In Ukraine, December accounts for 30% of the annual import of mandarins, the demand for which was growing before the war. The main suppliers are Turkey, Pakistan, and Egypt.
Before the holidays, passenger traffic through the checkpoints of Lviv Oblast increases as Ukrainians travel abroad. The heaviest load is observed at "Shehyni" and "Krakovets", and the least at "Smilnytsia" and "Nyzhankovychi".
The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, stated that the Kremlin is trying to drag out time to force Ukraine to surrender.
Gastronomic expert VARUS. ua reveals the secrets of the perfect January 1 breakfast.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Putin will sooner or later agree to the deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine. He also spoke about what, in his opinion, should be the West's reaction in the event of new Russian attacks.
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.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that Russia will not make concessions regarding the occupied territories of Ukraine, considering them part of its constitution. Moscow will also not agree to the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine in any format.
A Christmas tree was lit and a Nativity scene was opened in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. The ceremony, led by Sister Raffaella Petrini, emphasized the symbolism of peace and fraternal unity.
The cost of a New Year's table for a family of four in Ukraine in 2026 will be about 3980 hryvnias. This is 10.7% more expensive than last year, according to data from the Institute of Agrarian Economics.
Ukraine and the United States supported German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's proposal for a Christmas truce. President Zelenskyy emphasized that the implementation of this idea depends on Russia's political will.
In Germany, a 21-year-old man from Central Asia, suspected of preparing a terrorist attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, has been arrested. He planned to drive a car into a crowd of people; he will be deported.
The FBI thwarted a planned bombing campaign in Southern California on New Year's Eve. Five suspects linked to the 'Turtle Island Liberation Front' group have been arrested.
Astrologer Ksenia Bazilenko has prepared a horoscope for the week of December 15-21, which will bring renewal and a reset. December 20 and 21 are named the strongest and most positive days of the year, carrying the energy of a true reset.
Five people have been arrested in Bavaria on suspicion of preparing a potential attack on a Christmas market in the Dingolfing-Landau district. A 56-year-old Egyptian national called for an attack using a vehicle, and three Moroccans and a Syrian agreed to participate.
Four unique cocoa recipes are presented: with wine, ginger and orange, pumpkin and pepper. These drinks are ideal for creating a cozy atmosphere in winter.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the GUR and other services to intensify efforts to free Ukrainian prisoners of war before the New Year. This instruction concerns the Russian direction.
Five Ukrainians who were in Belarus are returning to freedom thanks to a special operation by the GUR with the participation of the United States. President Zelenskyy instructed to intensify work on the release of prisoners of war from Russia before the new year.
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".
The main city Christmas trees, including the one on Sofia Square in Kyiv, are lit at the expense of sponsors and patrons, not the city budget. This allows avoiding additional load on the energy system in conditions of power outages.
In one of the messengers, Kyiv law enforcement officers found a publication with photos in which a man in a police uniform imitates the arrest of "Santa Claus. "
According to a Deloitte study, 75% of Ukrainians plan holiday shopping in 2025, preferring home celebrations and prudent spending. More than half of the surveyed Ukrainians plan to spend between 1,000 and 5,000 hryvnias on gifts.
Ukrainian blogger Stasya Makeyeva is preparing for the New Year by decorating her house with nine Christmas trees. She spent UAH 70,000 on unique toys brought from Disneyland in Paris.
69,000 children received Christmas gifts and wrote postcards for Ukrainian soldiers as part of the "Sweet Christmas" initiative.
The State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" sold over 17,000 Christmas trees for UAH 3. 5 million. The enterprise launched raids, identifying 34 cases of illegal felling and drawing up 28 administrative protocols for over UAH 14,000.
Representatives of the Plast scout organization have received the Bethlehem Peace Light in Ukraine. Ukrzaliznytsia reported that Plast scouts have been delivering the Light from Bethlehem for almost 40 years.
In Bethlehem, on the West Bank, public Christmas celebrations have resumed with the lighting of a giant Christmas tree in Manger Square. The decision was made after the ceasefire, despite the ongoing suffering in Gaza, to revive the city's tourism-dependent economy.
The Patrol Police of Ukraine recommends buying New Year's trees only at official fairs where trees are grown specifically for the holidays. It is important to check for chips or labels on the trees and for fencing around the fairgrounds.
US First Lady Melania Trump spoke with children at the hospital. This is a symbolic visit for the First Lady, who visits hospitals every year before Christmas.
The State Environmental Inspectorate explained which Christmas tree is the most environmentally friendly. This depends on the method of cultivation and subsequent disposal.
On the eve of St. Nicholas Day, the lights on the 16-meter artificial main Christmas tree of the country were lit on Sofia Square in the capital. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko noted that the theme of the New Year tree was inspired by the frescoes of St. Sophia Cathedral.
