British singer Chris Rea, known for his hits, has died at the age of 74 in hospital after a short illness. His debut album was released in 1978, and his hit Driving Home For Christmas is still popular.
Paramount has updated its offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery with Larry Ellison's personal guarantee of $40.4 billion. The total value of the deal is $78 billion, exceeding Netflix's offer.
A trailer has been released for the film "Odyssey," in which Matt Damon is shipwrecked, battles monsters, and leads his army home in Christopher Nolan's epic.
A 7-meter gingerbread replica of the house from the movie "Home Alone" appeared in Los Angeles and entered the Guinness Book of Records. The edible installation, 17.5 m long, 12.5 m wide, and 7.7 m high, was created by Disney+ and Hulu for the film's 35th anniversary.
The third installment of James Cameron's franchise, "Avatar: Fire and Ash," has grossed $345 million worldwide. This is the second most successful Hollywood debut of 2025, although domestic box office in the US is 35% lower than the previous sequel.
Actor James Ransone, known for his roles in horror films, died on December 19 in Los Angeles at the age of 46. Medical examiners confirmed that the cause of death was suicide.
The icon of St. Ilya Muromets of Kyiv-Pechersk, who will become the patron saint of warriors, was handed over to the Special Operations Forces. Ilya Muromets, a real historical figure of the 12th century, was a warrior of the princely retinue, and then a monk of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Amazon and Netflix have struck a surprise content licensing deal. James Bond films, "Rocky," and the series "The Man in the High Castle" will become available on Netflix starting January 15.
The 53-year-old actor and director Akhtem Seitablayev published photos with his daughter and granddaughter from Belgium, captioning them as "moments of happiness. " In January 2022, the actor showed photos from his daughter's wedding.
The song "Shchedryk" was written at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1936, its English version was released, which is known to the world as "Carol of the Bells".
From February 2026, tourists will have to pay 5 euros to approach the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Residents of Rome will be exempt from the paid entrance, and the fountain itself remains free to view from a distance.
During a meeting in Warsaw, Polish President Karol Nawrocki presented Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a two-volume set of "Documents of the Volyn Crime" in Ukrainian translation. This gesture was intended to emphasize the importance of the exhumation of the victims of the Volyn tragedy for Poland and the partnership relations between the countries.
A selection of five iconic Christmas movies that create a special magic and atmosphere. Among them are "A Christmas Carol", "Elf", "Home Alone", "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "Die Hard".
In temporarily occupied Mariupol, ticket sales have resumed at the drama theater, despite it being destroyed by Russian troops. The first performances, including "Chic Wedding" and "The Scarlet Flower," are scheduled for late December.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that starting in 2029, YouTube will hold exclusive global broadcasting rights for the Academy Awards ceremony. This is the first time that one of the "Big Four" awards has abandoned classic television broadcasting in favor of a digital platform.
The first trailer for Steven Spielberg's film "Day of Disclosure" has been released. In it, a Kansas City TV presenter falls into a strange trance, and a mysterious man claims to know the truth.
A photograph by Anastasia Taylor-Lind, taken in Poltava region, has been recognized as one of the best in the world by National Geographic. The shot, titled "In the Embrace of Family," is part of the "5K From the Frontline" project.
The French museum, the Louvre, partially reopened on Wednesday, despite an ongoing staff strike over wages and working conditions. Visitors will be able to see key masterpieces, such as the "Mona Lisa," amidst recent robbery incidents and infrastructure problems.
The European Parliament awarded the Andrei Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut and Georgian media worker Mzia Amaglobeli. Both laureates are behind bars, so their representatives received the awards.
The boxing gloves of world champion Oleksandr Usyk were raffled off in Lviv. The 300,000 hryvnias raised will be used to rebuild the Roman Shukhevych museum, destroyed by a Russian Shahed drone on January 1, 2024.
In Lviv, a farewell ceremony was held for People's Artist of Ukraine Stepan Higa, attended by thousands of people. He was buried at Lychakiv Cemetery, as he had wished.
The Noom brand with its "Gropius" chair won in the "Residential Seating" category and received the special "Best of the Best" award at Interior Design's Best of Year awards. The chair, designed by Kateryna Sokolova, is recognized for its design and ergonomics, and is used in Lacoste and Fendi boutiques, as well as at Sotheby's gallery.
The Louvre Museum in Paris did not open on December 15 due to a staff strike, who unanimously voted to stop working. Employees are protesting against deteriorating working conditions and insufficient funding after the robbery on October 19.
Walt Disney Co. 's sequel "Zootopia 2" topped the box office for the third time, gross grossing $26.3 million in its third weekend. The film's total worldwide gross reached $1.14 billion, making it the second film of 2025 to surpass the $1 billion mark at the global box office.
The farewell ceremony for People's Artist of Ukraine Stepan Giga, who passed away on December 12, has begun in Lviv. The farewell will last until 11:00 PM at the Garrison Church, and the funeral will take place the following day at Lychakiv Cemetery.
A light installation symbolizing the resilience of spirit and unity of Ukrainians will be presented on the facade of the Central Railway Station in Kyiv. It will operate for several days on autonomous power, and everyone will be able to join it online - through an application, choosing the color of their "inner light".
The first place in the national beauty pageant "Miss Ukraine – 2025" was won by 18-year-old Odesa resident Valeriia Lisovska. The winner was chosen based on the jury's evaluations and online voting by Ukrainians. She was highly praised for her preparation, personal charm, and the implementation of a charitable project.
France's representative Lou Deleuze won Junior Eurovision 2025 in Georgia with the song Ce Monde, scoring 248 points. Ukrainian Sofia Nersesyan with the song "Motanka" took second place with 177 points.
People's Artist of Ukraine Stepan Higa will be buried at Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv. The farewell will take place on December 14 at the Garrison Church, the funeral service on December 15.
UNN has compiled a top 10 legendary Christmas compositions that fill the holidays with warmth and festive mood. Among them are "Shchedryk", "Last Christmas" and "All I Want for Christmas Is You".
