Society
Weather on 4 May 2026: where in Ukraine will it rain
On Monday, 4 May 2026, variable cloud cover and mainly dry conditions are expected across Ukraine. Rain is possible during the day only in the south-east of the country, whilst ground frost is forecast in the east overnight.
9 May 2025: Who to pray to on St Nicholas of Spring Day
On 9 May, according to the new church calendar, Ukraine commemorates the transfer of the relics of Saint Nicholas, the martyr Christopher, the Venerable Shio of Mghvi, and the Venerable Joseph of Optina. In popular tradition, this day is known as Spring, Summer, or Warm Nicholas.
‘Affordable Medicines’: what has changed since 4 May
The Cabinet of Ministers has expanded the list of medicines eligible for reimbursement under the Affordable Medicines Programme. The updated list came into effect on 4 May 2026 as part of the Medical Guarantees Programme.
A dangerous hantavirus has been detected on board a cruise ship following the deaths of three passengers
A cruise ship travelling from Argentina has been at the centre of an outbreak: three of its passengers have died and one is in intensive care. The Hantavirus may be to blame.
Financial assistance from Caritas: who is eligible to receive up to 37,800 UAH
In spring 2026, some residents of the Mykolaiv region may receive financial assistance to support agriculture. As part of the “Caritas Mykolaiv UGCC” project, payments will amount to up to 37,800 UAH per household.
Victoria Bilan accused Raschuk of hypocrisy following a post about her son
Actress Viktoria Bilan reacted sharply to a post by her ex-husband Volodymyr Rashchuk, in which he dedicated his sporting achievements to their son Yarema. She accused the actor of hypocrisy and stated that the child “does not need” his lies.
Sofia Rotaru refuses to perform during the war: what we know
Ukrainian singer Sofia Rotaru has no plans to return to the stage whilst the war is ongoing. According to her former concert manager, Sergei Lavrov, the artist was offered €200,000 for a performance in Dubai, but she turned it down due to the hostilities in Ukraine.
Spotify will verify artists to distinguish them from AI-generated music
Spotify is launching a new artist verification system designed to help listeners distinguish real musicians from content created by artificial intelligence. A “Verified by Spotify” badge, in the form of a green tick, will gradually start appearing on artist profiles and in search results.
Cameron Diaz has become a mother for the third time: what they’ve named their newborn son
American actress Cameron Diaz and her husband, musician Benji Madden, have become parents for the third time. The couple have welcomed a son, whom they have named Nautas Madden.
Mobile phone services, text messaging and internet access will be restricted in Moscow from 5 to 9 May
Mobile network operators are sending messages to Moscow residents warning of ‘temporary restrictions’ on mobile internet and text messaging services from 5 to 9 May.
Boycott of Eurovision over Israel: organisers have taken a difficult decision
The organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest want to bring back the countries that have boycotted the contest over Israel’s participation. At the same time, they have no plans to exclude Israeli performers from the contest, despite protests, political pressure and controversy surrounding the war in Gaza.
The Rada is proposing to review all bookings and deferrals
In Ukraine, the system for deferring military service obligations needs to be reviewed, and the current deferrals need to be examined. The Verkhovna Rada believes that the problem lies not only in the possibility of deferral itself, but also in the approaches to monitoring, as some of these decisions may be unjustified.
