The “Carpathian Spring 2026” professional music festival will take place from March 15 to 29 at the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Philharmonic, according to a post on the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Philharmonic named after Iryna Malanyuk’s Facebook page, noting that the festival traditionally opens the spring music season and brings together leading performers, chamber ensembles, orchestras, and young musicians on one stage.
“Every year, with the arrival of spring, the stage of the Frankivsk Philharmonic is filled with a special atmosphere — an atmosphere of renewal, creative inspiration, and live music,” the festival organizers note.
According to the philharmonic, this year’s festival program offers listeners a journey through different musical eras and styles, from Baroque interpretations and classical chamber programs to contemporary music projects and large-scale opera productions.
Soloists from various cities in Ukraine and Europe, chamber ensembles, the philharmonic choir and symphony orchestra, as well as young performers representing the new generation of Ukrainian musicians will perform on stage. The organizers emphasize that the festival will combine both premiere performances and well-known works from the world and Ukrainian repertoire.
In particular, the program includes the premiere of the children’s ballet “The Girl with Blue Eyes,” a series of chamber concerts dedicated to Ukrainian musical masterpieces, baroque programs, and contemporary musical experiments.
The final event of the festival will be the opera production “Penelope. Seven Ways to Wait,” which will close the music forum.
Tickets for the festival events can be purchased at the box office of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Philharmonic.
The “Prykarpattia Spring” festival is traditionally considered one of the key musical events in the region, bringing together professional musicians, fans of academic music, and young performers every year.
https://interfax.com.ua/news/culture/1150500.html
According to Serbian Economist, Serbia plans to start construction of its first nuclear power plant by 2035 and is cooperating with French energy company EDF as part of its preparations, Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Jedovic Handanovic said in an interview with RTS.
The minister stressed that EDF can help Serbia with its experience and knowledge in preparing the project. At the same time, she said, no decision has yet been made on the specific technology for the future nuclear power plant.
The preparatory process for the construction of the nuclear power plant is estimated to take approximately four years: by mid-2027, the authorities intend to complete the first phase, which involves analyzing the regulatory framework and requirements, after which the second phase, including preparation for construction, will begin. The ministry noted that the first additional studies are planned to be carried out jointly with EDF with the support of the French Development Agency (AFD) on the basis of an intergovernmental agreement between Serbia and France.
Against the backdrop of the launch of the nuclear agenda, Serbia is simultaneously in contact with other potential partners and technology suppliers.
Potential partners and companies involved in the preparation and negotiations:
France – EDF (as well as Egis Industries as part of the preliminary technical study contractors).
Serbia also signed a memorandum with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP, South Korea) on cooperation in the field of nuclear energy and personnel training.
Serbia considered Rosatom (Russia) as a possible partner for the exchange of experience.
Separately, it was reported that Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC, UAE) was ready to share its roadmap for the development of a nuclear program.
The United States (agreements/information exchange between regulators and willingness to support program preparation) and China (memorandum with the China Institute of Atomic Energy) were also mentioned in the context of contacts.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2404
Dynamics of imports of services in January-September 2025 by the most important items compared to the same period in 2024, %
The Oscar cinema (Gulliver shopping center) in Kyiv hosted a pre-premiere screening of the crime thriller Secret Agent by Oscar-nominated director Kleber Mendonça Filho. According to the organizers, the film will be released in Ukrainian cinemas on March 12.
Among the guests at the screening were representatives of the Brazilian Embassy in Ukraine, which supported the pre-premiere presentation of the film.
“The Secret Agent” has already received four awards at the Cannes Film Festival, two Golden Globe awards, and four Oscar nominations, according to the organizers.
The film is set in Brazil in the 1970s. The main character, scientist Marcelo, is forced to flee from the dictatorship. Escaping from hired killers, he finds himself in an atmosphere of carnival, police violence, and the activities of a mysterious resistance movement.
The film is being distributed in Ukraine with the support of the European Union’s Creative Europe MEDIA program.
From May 1, 2026, France will increase a number of immigration fees and introduce new payments for foreigners, which will increase the cost of moving and legalizing in the country. The changes are provided for in the French budget law for 2026, and the increase in stamp duty on citizenship applications is already reflected on the official Service-Public portal.
According to the updated rules, the cost of the first residence permit will increase from €200 to €300, the preferential rate for certain categories will increase from €50 to €100, and the cost of obtaining a duplicate or making changes to a residence permit card will increase from €25 to €50. At the same time, the renewal of most residence permits will remain at €200, and €50 for preferential categories.
One of the most notable changes will be the increase in the stamp duty for applying for French citizenship to €255 from €55. In addition, a new fee of €100 will be introduced for an autorisation provisoire de séjour (temporary residence permit), as well as a €40 fee for exchanging a foreign driver’s license for a French one.
The increase in fees comes against the backdrop of broader budget consolidation in France. The country’s budget for 2026 is designed to reduce the deficit to 5% of GDP from an estimated 5.4% a year earlier. Against this backdrop, part of the administrative costs are being passed on to applicants.
The Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine in Kyiv holds one of the key documents related to the life of Taras Shevchenko—his birth certificate. This document was shown by the director of the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine in Kyiv, Yaroslav Fayzulin, to the head of the Culture department of the Interfax-Ukraine agency, Olga Levkun.
The record was made in the metric book of the Church of St. John the Theologian in the village of Morintsy, Zvenigorodsky District, Kyiv Province. It records the birth of the future poet on February 25, 1814 (March 9 according to the new style).
Archivists note that metric books are important primary sources for historians and researchers, as they contain official records of births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths. Such documents make it possible to reconstruct the biographies of historical figures and family histories.
In addition to Shevchenko’s birth record, the archive also contains other documents relating to his family. In particular, there are confessional records — church books recording parishioners.
Among these records is a mention of the family of Hryhorii Shevchenko, the father of the future poet. The document mentions his wife Kateryna and their children—Mykita, Taras, and Yosyp.
Historians explain that confession records were kept not only for church records. They were also used by the Russian Empire authorities to register the population and collect taxes, which is why they are of significant historical value today.
Taras Shevchenko was born into a peasant family in Morintsy, Cherkasy region. Despite a difficult childhood and early orphanhood, he became one of the key figures of Ukrainian culture — a poet, artist, and thinker whose work shaped new Ukrainian literature and became a symbol of national identity.
The archival document with the poet’s birth record is kept in the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine: f. 127, op. 1012, spr. 1378, ark. 695 zv.
https://interfax.com.ua/news/culture/1150203.html
