Mohammad Reza Farzin. This happened amid the sharpest economic crisis in three years and protests over the record depreciation of the rial.
On January 19, the French parliament will consider a bill on strict restrictions on the use of digital technologies by minors. The initiative proposes to ban access to social networks for children under 15 and to extend the ban on mobile phones to high schools.
Taiwan remains on high alert after the completion of large-scale Chinese military maneuvers "Mission Justice 2025". Despite the withdrawal of PRC ships, the island's coast guard continues enhanced monitoring of fleet movements.
On December 31, a large-scale blackout occurred in Domodedovo, leaving residents without electricity, water, and heating. The cause is said to be a power surge that led to a system failure.
A UN team visited Al-Fashir in Sudan after its capture, confirming a catastrophic humanitarian situation and signs of mass killings. Hundreds of people remain in the city without access to water, medicine, and food.
In Florida, 52 black bears were reported killed during the first hunting season since 2015, despite activist opposition. 172 individuals participated in the hunt, selected from 160,000 applicants, and activists bought some permits to prevent the killing of animals.
Donald Trump's TMTG corporation is launching a new digital token that will be distributed among the company's investors. Token holders will receive rewards, discounts, and bonuses related to products within the Trump Media ecosystem.
Ferrari has filed an application to register the name "HC25" with the World Intellectual Property Office, indicating the preparation of a new unique supercar from its special projects line. Experts suggest that the name may refer to the customer's initials, a limited series, or a dedication to the 25th anniversary of an event or model.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba summarized the results of 2025 in the transport industry, noting an increase in seats on international trains and the launch of the Eurotrack. The "transport visa-free regime" with the EU was extended, and digital systems such as eCherha and e-TTN were introduced.
Japan, South and North Korea officially entered the New Year. Traditional ceremonies were held in Seoul and Japan, and a large-scale fireworks display in Pyongyang.
Since September 2025, over 1200 IDPs and residents of frontline territories have applied for preferential mortgages. The state covers 70% of the down payment and monthly payments, as well as 40 thousand hryvnias for related expenses.
According to Morgan Stanley's forecast, European banks could cut 10% of their staff due to AI by 2030, with 212,000 jobs at risk. This applies to back-office, risk management, and compliance roles to increase efficiency by 30%.
In his New Year's address, Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced that the country had reached "new heights" in economy, technology, and defense. He emphasized the inevitability of Taiwan's annexation and reaffirmed the course for an internal party purge.
Poland is suffering from heavy snowfalls and strong winds, which have caused massive traffic jams, especially in the northern regions. Prime Minister Donald Tusk is coordinating actions, and ministers are calling for caution and strengthening transport control.
The US Coast Guard has suspended its pursuit of the tanker Bella 1, suspected of violating sanctions against Venezuela. The ship's crew painted a Russian flag on board, complicating the seizure operation.
Train traffic on Kyiv's "red" metro line has been restored between the Akademmistechko and Lisova stations. Train schedules have been changed: on the Akademmistechko – Arsenalna section, trains run every 6 minutes, and on the Dnipro – Lisova section, every 12 minutes.
The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania and Spain condemned Russia's massive night attack on Ukraine, calling it a deliberate campaign of terror against the civilian population. They emphasized that the shelling during the Christmas period is another attempt by Moscow to escalate the conflict.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has extended the provision of free medical services to Ukrainians until April 1, 2026. Ukrainian refugees will have access to the same list of services as Georgian citizens under state insurance.
The Russian Ministry of Defense once again disseminated information about the alleged transfer of Kupyansk under the control of Russian troops. This happened after Russian military bloggers and Z-channels reported the loss of positions.
A tourist boat with 11 people on board sank off Padar Island in Indonesia. Four members of a Spanish family are missing, seven have been rescued.
During the night of December 27, air defense forces shot down 503 out of 559 air targets that were launched at critical infrastructure, mainly in the Kyiv region. 10 missiles and 25 drones were recorded to have hit, causing damage at 30 locations.
NABU reported obstruction by the State Guard Service during investigative actions in the premises of Verkhovna Rada committees. State Guard Service employees restrict detectives' access to facilities, despite their authorized powers.
The head of the Swiss armed forces, Thomas Süssli, stated that the country is not ready for large-scale military threats and can only counter cyberattacks. Only a third of soldiers would be equipped in an emergency.
Due to shelling of railway infrastructure, the Fastiv junction is operating in manual mode, causing train delays of up to two hours. As of December 27, 5 daytime services have been canceled, and from January 13, 7 trains will not stop in Fastiv.
As a result of a massive attack on Kyiv, one person was killed and 27 were injured, including two children. Rescue operations are ongoing in several districts of the city.
The Russian Federation has officially extended the temporary restriction on gasoline exports outside the country until February 28. This decision is aimed at maintaining stability in the domestic fuel market.
The Greek coast guard rescued 460 migrants off the island of Crete. Among those rescued were women and children, who were taken to port for medical assistance.
Sales of New Year's trees in Ukraine decreased by 11% this year, with forestry enterprises selling only 39. 9 thousand fir trees. The number of illegal logging cases also significantly decreased.
