“Ukrzaliznytsia” continues to modernize its rolling stock; new passenger cars manufactured in Ukraine have already been added to the train set for Train No. 29/30 Kyiv–Uzhhorod, Ukrzaliznytsia announced on Saturday.
These cars will immediately begin service today on Train No. 4/3 from Uzhhorod to Dnipro, and taking into account the cars received a month earlier, there are now six new cars operating on the Kyiv–Uzhhorod–Dnipro route, according to a Telegram post.
The cars are equipped with high-capacity rechargeable batteries, which allow the air conditioners to operate even during prolonged stops in hot weather. The compartments also feature power outlets, tables for passengers in the upper berths, buttons to call the conductor, and modern lighting. The restrooms are equipped with changing tables and child seats.
As noted, Ukrzaliznytsia has received a total of 18 new passenger cars since the beginning of the year.
Global cocaine production has reached a historical maximum: in 2024, about 4.1 thousand tonnes of pure cocaine were produced in South America, according to the new World Drug Report 2026 of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
According to UNODC’s estimate, the figure is in the range of 3.8 thousand to 4.7 thousand tonnes and is more than four times higher than the 2014 level. This makes the cocaine market one of the fastest-growing segments of the global illegal drug economy.
The UN notes that the growth in production is accompanied by the expansion of supply routes, changes in logistics and a high level of violence in countries of origin and transit. South America remains the main production region, while the main countries associated with coca cultivation and cocaine production are Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.
Colombia remains a key link in the global market. According to UNODC, in 2024 it was in Colombia that 966 tonnes of cocaine were seized, which accounts for about 40% of global seizures. It follows from this that the total volume of cocaine seizures in the world in 2024 could have amounted to about 2.4 thousand tonnes. At the same time, seizures do not reflect the entire volume of the market, but only the part that law enforcement agencies were able to intercept.
Demand also remains high. According to UNODC, in 2024 about 25 million people worldwide used cocaine. This places it after cannabis, opioids and amphetamines among the most widespread groups of drugs.
North America remains the largest cocaine market. According to the UN estimate, in 2024 about 6.5 million people in North America used cocaine, or 2% of the population aged 15-64. Western and Central Europe is considered the second-largest market, where demand for cocaine has grown significantly over the past decade. South America and individual countries of Oceania also remain significant markets.
In Europe, according to the European Union Drugs Agency, in 2024 EU countries reported 97 thousand cocaine seizures with a total volume of 330 tonnes. Spain, France and Belgium accounted for 67% of this volume. Spain seized 124 tonnes, France — 53.5 tonnes, and Belgium — 44.6 tonnes. Significant volumes were also recorded in the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and Italy.
European data show that the market is changing its routes. A decrease in the volume of seizures in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands does not necessarily mean a reduction in supplies. EUDA indicates that this may reflect a change in methods and points of entry amid strengthened controls in major ports.
A separate trend is the emergence of processing and packaging facilities already inside Europe. In 2024, six EU countries reported the dismantling of at least 42 facilities linked to the production or processing of cocaine. This suggests that the market is becoming more complex: part of the operations is being moved closer to consumers in order to conceal supplies and increase profitability.
The price of cocaine in the world strongly depends on the region, the degree of risk, the distance from producing countries and the level of law enforcement pressure. In countries of origin, the cost is significantly lower, while in distant markets, especially in Europe, North America and Oceania, the final price may be many times higher. The UN and European agencies record not so much a single global price as a general trend: amid growth in production and supplies, the purity of the product at the retail level in Europe has increased, while the price index has declined over the past decade.
As a result, cocaine remains not only a public health problem, but also a factor of organized crime, corruption, violence and destabilization of legal economies.
According to “Serbian Economist”, the Vetëvendosje movement led by incumbent Prime Minister Albin Kurti came in first in Kosovo’s early parliamentary elections, but failed to secure an outright majority in the 120-seat parliament.
According to Kosovo’s Central Election Commission, Vetëvendosje received 47.13% of the vote and won 53 seats. At least 61 seats are needed to form a government.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) came in second with 19.44% and 22 seats. The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) received 16.69% and 18 seats, while the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) received 6.74% and 7 seats.
Of the 20 seats reserved for national minorities, the Serbian List won 9 seats. The Democratic Turkish Party of Kosovo won 2 seats, with the remaining minority seats distributed among other political forces.
For Kurti, the result looks like a victory, but not a way out of the political impasse. His party remains the largest political force, but to form a stable government, it will need the support of minority parties or broader agreements. The issue of electing a president remains particularly complex, as the first rounds require the presence of at least 80 deputies.
It was precisely the presidential issue that triggered the current crisis. After the previous elections, the parties were unable to agree on a presidential candidate, parliament was dissolved, and Kosovo held yet another early election. This is already the third parliamentary election in less than a year and a half.
This sends an important signal to the region’s economy. Prolonged political instability in Pristina hinders the work of institutions, complicates access to international funds, and impedes progress toward EU and NATO membership. For Serbia, the key issue remains not only the composition of the new government but also whether Pristina will be ready for substantive dialogue on northern Kosovo, Serbian municipalities, trade, and security.
For Belgrade, Kurti’s victory means the continuation of a hardline political stance in Pristina. It was under his government that relations with Serbia remained tense, and the Kosovar authorities’ actions in the north provoked a sharp reaction from the Serbian side and criticism from some Western partners.
From an economic standpoint, the continuation of the crisis in Kosovo is detrimental to the entire region. Instability reduces predictability for investors, complicates transport and trade links, hinders infrastructure projects, and creates political risk for companies operating between Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, and the EU.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade does not recognize this status and considers Kosovo and Metohija to be part of its territory. Kosovo has been recognized by the United States and most EU countries, but it is not a member of the UN due to the position of Serbia and its allies, notably Russia and China.
Kosovo’s independence is also not recognized by a number of major countries and EU member states, including Russia, China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, Ukraine, Spain, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and South Africa. Of the 27 EU countries, five do not recognize Kosovo: Spain, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Cyprus.
OpenAI is considering postponing its initial public offering until 2027, Reuters reports, citing The New York Times.
According to the NYT, the company’s advisors have presented management with two possible scenarios: go public earlier but accept a lower valuation, or wait until 2027 to try to maintain a target valuation of up to $1 trillion.
Sources familiar with the matter told the publication that OpenAI has already hired financial advisors and lawyers to prepare for the IPO and had previously been targeting a listing in the third or fourth quarter of 2026. However, the advisors warned management that, given the volatility of the tech market, investors may be less willing to support a listing at the highest possible valuation.
According to the NYT, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman opposed lowering the target valuation and insisted that the consultants explore the possibility of taking the company public at a valuation of around $1 trillion. OpenAI’s most recent private valuation, according to media reports, was approximately $730 billion.
Reuters also notes that OpenAI had previously considered filing with regulators in the second half of 2026. Initial discussions centered on raising at least $60 billion, though the timing, size of the offering, and valuation could change depending on market conditions and the company’s growth rate.
OpenAI’s potential IPO could become one of the largest offerings in the history of the tech sector and a major test for the entire artificial intelligence market. Investors will evaluate not only revenue growth rates but also spending on computing infrastructure, dependence on major partners, competition with Google, Anthropic, Meta, and other players, as well as the company’s ability to monetize demand for AI services.
The delayed IPO may also send a signal to the broader market: despite high interest in artificial intelligence, investors are becoming more cautious about the valuations of fast-growing AI companies. Following strong growth in the tech sector, the market increasingly demands not only user scale and technological leadership but also a clear financial model.
OpenAI was founded in 2015 and became one of the key players in the global artificial intelligence market following the launch of ChatGPT. The company develops the GPT family of models, enterprise AI products, developer tools, and infrastructure partnerships to scale computing power.
Restrictions on freight traffic have been imposed in Kyiv due to the heat, according to the patrol police.
“To preserve the road surface, trucks are prohibited from traveling when the air temperature reaches +28 degrees Celsius or higher. The ban applies to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 24 metric tons and an axle load exceeding 7 metric tons,” according to a statement on the police’s Telegram channel.
The police report that drivers can wait out the hot period at temporary parking areas in the road shoulders and near roadside service facilities.
The short-term tourist rental market in Spain is experiencing its largest decline in recent years: the number of listings on digital platforms in May 2026 fell by 10.7% year-over-year, according to the Spanish National Institute of Statistics (INE).
According to INE data, 40,836 thousand tourist accommodations were removed from the market over the course of the year. This marked the second-sharpest decline in supply in the agency’s history of compiling such statistics.
Despite the year-over-year decline, by the start of the peak summer season, the market had partially recovered compared to November 2025: supply increased by 3.4%, or 11,237 thousand units. In May, Spain had 341,001 thousand active tourist accommodations, which collectively provided 1.71 million beds. On average, each property had about five beds.
The decline in supply affected all of the country’s major tourist regions. The most significant decline was recorded in the Valencian Community, where the market lost nearly 12 thousand properties over the year, and the total number of active listings fell to 51,268 thousand. As a result, the region ceded second place in terms of supply to Catalonia.
Andalusia, despite a decrease of 5,527 thousand properties, retained its status as Spain’s largest vacation rental market, with 90,649 thousand apartments and villas. Catalonia lost 5,546 thousand properties but remained among the leaders with 51,3 thousand active listings.
The island markets also saw a decline. In the Canary Islands, the number of properties fell by 2,33 thousand to 48,356 thousand, while in the Balearic Islands, it dropped by 3,057 thousand to 21,304 thousand listings.
At the provincial level, the largest markets remain the tourist coastlines. Málaga leads with 45,176 thousand properties, followed by Alicante with 32,148 thousand and Las Palmas with 26,998 thousand.
When looking at individual municipalities, the largest concentration of tourist accommodations is in Madrid—10,836 thousand properties. Next are the city of Málaga—8,288 thousand, Barcelona—8,231 thousand, Marbella—6,987 thousand, and Seville—6,937 thousand properties.
Analysts attribute the decline in supply to stricter municipal regulations, license revocations, and growing political pressure on the short-term rental sector. In Spain, the conflict between the tourism industry, property owners, and local residents—who are facing a shortage of affordable long-term rentals and rising prices in major cities and resort areas—has been intensifying for several years.
For the real estate market, this signals a shift in phase. Tourist rentals remain a profitable segment, but they are becoming more heavily regulated and riskier for investors. Whereas high occupancy rates and tourist traffic were once the key factors, licenses, municipal restrictions, the legal status of the property, and the location’s resilience to potential bans are now increasingly important.
For real estate buyers in Spain, this is an important signal: a property that was previously viewed as a short-term rental vehicle may lose some of its investment appeal if local regulations change. This is especially true in overheated tourist areas, where authorities are most actively restricting short-term rentals.
At the same time, a reduction in the supply of tourist apartments could support the hotel and aparthotel market, as well as partially return some housing to the long-term rental market. However, this is unlikely to quickly solve the problem of housing affordability: demand for housing in major cities and tourist regions remains high, while new supply is limited.
