In 2025, the State Employment Service provided jobs for over 315,000 people, and a total of 640,000 Ukrainians used its services. During the year, 192,000 vacancies were posted, 63.3% of which were filled.
A 53-year-old Italian, who expressed pro-Russian views and justified Russia's aggression, was not allowed into Ukraine. He was banned from entering the country for three years after an incident on a bus where he called Ukraine a "bad country."
The story of Rocco, an Italian who declared his love for Putin on a bus to Ukraine, has gained widespread attention. Daria Melnychenko's post about the incident garnered over a million views, sparking a strong reaction and a wave of memes on social media.
Nvidia is launching a new Vera Rubin computing platform in early 2026. It will include six chips that will form one AI supercomputer and will provide five times more computing resources for AI training than Blackwell.
AMD announced new Ryzen AI 400 Series and Ryzen 7 9850X3D processors at CES 2026, expanding its AI PC lineup. The new chips offer improved multitasking and content creation speed, as well as updated Redstone ray tracing technology.
The joint venture Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) presented a new Afeela electric vehicle prototype at CES in Las Vegas. The production model Afeela 1 will begin to be delivered to customers in California at the end of 2026, with sales expanding to Arizona in 2027.
Asian stock markets opened higher, with the MSCI index for global equities reaching an all-time high. This happened amid the capture of Nicolás Maduro by US forces and rising oil prices and PDVSA default bonds.
Kia's global sales in 2025 increased by two percent, reaching 3. 13 million units, but the company did not meet its target. The most popular models were the Sportage, Seltos, and Sorento, and the company plans to sell 3.35 million vehicles by the end of this year.
Gold and silver prices surged on January 5 after the detention of Nicolas Maduro by US forces. Gold surpassed $4370 per ounce, and silver reached $73.32, linked to the escalating geopolitical situation.
K-pop group BTS will return to the stage as a full group on March 20, 2026. This will happen after an almost four-year hiatus, during which all members completed their military service.
The finale of "Stranger Things" grossed over $25 million, and possibly even $30 million, in cash from cinemas for screenings on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Of this amount, $15 million was earned by the No. 1 cinema chain, AMC Theaters, from an attendance of 753,000 people.
In December, new Tesla car registrations fell by two-thirds in France and Sweden. At the same time, sales in Norway increased by 89%, setting a new annual record.
The abbreviation "6-7" topped Lake Superior State University's 50th annual "List of Banished Words. " This viral word, popular among Generation Z, has been deemed meaningless and should be removed from the lexicon.
Bloomberg presented a review of the 11 most anticipated hotel properties scheduled to open in 2026. The list includes private island resorts and renovated historic palaces in major metropolises.
Uzhhorod has become the most expensive city in Ukraine in terms of the average cost of apartment rental, surpassing Kyiv and Lviv. The average rental price in Uzhhorod is 21,300 hryvnias per month, which is 12% more.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri claims that companies producing digital cameras are going down the wrong path.
Automakers Ford and Honda are reorienting their model lineups towards hybrid cars by 2026 due to declining demand for electric vehicles. Honda plans to introduce a new generation of hybrid technologies by 2030, and Ford is expanding its hybrid lineup amid weak EV sales.
Most Ukrainians are optimistic about 2026, but positive sentiments are declining, and skepticism is growing. A "Rating" survey showed that 39% expect improvements, 27% – no changes, and every fourth – deterioration.
Consumers will face up to a 20% increase in electronics prices this year. The price increase is due to a shortage of memory chips caused by increased demand for artificial intelligence.
In 2026, hairstyle trends will be defined by elegance and restraint, including the breakup bob, bixie, micro-bob, and side-swept bangs. Smooth hairstyles are also making a comeback.
Five key fashion trends for 2026, including opulence, historical references, massive jewelry, transparency and lightness, and updated sunglasses.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has cost Russian taxpayers approximately $550 billion, which is equivalent to 24 annual Russian higher education budgets. A significant portion of these expenditures is hidden, and the financing of the war is shifted to the population through new taxes and rising prices.
Champagne, which originated in the French region of Champagne, became a symbol of positive emotions thanks to the improvement of winemaking technologies by the monk Dom Pierre Pérignon. The drink, which gained royal status at the court of Louis XIV, later became available to the bourgeoisie and artists, and was subsequently popularized by Hollywood.
The Danish postal service PostNord has stopped delivering letters due to a sharp decline in their use. The number of letters sent by mail in the country has decreased by more than 90 percent since 2000.
Meta Platforms has agreed to acquire Singaporean AI startup Manus, which conducts in-depth research and performs tasks for paying users. The deal is valued at over $2 billion, with Manus maintaining independent operations while integrating its agents into Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
On December 30, gold rose by 1. 1% to $4378.29 per ounce, recovering after a sharp drop. Silver and platinum also rose after significant fluctuations, while palladium slightly decreased.
The series "Stranger Things" has accumulated 1. 2 billion views in its nine years of existence, surpassing all other Netflix series in total viewing time. The project also created 8,000 jobs and brought $1.4 billion to the American economy.
Colleen Hoover is known for her romantic stories that explore themes of love, loss, and change; her books regularly become New York Times bestsellers. The online bookstore MEGOGO BOOKS offers a complete collection of the author's works in Ukrainian and English.
2025 was a record-breaking profitable year for billionaires: their combined wealth grew by $3. 6 trillion to $18.7 trillion, thanks to the boom in AI and tech sector investments. Elon Musk increased his fortune by $333.2 billion, reaching $754 billion, becoming the first person with a fortune exceeding $700 billion.
The Kardashian family held their annual Christmas party in an intimate format, foregoing a lavish celebration. Khloé Kardashian explained that this was due to her mother Kris Jenner's recent 70th birthday.
