The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine has warned U.S. citizens about a likely large-scale air strike by the Russian Federation within the next 24 hours. The relevant communiqué was published today on the embassy’s official website.
“The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has received information about a possible large-scale air attack that may occur at any moment within the next 24 hours. The Embassy, as always, recommends that U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately take shelter in the event an air alert is announced,” the U.S. Embassy said in its statement.
The Embassy reminded compatriots who are in Ukraine of the necessary steps in the event of an air alert: determine the location of a shelter before an air alert is announced, have a reliable alert application on the phone, and a supply of medicines, water and food. The warning applies to all regions of Ukraine.
The 19th International Documentary Film Festival Beldocs is taking place in the Serbian capital Belgrade — one of the largest documentary film festivals in Europe and the Balkans. This year’s program features more than 100 documentary films, short films, VR projects and interactive formats in 15 program sections.
This year, Beldocs opened with the film Yugo Goes To America — a nostalgic road documentary about friendship and the iconic Yugoslav car Yugo.
A special place in the program is occupied by films from Ukraine and films related to war, emigration, identity and historical memory. Among them is The Last Prometheus of Donbas by Ukrainian director Anton Shtuka. The film tells about the city of Kurakhove and the workers of the power plant who are trying to keep it operating after the start of the war and under the constant threat of shelling. The Serbian premiere of the film is scheduled for May 23 at the Cultural Center of Belgrade, with a meeting with the director planned after the screening.
According to the Telegram channel “Serbian Economist,” the international competition program features the film Imago by director Déni Oumar Pitsaev. The film was shot in France and tells the story of the protagonist’s return to the Pankisi Gorge near the Chechen border, where a personal story is combined with the themes of memory, family, emigration and the search for one’s own place.
Another film in the international competition is Song Without a Home by director Rati Tsiteladze, a co-production of Georgia and the United States. The film tells the story of Adelina, a young trans woman from a Georgian village who, after a long period of isolation, leaves for Vienna in search of freedom and her own identity.
The program also includes Hell’s Army by director Richard Rowley, created with the participation of Ukraine, Syria, Lithuania, the United States and the Central African Republic. It is a documentary film about the activities of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin and the international network of structures connected with mercenary operations.
The Ukrainian theme is also represented by the film Militantropos by directors Yelizaveta Smith, Alina Gorlova and Simon Mozgovyi. According to the Beldocs description, the film captures the state of a person in the reality of war and shows how war changes people’s everyday lives. The Serbian premiere of the film will take place on May 25 at Art Cinema Kolarac.
A separate place in the program is occupied by Barbara Forever by director Brydie O’Connor — a documentary portrait of American filmmaker Barbara Hammer, one of the pioneers of experimental and independent cinema. The film is based on archival materials, audio interviews and the legacy of the author, who made more than 80 films.
For Belgrade, Beldocs is important not only as a cultural event, but also as part of the city’s creative economy. The festival attracts international directors, producers, film critics, distributors and viewers, strengthening the role of the Serbian capital as a regional center of documentary cinema.
Beldocs has been held in Belgrade since 2008 and over this time has become one of the key platforms for documentary cinema in Serbia and the Western Balkans.
The Beldocs program traditionally includes Serbian, international, short film and youth competition sections, as well as special screenings, retrospectives and thematic selections.
In 2026, the 19th edition of the festival is being held. According to the organizers and specialized film publications, the program includes more than 100 documentary films, short films, VR projects and interactive formats, among which 17 world, 4 European, 41 regional and 43 Serbian premieres have been announced. Documentary works from more than 20 countries are participating in the festival.
According to Experts.news, Malta took first place in the ranking of the world’s most valuable passports according to the Nomad Passport Index 2026, compiled by Nomad Capitalist. The country scored 109 points, ahead of Ireland, Greece, and Romania, which tied for second place with 108 points.
Unlike traditional passport rankings, which primarily consider the number of visa-free destinations, the Nomad Passport Index evaluates citizenship more broadly—as a tool for global mobility, tax planning, personal freedom, and international reputation. The methodology uses five criteria: visa-free access, taxation of citizens, the country’s global reputation, the possibility of holding dual citizenship, and the level of personal freedoms.
The top ten of the ranking looks like this: Malta—1st place, Ireland, Greece, and Romania—2nd place, Cyprus—5th place, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Italy, and Bulgaria—6th place, Hungary and the UAE—10th place. Thus, the top of the ranking is dominated by European countries, particularly EU member states, which combine a high level of mobility, the ability to live and work within the single European area, and a relatively strong international reputation.
Malta scored 172 points for travel, 40 points for taxation, and the maximum 50 points for international perception, dual citizenship, and personal freedoms. This balance allowed it to take first place, despite the fact that it lags behind a number of other passports in terms of the number of visa-free destinations.
An interesting feature of the ranking was Romania’s high placement, which tied for second place with Ireland and Greece. Romanian citizenship received 108 points, including 172 points for travel, 40 points for taxation, 40 points for country perception, and top marks for dual citizenship and freedoms.
Singapore, which often ranks first in passport rankings for visa-free access, came in only 20th in the Nomad Passport Index. Its passport has a high travel score of 175, but a low score for dual citizenship limits the overall result. This highlights a key difference in the Nomad Capitalist ranking: it evaluates not only travel freedom but also the practical flexibility of citizenship for globally mobile people.
The U.S. ranked 43rd with 100 points. Despite strong international perception and a high level of mobility, U.S. citizenship receives a low score on the tax criterion, as the U.S. is one of the few countries in the world that taxes its citizens based on citizenship rather than residency alone.
Switzerland has expanded its sanctions lists targeting Russia and Belarus, partially aligning itself with the European Union’s 20th sanctions package, adopted in response to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
According to the Swiss government, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education, and Research expanded the sanctions lists against Russia and Belarus on May 22.
An additional 115 individuals and entities have been subject to the new restrictions. Asset freezes and a ban on the provision of funds are being imposed on them. Individuals are also prohibited from entering Switzerland and transiting through its territory.
The Swiss government specified that the new sanctions apply, in particular, to individuals and organizations linked to the Russian military-industrial complex and the energy sector.
In the trade sector, Switzerland is imposing stricter export controls on an additional 60 companies, including entities in third countries. The aim of this measure is to prevent the supply of critically important goods to the Russian military-industrial complex.
Bern has also adopted some of the EU measures targeting Russia’s “shadow fleet.” The restrictions have been extended to 46 additional vessels, with bans on their purchase, sale, and the provision of services to them. At the same time, in accordance with the EU decision, previously imposed bans on 11 vessels have been lifted.
In addition, Switzerland has imposed a ban on transactions involving two Russian ports and one port in a third country that are used for the transport of Russian petroleum products.
At the same time, Switzerland has not yet included seven companies from a third country, which were mentioned in the EU decisions, on its sanctions list. Bern stated that operational measures are being applied to prevent the circumvention of sanctions.
The final of the All-Ukrainian Boxing Tournament “Kyiv Cup” for the Klitschko brothers’ prizes will take place on May 31 at Stereo Plaza in Kyiv and will be timed to coincide with the celebration of Kyiv Day.
The tournament will be held from May 26 to May 31 and will bring together the strongest boxers from all over Ukraine. On the final day of the competition, spectators will see 15 final bouts featuring the country’s best athletes.
In addition to the final fights, the event program includes a solemn award ceremony for the winners, as well as performances by Ukrainian artists.
Among the honored guests of the event, Volodymyr and Vitali Klitschko, Denys Berinchyk, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Viktor Postol, Serhiy Dzinziruk, Ukrainian and world boxing champions, representatives of the public sector, influencers, artists and other media personalities are expected.
The organizer of the tournament is the Kyiv City Boxing Federation.
“For us, the ‘Kyiv Cup’ is much more than a sports tournament. It is about the strength of Ukrainians, about a character that cannot be broken, and about the young generation of athletes that is already shaping the future of Ukrainian boxing today. We want such events to inspire young people, popularize sports and once again show: Ukraine is a country of strong people. That is why we are glad that the final of the tournament will take place precisely on Kyiv Day,” said Oleksandr Nehoda, president of the Kyiv City Boxing Federation.
Athletes born in 1986-2007 who have a sports qualification not lower than the 1st rank will take part in the tournament. According to the organizers, this will ensure a high level of competition and the spectacular nature of the bouts.
As a result of the tournament, the best boxer will receive a special award — a bronze statuette of the Klitschko brothers. All finalists will also be awarded gifts.
The “Kyiv Cup” for the Klitschko brothers’ prizes is a sports event aimed at the development of Ukrainian boxing, support for young athletes and popularization of a healthy lifestyle in Ukraine.
Tickets for the event are available at the link: https://ticketsbox.com/checkout/554f0ec1104b1bc3110bbab6c526c9b05c122279/
Open4Business is the official information partner of the tournament.
Oleksiy Sobolev, Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture, announced the government’s decision to amend the rules governing exemptions for conscripts at critical enterprises, one of which requires raising the average wage at the enterprise to nearly 26,000 UAH.
According to him, the changes consist of three main components. “The first is raising the requirements for the average wage level. To confirm the status of a critical enterprise and reserve an employee, the wage must be at least three times the minimum wage, which is currently 25,941 hryvnias, or nearly 26,000 hryvnias. However, this change does not apply to frontline territories, for which the requirement remains at the current level—21,600,” Sobolev said during a televised marathon on Friday.
