Foreign direct investment (FDI) into China’s economy fell by 10.3% year-over-year in January–April, to 287.69 billion yuan ($42 billion), according to the Ministry of Commerce.
The manufacturing sector attracted 78.9 billion yuan, while the services sector attracted 204.2 billion yuan. Notably, investment in high-tech industries rose by 20.3% to reach 166.3 billion yuan.
Luxembourg more than doubled its FDI (by 110.3%), Switzerland increased it by 60.8%, France by 58.3%, and the U.S. by 24.5%, according to data from the ministry cited by Xinhua News Agency.
In January–April, 20,113 new enterprises with foreign capital were registered in China, which was 6.8% higher than the figure for the same period in 2025.
As reported, FDI for 2025 fell by 9.5% to 747.7 billion yuan.
Revenue from the tourist tax collected by local budgets from January through April 2026 reached 112 million UAH, which is 13.1% higher than the figure for the same period last year, according to the State Tax Service of Ukraine (STS).
A post on the agency’s website notes that the regional leaders were Kyiv, which previously topped the ranking, and Lviv Oblast (22.5 million UAH each). The highest revenues among the regions were also recorded in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (18.8 million UAH) and Zakarpattia Oblast (10.3 million UAH).
The STU emphasized that revenue from the tourist tax remains entirely at the disposal of local communities, allowing them to independently finance key development projects. The funds are directed toward infrastructure modernization, the development of recreational areas, the financing of information centers for travelers, and the restoration of historical monuments.
The tourist tax is not paid by local residents of the community or individuals renting housing there on a long-term basis; individuals on business trips (provided they have an order or certificate); individuals with disabilities, war veterans, and participants in the cleanup of the Chernobyl accident; children under 18; individuals who have arrived on medical treatment vouchers to sanatoriums; and those registered as internally displaced persons (IDPs).
In today’s environment, every hryvnia paid in tourist tax helps regions maintain economic stability, create new jobs in the service sector, and enhance the competitiveness of domestic tourism.
The tourist tax is paid by Ukrainian citizens, foreigners, and stateless persons as an advance payment prior to temporary accommodation in lodging facilities (hotels, hostels, guesthouses).
Tax agents are business entities that provide temporary accommodation services (hotels, hostels, vacation homes, etc.); they transfer the collected funds to the local budget. A list of such agents is published on local council websites.
The tax rates are set by local councils at up to 0.5% of the minimum wage for Ukrainian citizens and up to 5% for foreigners per day of stay.
As reported, on April 14, the main offices of the State Tax Service in the Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi regions signed a memorandum of partnership regarding the administration of the tourist tax with the Kamianets-Podilskyi, Khotyn, Kytayhorod, and Staroushytsia communities.
According to the Interfax-Ukraine Culture project, Lviv-based sound engineer Volodymyr Punko received a Latin Grammy statuette for his work on the album Y El Canto de Todas, becoming the first Ukrainian sound engineer to win this award. The winner announced this on his Facebook page.
“It is an honor for me to say that I am the first sound engineer in Ukrainian history to receive such an award,” Volodymyr noted.
In the comments on the sound engineer’s post, friends, colleagues, and followers congratulated him on this historic victory, calling the award a well-deserved recognition of his many years of professional work and talent. Users wrote that they were proud of the Ukrainian’s achievement on the international stage, wished him new creative successes, and noted that Ukraine’s first Latin Grammy statuette in the field of sound engineering is a significant milestone for the entire Ukrainian music industry and further proof of its presence on the global cultural map.
The award was given for his participation in the creation of the album by Spanish guitarist Rafael Serrallet, recorded together with the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Lviv National Philharmonic under the direction of conductor Serhiy Khorovets. The album won in the “Best Instrumental Album” category.
According to the sound engineer, he was responsible for the entire sound production process—from recording to final mastering—working to combine orchestral precision with musical expressiveness.
The project brought together the musical traditions of Latin America, Spain, and academic symphonic performance. The album features orchestral interpretations of works by Latin American female composers, with the guitar playing a central role. The Latin Grammy Awards ceremony took place earlier in Las Vegas, though Punko himself was not present at the ceremony and received his award later.
The Latin Grammy Awards are one of the most prestigious international music awards, presented by The Latin Recording Academy for achievements in Latin American music.
https://interfax.com.ua/news/culture/1170688.html?utm_source=telegram
According to the Interfax-Ukraine Culture project, the 79th Cannes Film Festival has concluded in France, with the jury announcing the winners of the main competition program. The top prize—the “Palme d’Or”—went to the film Fjord by Romanian director Cristian Mungiu. This is the director’s second victory at Cannes following his triumph in 2007, reports the French publication Le Monde.
“This year has once again shown that cinema remains a way to talk about society, fears, and coexistence even in times of global tension,” Mungiu said during the awards ceremony.
The film “Fjord” marks the director’s English-language debut. The film tells the story of a Romanian family that moves to Norway and finds itself at the center of a conflict after social services intervene due to allegations of child neglect. The film explores the clash between traditional values and the modern European model of society. Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve starred in the lead roles.
The festival’s second most prestigious award—the Grand Prix—went to the film “Minotau” by Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev.
The Jury Prize went to the film The Dreamed Adventure by director Valeska Grisebach.
The jury split the award for Best Director between Paweł Pawlikowski for the film Fatherland and the creative duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrosi for the film The Black Ball.
Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto were named Best Actresses of the festival for their roles in the film All of a Sudden. The award for Best Actor was shared by Emmanuel Makia and Valentin Campagne for their work in the film Coward. The prize for Best Screenplay went to Emmanuel Marr for the film A Man of His Time.
This year’s festival took place against a backdrop of discussions about the role of cinema in times of war, political turbulence, and social change—these themes were among the key ones in the competition program.
https://interfax.com.ua/news/culture/1170680.html
