According to the Interfax-Ukraine Culture project, artificial intelligence can be a useful assistant for authors, students, and researchers, but it cannot replace a writer because it lacks its own life experience, according to Rostyslav Semkiv, director of the Smoloskyp publishing house, who stated this in an interview with the “Interfax-Ukraine” agency.
“I view artificial intelligence much the same way I view nuclear energy. It can be used for good, or it can be used for harm. It all depends on how a person uses this tool,” Semkiv said.
According to him, AI can help find sources, organize information, select relevant literature, and improve the logic of texts—just as professors, editors, or academic advisors used to do.
At the same time, he cautioned against completely delegating creative and intellectual work to algorithms.
“As an assistant, it’s a wonderful tool. As a substitute for one’s own thinking, it’s a bad idea,” Semkiv emphasized.
He also noted that artificial intelligence still often makes mistakes, especially when it comes to Ukrainian literature or highly specialized topics, and in some cases may even invent facts that do not exist.
Commenting on the emergence of books written with the help of AI, Semkiv noted that it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish such texts based solely on formal characteristics. However, the main difference, in his opinion, lies elsewhere.
“Literature is, first and foremost, the transmission of experience. A person writes based on their own life, observations, and experiences. Artificial intelligence does not have such experience,” he said.
According to Semkiv, a writer always brings their own life context, emotions, and observations into the text, whereas artificial intelligence merely generalizes a vast number of already existing texts.
“True literature is always an attempt to express oneself, one’s environment, one’s context, and one’s own story. And this is precisely where artificial intelligence has very serious limitations,” Semkiv concluded.
As previously reported, Rostyslav Semkiv, director of the “Smoloskyp” publishing house, believes that Ukrainian libraries should be transformed into modern community cultural centers, and the world is becoming increasingly interested in Ukraine through literature, while the full-scale war has already shaped a new generation of Ukrainian writers. He also stated that Ukraine’s book market continues to grow despite the war, and audiobooks could become one of the drivers of its development. Additionally, in June, due to an accident on the heating network, the Smoloskyp publishing house building in Kyiv was flooded, resulting in damage to about 30% of the book collection.
At least 164 people were killed and 971 were injured as a result of two powerful earthquakes in Venezuela that occurred on the evening of June 24, according to international news agencies, including the Associated Press, CNN, and Reuters, citing the country’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez.
“At least 164 people were killed and 971 were injured after two powerful earthquakes shook Venezuela,” Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said on Thursday, adding that rescue teams are rushing to the hardest-hit areas to free people trapped under the rubble,” the AP reported on its website on Thursday.
The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes, which struck on Wednesday evening, were among the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century and were felt throughout the region. The country’s main airport sustained damage and was closed, and buildings were evacuated even in such remote areas as the Brazilian Amazon, located approximately 1,700 km from Venezuela’s capital, Caracas.
According to Rodríguez, authorities are deploying rescue teams from other parts of the country to La Guaira state, located on the coast north of Caracas. That state has been hit the hardest.
The acting president noted that they are trying to make the most of daylight hours to speed up rescue efforts for people believed to be trapped under the rubble. “Dozens of buildings have collapsed there… and we are now conducting intensive rescue operations to save lives,” said Rodríguez.
After 6:00 p.m. on June 24, two powerful earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela in quick succession. Many buildings were reported to have collapsed.
According to Serbian Economist, an international Masonic convention organized by the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia took place in Belgrade. Representatives of Masonic organizations from five continents arrived in the Serbian capital, and the meeting itself was timed to mark the centennial of the 1926 Belgrade Masonic Peace Congress.
The organizers presented the event as a symbolic gathering dedicated to peace, dialogue, and the memory of an event that was viewed in interwar Europe as an attempt at reconciliation following World War I. Details of this year’s convention program were disclosed only sparingly in public announcements; however, the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia noted that an international congress, an academy, commemorative events, and the annual assembly were planned in Belgrade.
The history of this issue dates back to the 1920s. After World War I, Europe sought to establish a new system of relations among former adversaries. At the political level, the 1925 Locarno Agreements became a symbol of this process, while in Masonic circles, the 1926 Belgrade Peace Congress played a similar role.
At that time, representatives of 20 national Masonic lodges from 15 European countries, as well as two overseas lodges, gathered in Belgrade. In historical publications, this event is sometimes referred to as the “Masonic Locarno,” as it was linked to the idea of reconciliation and the restoration of ties between European societies after the war.
One of the symbolic moments of the 1926 congress was the public reconciliation of French and German Freemasons following World War I.
Freemasonry, or Free Masonry, is an international fraternal movement that emerged in its modern form in Europe during the Early Modern period. Its origins are linked to the professional guilds of medieval stonemasons and builders, while its modern organizational form is associated with the establishment of the first Grand Lodge in London in 1717. Over time, Freemasonry evolved not into a professional craft guild but into a network of societies based on rituals, symbolism, and the ideals of personal improvement, brotherhood, charity, and moral education.
According to estimates by major Masonic organizations, there are approximately 6 million Masons worldwide. One of the oldest and most influential organizations—the United Grand Lodge of England—unites about 170,000 members and more than 7,000 lodges in England, Wales, and overseas districts.
However, there is no single global “central authority” in Freemasonry: various Grand Lodges may or may not recognize one another, depending on their own rules and traditions.
There are several Masonic organizations operating in Serbia, but the Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia positions itself as the sole sovereign, regular, and internationally recognized Grand Lodge within the country.
https://t.me/relocationrs/3105
Lebanon is preparing to launch a “golden residence permit” program for foreign investors with a minimum investment threshold of $500,000. The initiative is intended to help the country attract capital, create jobs, and support economic recovery following a long-standing financial crisis.
The bill was approved by Lebanon’s parliamentary committee on finance and budget. The bill must now undergo further review and receive parliamentary approval.
Under the initiative, foreign investors will be able to obtain a residence permit in Lebanon provided they invest at least $500,000 in approved economic sectors. This is specifically a residency program, not a direct sale of citizenship or passports.
Lebanon is attempting to join the global competition for wealthy investors, a field in which countries in the Middle East, Europe, and the Caribbean are already actively engaged. Such programs typically offer foreigners the right to reside in exchange for investments in real estate, businesses, funds, government securities, or strategic sectors.
For Lebanon, launching such a program is of particular importance. Since 2019, the country has been experiencing one of the most severe financial and economic crises in its history: the banking system has restricted depositors’ access to their funds, the national currency has sharply depreciated, and public finances remain under pressure.
Under these circumstances, the “golden visa” is viewed as a tool for attracting foreign capital without immediately increasing the debt burden. The potential impact could manifest in investments in real estate, tourism, services, infrastructure, private healthcare, education, and technology projects.
However, this model also carries risks. For Lebanon’s program to be effective, it requires transparent rules for selecting investors, verification of the origin of funds, a clear list of permitted sectors, safeguards against speculative investments, and oversight to ensure that investments actually contribute to the economy rather than merely granting a formal right of residence.
International experience shows that “golden visas” can quickly attract capital, but under conditions of weak regulation, they become a source of reputational, tax, and financial risks. Therefore, for Lebanon, the key issue will not be the launch of the program itself, but the quality of its administration.
If the program is implemented transparently, it could become one of the additional channels for restoring confidence in the Lebanese economy. However, it will not be able to replace comprehensive structural reforms, stabilization of the banking system, and political predictability.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to sign an agreement at URC 2026 to provide a long-term loan of up to 50 million euros to Volyn West Wind-2 LLC and Volyn West Wind-3 LLC (Volyn Oblast) for the development and construction of a 189 MW wind farm in Ukraine.
“The total amount of debt financing is 191.3 million euros, provided by a consortium of five international development finance institutions: IFC, EBRD (up to 50 million euros), BSTDB, BI Ukraine Limited, and Swedfund International AB,” according to the project description in the EBRD’s indicative action plan for URC 2026 on Thursday.
It is noted that the project will receive a guarantee and funds for technical assistance under the European Union’s Ukraine Investment Framework Hi-Bar program.
The loan itself will be used to finance the purchase of wind turbines, construction of the power plant’s infrastructure, civil and electrical engineering works, as well as related infrastructure.
It is noted that the borrowers are controlled by VI.AN Holding, which is part of OKKO Group AG.
As previously reported, a few days earlier, the EBRD decided to provide a long-term loan of up to 50 million euros to Volyn West Wind-2 LLC and Volyn West Wind-3 LLC for a 189 MW wind farm, while the IFC decided to provide a 42 million euro loan to these companies.
OKKO Group unites more than 10 diverse businesses in the fields of manufacturing, trade, construction, insurance, services, and other sectors. The group’s flagship company is the “Galnaftogaz” concern, which operates one of Ukraine’s largest gas station chains under the “OKKO” brand, comprising approximately 400 gas stations.
The founder and ultimate beneficiary of the group is Vitaliy Antonov.
CreditKasa (Ukr Credit Finance LLC), one of Ukraine’s leading non-bank financial companies, together with the placement organizer—the investment firm “UNIVER Capital”—announces the launch of the initial public offering of its debut Series A corporate bonds. The total issue amount is 100 million hryvnias. This top fintech company’s entry into the public capital market offers retail investors a reliable and highly liquid alternative to traditional savings instruments.
CreditKasa has been operating in the market since 2017 and, according to NBU data on key performance indicators for financial companies for 2024–2025, ranks first in terms of revenue among non-bank financial companies in Ukraine. Over 2 million citizens have already used the service.
The robustness of the business model is confirmed by record financial results: the company’s net revenue for 2025 amounted to 3.84 billion UAH, and profit reached 350.3 million UAH. As of June 19, 2026, CreditKasa’s loan portfolio stands at over 12 billion UAH. The main driver of growth is the full automation of 24/7 processes thanks to artificial intelligence and modern scoring systems, which ensure strict risk control.
The investments raised will allow CreditKasa to accelerate the implementation of the company’s technological development strategy. “The funds will be used to scale the loan portfolio, launch new financial products, and develop proprietary AI-based solutions that ensure fast customer service and effective risk management,” said Yevgen Rezuev, CEO of CreditKasa.
Bond purchases will be conducted using the modern European “delivery versus payment” (DvP) model, which guarantees 100% security of settlements. Thanks to the full digitization of processes, retail investors can submit an application to purchase the bonds in just a few clicks via the UNIVER mobile app or the Investor’s Dashboard. Pre-orders for the auction are now being accepted.
Once the initial offering is complete and the report has been expedited through the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC), CreditKasa bonds will promptly enter the secondary market. “UNIVER Capital” will traditionally act as the issue’s market maker, providing two-way quotes (buy/sell) directly within the UNIVER app, which will ensure investors instant liquidity in real time.
About the Issuer: Ukr Credit Finance LLC
Ukr Credit Finance LLC (CreditKasa TM) is one of the undisputed leaders in the Ukrainian online lending market, operating since 2017. According to the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), the company ranks first in terms of revenue among non-bank financial institutions in Ukraine, serving over 2 million customers through fully automated fintech solutions.
About the placement arranger: UNIVER Capital LLC
The Ukrainian investment group “UNIVER” is a leading group of companies that, since 2005, has been providing brokerage, dealer, and depositary services, conducting underwriting, and managing the assets of institutional investors. The company specializes in raising capital for Ukrainian businesses and has previously successfully organized bond issuances for such market leaders as “Nova Poshta,” “NovaPay,” “Novus,” “Activitis,” “ShvidkoGroshi,” and “VikingPark.”
UNIVER offers a wide range of investment opportunities for both individuals and legal entities. Its proprietary UNIVER mobile app provides clients with reliable and convenient access to financial instruments.
*Bond issuer: Ukr Credit Finance LLC.
