Russian students are massively choosing Asian universities instead of European ones due to sanctions. Chinese and Korean languages have become the most popular among Russian youth.
Over 90% of parliamentary candidates are members of the Communist Party. The new assembly is expected to approve the country's top officials as early as April.
The Russian Federation is increasing the number of vessels under its flag due to the detention of tankers in the West. This creates conditions for sabotage and reconnaissance in the Baltic region.
About 10% of tourists cancel their trips or change exotic destinations to Egypt. Flights to Vietnam, China, and the Adriatic are gaining popularity.
Vietnam has reached an agreement with the Donald Trump administration to access American technologies in the fields of AI and semiconductors.
British police continued searching Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former home after his arrest. He is under investigation on suspicion of abuse of office related to his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The EU Council has updated the list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions, adding Vietnam and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Fiji, Samoa, and Trinidad and Tobago were removed from the list, leaving 10 countries and territories.
Thames Valley Police are investigating information about Prince Andrew's possible transfer of confidential trade reports to Jeffrey Epstein. This is related to 2010 emails where Andrew sent reports from his trip to Southeast Asia.
Vietnam has begun diversifying its arms purchases, moving away from Russian defense technologies in favor of Western standards. The country is negotiating with France for Rafale fighter jets and modernizing its army with the help of Israel and South Korea.
Ukraine has imposed sanctions against 10 individuals and 6 legal entities associated with the Russian tanker fleet and cyberattacks against Ukraine, the EU, and NATO. These measures are synchronized with European Union sanctions.
Despite the war and rising prices, demand for winter holidays abroad remains stable. Ukrainians most often choose Egypt, UAE, and exotic countries, spending an average of 50-70 thousand hryvnias for two.
Donald Trump has invited a number of countries to his "Peace Council for Gaza" to implement a 20-point plan. The signing ceremony is scheduled for this Thursday in Davos.
Russia exported over 2 million tons of grain from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in 2025, passing it off as its own product. To do this, captured ports and a "ship-to-ship" scheme were used to circumvent sanctions.
The first to welcome 2026 were Oceania and Asia, where celebrations are accompanied by pyrotechnic shows and traditional rituals. New Zealand greeted the year with a five-minute fireworks display over Sky Tower, while Sydney honored the victims of the terrorist attack with a minute of silence and projections on the Harbour Bridge.
New Year is already being celebrated in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. An hour before that, Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan welcomed the holiday.
Over 25% of new cars sold globally in 2025 are electric, according to an Ember analysis. This growth is driven by emerging markets, which are now leading the transition to electromobility.
Commander of the Third Army Corps Andriy Biletskyi proposes to remove barriers for the growth of young officers to replace "paper generals".
The European Union has expanded sanctions against 9 individuals and entities supporting Russia's "shadow fleet" that transports oil. This decision aims to limit Russia's revenues and targets companies associated with "Rosneft" and "Lukoil" that use illegal shipping practices.
US President's Special Representative Kellogg stated that Russia and Ukraine together have lost over two million soldiers in the war. He emphasized the need to end the conflict.
Over 900 people have died in Indonesia due to a massive flood caused by a cyclone, with hundreds missing. The natural disaster destroyed over 100,000 homes, and prisoners were released from a flooded prison.
The Russian tanker Kairos, part of the 'shadow fleet', ran aground near the Bulgarian city of Ahtopol. There are 10 crew members on board, but evacuation is not yet possible due to a strong storm.
Russia and Vietnam have organized a scheme to circumvent the price cap on Russian oil, which involves joint oil and gas production. The agreements allow for the export of Russian oil under the guise of Vietnamese oil and set a minimum sale price for oil of no less than $75 per barrel.
In Peru's Amazon region, a landslide swept two passenger boats into the river, causing 12 deaths and about 20 injuries. The incident occurred around 4:20 AM in the port area of Iparia on the Ucayali River.
In the central regions of Vietnam, 90 people have died due to powerful floods and landslides caused by heavy rains. The disaster caused significant damage to areas already affected by record rainfall and Typhoon Kalmaegi.
More than 41 people have died in Vietnam due to weeks of flooding and rain, with over 52,000 homes inundated. Tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated, and this year's disaster damage has reached $2 billion.
Shipments of Chinese permanent rare earth magnets to the US rose by 56. 1% to 656.3 tonnes, the highest in nine months. This increase occurred amid easing trade tensions between Beijing and Washington, while exports to the EU decreased.
Storm "Claudia" has hit several European countries. In Portugal and Spain, it has already caused heavy rains and floods. The storm further threatens Great Britain and Ireland, where a yellow alert has been declared.
China conducted military exercises in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, simulating attacks on military bases and ships. The maneuvers took place amid rising tensions in the region and territorial disputes.
Tropical Typhoon Fung-wong, having intensified into a "super typhoon," caused two deaths in the Philippines, as well as flooding and destruction. Over 1.4 million residents of the region were displaced, and the storm is moving towards Taiwan, weakening.
The death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in Vietnam has risen by five, while in the Philippines the storm has claimed at least 188 lives. The typhoon caused destruction and power outages in central Vietnam, where further floods and landslides are expected.
