The cryptocurrency market, accustomed to being Cinderella since its formation 14 years ago, occasionally comes into focus, especially when intriguing events unfold in the global financial markets. Currently, we are witnessing a shift from excessively expensive money to moderately expensive ones. Bitcoin, which has reached $43,000,...
It appears that gloomy forecasts about the Chinese economy facing tough times are coming true. While just a few months ago there were hopes that China could overcome economic challenges without bloodshed, the scale of problems in a country that demonstrated an example of rapid, even...
In Europe, Christmas markets and sales have kicked off and will continue until the first half of January 2024. As Christmas approaches, sellers eagerly rub their hands, hoping that in 2023, shoppers will be more willing to spend compared to the previous year when spending was...
Per the sanctions imposed by the EU and its partners against Russia in 2022, many Russian banks were disconnected from the SWIFT system, including VTB, Otkrytie, Sovcombank, Promsvyazbank, Novikombank, Alfa-Bank, VEB, Rosselkhozbank, Novikombank, MKB, Rossiya, IS-Bank, BSTDB, Genbank, and Gazprombank. At the initial stage...
More functional foods, the rise of cocoa products and buckwheat popularity, along with persistent artificial meat producers—these are the food trends for the next year. They will complement the battles against droughts, food shortages in low-income countries, a return to “green” restrictions, and Russia’s attack...
It’s safe to say that at this time, the global economy has found itself at a crossroads. Sustained globalization, which in previous decades was rapidly driving the world economy forward, has given way to contrary trends. The world has become increasingly vulnerable to fragmentation...
Corruption in Ukraine is becoming a common theme in criticism of reforms in a country that is fighting the most difficult continental war in Europe since World War II. Corruption in Ukraine has always been identified with the oligarchs. Russia’s war against Ukraine, paradoxically,...
The American dollar is climbing higher, strengthening against the euro and other European currencies. What does this mean? What will it influence? Is a cheaper euro or British pound a good thing? Over the past three months, by mid-September, the Dollar Index (DXY) has surged by...
Sweden is accelerating its move towards NATO. On December 5, the Scandinavian country signed a bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States. Washington welcomed the signing, stating that Stockholm would enhance the capabilities of the Euro-Atlantic alliance. This is a clear indication that Sweden expects...
The election results in the Netherlands have intensified the topic of what foreign policy will look like in the future, especially in the context of supporting Ukraine. It is worth noting that the Netherlands is a NATO and EU member state, so its foreign...
Next spring, Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to once again declare himself the winner in a one-man race. It would seem that in a country like today’s Russia, elections could be avoided altogether, but they are very important to the leader in the Kremlin...
The tendency to call various non-democratic aggressive regimes the Axis of Evil began long ago, but chiefly for journalistic purposes. The Axis of Evil included several regimes under sanctions, which supported terrorism and had the status of outcasts in the international arena. Some of...
Russia’s border with China has been forming since the 17th century. In the 18th century, Emperor Peter the Great carried out a demonstrative and violent westernization of Muscovy. It did not lead to Muscovy-Russia being immediately perceived in the West as part of European...
If a fashionable look for you primarily consists of dark tones, but you’re already tired of black, the best couturiers propose an excellent solution. Midnight Blue – a color with a long history and, at the same time, an ultra-modern shade for several consecutive...
Salty, sour, sweet, bitter, and umami (pleasant) – this is the current official list of the five basic tastes. For most ordinary civilized people, this spectrum of gourmet experiences is entirely satisfactory. If they were to crave another taste, it would perhaps only be...
In 1943, Hryhoriy Babot, an inventor born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, and a graduate of the Kyiv Polytechnic University, proposed the idea of a mobile phone. Three decades later, on April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper, an American citizen born to immigrants from the Kyiv region of...
The term “first lady” is known all over the world, but its origin is primarily associated with the United States. Martha Washington, the wife of the country’s first president, George Washington, set a precedent by actually serving as first lady. Although the term “first...
The concept, framework and mission of marriage are transforming. Thus nowadays, the norms established a few decades ago may be considered inappropriate or even discriminatory. At the same time, some traditions continue to hold their ground in the worldview of men and women all...
Everyone is excited about generative artificial intelligence. However, sometimes, the hype around the latest innovation remains just an empty sound when the technology fails to pass the test in practice and does not bring significant productivity or profit gains. This seems to be definitely...
Scientific research has shown that viewing art can have a profound effect on our neural connections. Our brains release dopamine, the “feel good” neurotransmitter, when we look at works of art that resonate with our emotions. That is why art – in addition to...
Just as the debates over Neil Jordan’s “Marlowe” and Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Copenhagen Cowboy” are settling down, a new season of “True Detective” with Jodie Foster in the lead role is on the horizon. Regardless of what anyone says, noir in all its forms remains highly sought after in today’s...
After the failed adaptations of “Death Note” and “Cowboy Bebop,” Netflix has finally rolled out its first live-action adaptation of Japanese animated classic “One Piece,” a show that fans may be hesitant to embrace. In its debut week, the series shattered the previous streaming...
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of the world’s most significant cultural phenomenon, hip-hop. It all started on the same night when DJ Kool Herc threw a party on August 11, 1973, at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, in the most dangerous neighborhood...
As digital technologies become more advanced, we increasingly find ourselves going to the cinema not to see the real faces of our favorite actors but rather their digitally altered counterparts. Sometimes it’s justified and well-executed, but not always. In the retro film “Vivre Sa...
