Ukrposhta has issued a new postage stamp to mark the 30th anniversary of the Ukrainian Antarctic station Akademik Vernadsky, which was transferred to Ukraine by the United Kingdom exactly 30 years ago on February 6, 1996, under the name Faraday, and was later renamed.
“Today we are launching the first corporate stamp after rebranding, so we are taking the new stamp to the station to make everything modern. Thank you to everyone who worked on this issue. I want to wish the expedition all the best,” said Ihor Smelyansky, CEO of Ukrposhta, during the special cancellation.
It is noted that for the first time in the history of the station, the 31st Ukrainian Antarctic expedition, which will last from 2026 to 2027, will be led by meteorologist Anzhelika Hanchuk, who was a member of the 27th Ukrainian expedition in 2022-2023 and was involved in meteorological, oceanographic, and other research at the station.
“My task this year, as with other base commanders, will be to ensure that our station functions and all tasks are completed,” said Anzhelika Hanchuk, head of the upcoming 31st Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition.
On the eve of the expedition, Yevhen Dykyi, director of the National Antarctic Scientific Center, noted that since 2018, there has been a real gender breakthrough in the Ukrainian Antarctic program.
From an unspoken ban on women participating in expeditions for almost 20 years to the first female base commander. In total, 13 female polar explorers have worked in annual expeditions since 2018, and 11 in seasonal expeditions.
Ukrposhta added that the stamp has a circulation of 630,000 copies, and the nominal value on the postage stamp is indicated by the letter “U,” which is equivalent to 24 hryvnia. The stamp has an unusual shape—it is round, and the margins of the sheet feature a photo of the station and the Ukrainian ship Noosfera.
NAEK Energoatom plans to complete the construction of all planned second-level protective structures (concrete structures against drone strikes and missile debris) for important elements of Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants in 2026, according to the company’s CEO Pavlo Kovtonyuk.
“The first is passive protection of critical elements of nuclear power plants. It consists of several levels, and the first level (gabions and big bags – ER) is already complete. The second level is nearing completion. This work is being carried out according to the approved schedules and plans,” Kovtonyuk said in a conversation with journalists during a trip to one of the nuclear power plants, specifying that the construction of level 2 structures at all nuclear power plants is planned to be completed within the current year.
He noted that the second aspect is active protection provided by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Energoatom is allocating funds to purchase the necessary systems for such protection of the sky near nuclear power plants. Kovtonyuk did not specify the amount of funding for protection work and the funds allocated to the military, noting that “plans and projects agreed with the General Staff are financed without restrictions.”
Regarding the third level of protection (including underground structures designed to withstand direct missile strikes), the head of Energoatom noted that such projects can be considered individually.
“The third level involves very large-scale work, which can be considered as local projects. There is an example at one of the nuclear power plants where certain elements are protected by the third level. As for scaling, we will consider this possibility,” Kovtonyuk commented.
The claim that mushrooms help lower cholesterol is generally consistent with scientific logic, but requires important clarifications: the effect depends on the type of mushroom, overall diet, and individual tolerance, and the evidence base in humans is still limited.
The discussion was prompted by a comment from a gastroenterologist, who said that the chitin contained in mushrooms can lower cholesterol by binding dietary lipids and reducing their absorption in the intestine. In practice, the mechanisms are more often described in terms of the dietary fiber in mushrooms as a whole, including beta-glucans and chitin-like components: dietary fiber can bind bile acids and parts of lipids in the intestines, increasing their excretion, which causes the body to use more cholesterol to synthesize new bile acids.
The data on mushrooms indicate potential, but do not guarantee a strong effect in everyone. For example, a review in the journal Food & Function (RSC, 2024) notes that button mushrooms (A. bisporus) and some other mushrooms demonstrate the ability to bind bile acids in digestion models, but clinical data are limited and inconsistent. The same review mentions studies in which daily consumption of approximately 150-200 g of fresh champignons or oyster mushrooms was associated with a reduction in total and/or LDL cholesterol.
However, mushrooms are valuable not only for their potential effect on lipids. They usually provide dietary fiber and a number of micronutrients (B vitamins, selenium, copper, potassium), and vitamin D in mushrooms increases significantly with UV treatment.
The idea that mushrooms “should not be eaten” with potatoes, bread, or legumes has no strict scientific confirmation as a universal rule. The problem is more often something else: mushrooms contain mannitol (FODMAP group, polyols), which in some people, especially those with irritable bowel syndrome, can increase gas and bloating. If you add a large portion of starchy foods or legumes to mushrooms, the overall “burden” on digestion may increase, and discomfort becomes more likely, but this is a matter of individual tolerance and portion sizes, not a prohibition.
Practical conclusion: mushrooms can be considered a useful component of a balanced diet and a source of dietary fiber, but they should not be used to “treat cholesterol.” For high cholesterol, the key factors remain overall nutritional profile, physical activity, and doctor’s recommendations (including therapy, if necessary).
New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus investor residency visa program has seen increased interest from foreign capital since the rules were changed: as of January 19, 2026, Immigration New Zealand had received 532 applications covering 1,709 applicants (including family members) representing 33 nationalities.
According to INZ data, the minimum investment “potential” of the applications submitted is estimated at NZ$3.16 billion, with 392 applications already receiving approval in principle and 159 applications completed with the issuance of residence visas. The volume of investments already committed under issued residence visas amounts to NZ$926.2 million, with most of the funds going to Invest New Zealand-approved managed funds and bonds.
The most active applicants are US citizens (201 applications), followed by China (86), Hong Kong (69), Germany (37), Singapore and Taiwan (26 each). The statistics also include the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Switzerland, the Netherlands, as well as Russia (3 applications) and Ukraine (1 application).
The reformed rules have been in effect since April 1, 2025, and provide for two categories of investment: Growth (minimum NZD 5 million for 3 years, more “active” and risky instruments, including managed funds and direct investments in business) and Balanced (NZD 10 million for 5 years, a mixed portfolio with the possibility of lower-risk instruments). The package of changes also includes a reduction in the investment threshold compared to the previous settings, the removal of the English language requirement, and the relaxation of certain immigration conditions for investors choosing more active investments.
Romanian authorities, as part of a campaign to combat fictitious registration, annulled 162,036 national identity cards (carte de identitate) from the launch of checks in 2023 through December 31, 2025, Romanian media reported, citing data from the Interior Ministry and the General Directorate for Population Records.
According to the statistics provided, 66% of the annulled documents relate to persons whose place of birth is Moldova, 17% to those born in Romania, and 12% to those born in Ukraine. A further 1% each relates to persons born in Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Russia.
As noted, the checks are linked to identifying cases of mass registrations at a single address. According to the authorities, there were situations where more than 22,000 people were registered at one address in Bucharest.
At the same time, the annulment of an identity card due to problems with address registration does not mean deprivation of citizenship; it affects only the document confirming the registered domicile. According to Radio Moldova, about 20% of those whose documents were annulled have already obtained new Romanian documents on legal grounds.
The United States and Ukraine discussed during talks an “ambitious goal” of agreeing on a draft peace agreement with Russia by March 2026, although the timeline could shift due to the lack of agreements on key issues, Reuters reported, citing sources familiar with the course of the consultations.
According to the agency, the framework under discussion envisages putting a possible agreement to a nationwide referendum in Ukraine and holding nationwide elections on the same day. Two Reuters sources said May was discussed as a benchmark, however several interlocutors called such a schedule “fantastic.”
Reuters separately points to practical and legal constraints: holding nationwide elections in Ukraine is prohibited during martial law, and election organizers previously assessed that preparing a vote under current conditions would require about six months and legislative changes. In addition, Kyiv, according to the agency’s sources, insists that a ceasefire regime is needed for the campaign in order to ensure the integrity of the vote.
In parallel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the United States would like to find a solution to end the war “by summer,” and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told Reuters that Kyiv seeks to speed up the negotiation process, calling the U.S. role key to reaching a final agreement.
