G20 finance ministers in Durban signed a statement on the importance of central bank independence. This happened amid Donald Trump's criticism of US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
Opinion column by financial expert Olena Sosedka.
Pope Leo XIV called for the protection of places of worship in Gaza after the IDF shelled the Catholic Church of the Holy Family, killing three people. The Pontiff expressed concern about the humanitarian situation and emphasized the need for a ceasefire.
Ukraine is actively contracting interceptor drones as per the President's directive, engaging Ukrainian and international intellectual potential. Several companies are working on solutions to counter enemy drones, which has already yielded initial results in destroying UAVs.
Gold prices rose 0. 4% to $3350.87 per ounce on Friday, while platinum reached its highest level since 2014. The US dollar weakened by 0.4%, and the EU approved the 18th package of sanctions against Russia.
US Special Representative Keith Kellogg was shown Western components extracted from Iranian "Shaheds" and Russian "Gerbera" drones. This happened during his visit to Ukraine, organized by the War&Sanctions portal of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The first tickets for Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of "Odyssey," starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, went on sale a year before the film's release. Sales began at IMAX, where the film will be released on July 17, 2026, and thousands of tickets have already been sold, some of which are being resold by speculators.
Donald Trump stated that Ukraine should go on the offensive to change the situation on the battlefield. Volodymyr Zelenskyy replied that this is possible with the availability of "the right weapons."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed military aid and energy resilience with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. The parties reached concrete agreements on preparing for the upcoming winter and accelerating sanctions pressure on Russia.
Jaguar Land Rover is postponing the release of new Range Rover and Jaguar electric vehicles for additional testing and to await an increase in demand. Deliveries of the Range Rover Electric will not begin until next year at the earliest, and Jaguar models may also be delayed by several months.
The Presidents of Ukraine and France discussed Ukraine's defense needs, strengthening air defense, and training pilots for Mirages. France confirmed its readiness to accept additional pilots for training and is working on joint solutions for protection against Russian strikes.
Pornhub has ceased operations in France for the second time due to the re-enactment of the age verification law, which requires a third-party verification system. Aylo, the owner of Pornhub, states that the new requirements are ineffective and create risks for user privacy.
Chief of the Defence Staff of the United Kingdom, Admiral Tony Radakin, arrived in Kyiv for talks with the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The operational situation at the front and the critical needs of the Ukrainian Defence Forces were discussed.
Bitcoin surpassed $120,000 after the US House of Representatives approved three bills for a better regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies. President Trump is preparing to sign an executive order, which is a critical step towards a stable regulatory framework.
China's rare earth exports in June 2025 reached 7,742. 2 tons, up 60.3% from June 2024. Export value rose to 170 million yuan, an increase of 30.8% compared to the previous month.
Brent and WTI crude futures changed little after rising due to drone attacks on oil fields in Iraqi Kurdistan. Uncertainty over US tariff policy and plans to increase production are weighing on the market.
China's Ministry of State Security accused foreign intelligence services of fraudulently exporting strategically important rare earth metals. Attempts to smuggle them through postal shipments and disguise the materials in other goods have been detected.
July 18 marks Perfect Family Day, World Listening Day, Tetris Birthday, International Nelson Mandela Day, and commemorates the holy martyrs Hyacinth and Emilian. On this day in 1985, "Tetris" first went beyond the USSR, and the UN proclaimed July 18 International Nelson Mandela Day.
Donald Trump accused The Wall Street Journal of fabricating a story about greeting Jeffrey Epstein 20 years ago and threatened to sue. The WSJ claims that Trump sent Epstein a letter for his 50th birthday in 2003, which contained a drawing of a naked woman.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that the United States did not support recent Israeli strikes on Syria, expressing dissatisfaction and working towards de-escalation. Washington calls on Syrian authorities to engage in dialogue for integration.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer does not rule out London's participation in Germany and the US's talks on arms procurement for Ukraine. Discussions are at an early stage between London, Washington, and European countries.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the delivery of Patriot systems to Ukraine is being discussed, but will take days or weeks. The US has also revised the Patriot supply schedule to accelerate support for Ukraine.
Chicago corn and soybean futures fell to a virtual 19-year low due to expectations of a bumper harvest in the US. This creates difficulties for American farmers due to high production costs and growing competition from Brazil.
The US is considering selling Patriot air defense systems from its own stocks to Ukraine. This is happening as part of Donald Trump's new plan, under which European allies will purchase American weapons for Kyiv.
The US has revised the Patriot system supply schedule to accelerate support for Ukraine. Switzerland, which ordered five such systems, will receive them later than planned due to the reorientation of supplies in favor of Ukraine.
A meeting of the Verkhovna Rada will take place in July to deepen cooperation with the USA, which will concern pressure on the Russian Federation. President Zelenskyy is discussing a defense agreement with Donald Trump, which provides for the purchase of Ukrainian drones by the USA and American weapons by Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is discussing a breakthrough defense deal with Donald Trump. The US could acquire Ukrainian drones, tested in war, in exchange for Kyiv's purchase of American weapons.
In the updated government led by Yulia Svyrydenko, most ministers retained their positions, some swapped chairs. Denys Shmyhal headed the Ministry of Defense, Herman Halushchenko — the Ministry of Justice, and Svitlana Hrynchuk — the Ministry of Energy.
In July, which is informally celebrated as Ice Cream Month in Ukraine, UNN offers a selection of homemade ice cream recipes. Among them are classic vanilla, fruit and berry without cream, popsicle on a stick, chocolate, and "Baileys" ice cream.
Andriy Sybiha stated that US support continues and the cost of war for the aggressor is increasing.
