- Will the democratic opposition unite after all? After many calls for the democratic forces to come up with one presidential candidate, ex-Defense Minister and leader of the Civic Position party Anatoliy Grytsenko said he wants to discuss joining forces with Lviv Mayor and Samopomich Party leader Andriy Sadoviy and Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, a rock star with political ambitions. However, several months ago Grytsenko told the Kyiv Post he would consider uniting with other forces only if he gets to be the single candidate.
- Key evidence has been presented in court according to which Mykola Martynenko, formerly a top lawmaker from the People’s Front party charged with corruption, is the beneficiary of a Panamanian firm that is suspected of receiving kickbacks for government contracts.
- Ukraine came another step closer to the creation of the High Anti-Corruption Court, the key agency expected to help the country’s fight against graft. The Public Council of International Experts (PCIE), a foreign expert panel, picked the candidates for the court that it wants to veto – they are 47 out of 113 candidates.
- Following the example of several European nations, Ukraine criminalized domestic violence and sex without consent. The legislation was approved at the end of 2017, but only came in force now.
- A blast injured one person at a shopping mall in Kyiv. A smoke bomb exploded as a repair worker tried to use it to check fire alarm, according to police. In Kharkiv, a shopping pavilion under construction collapsed, injuring three people.
- Meanwhile, a fire took place at a chemical factory in Kalush, in western Ukraine.
- One Ukrainian received minor injuries in the blast in Paris on Jan. 12. The man stayed in the hotel across the road from the bakery that suffered a gas explosion.
- Since 2016, the Ukrainian advertising market has been rebounding, with digital media showing the most promise. Read our annual overview of the advertising market in Ukraine.
- Ukrainian government reported increased trade turnover between Ukraine and India in January-October 2018 – it amounted to $2.3 billion, of which $1.5 billion was sunflower oil.
- Ending the Daily Digest with some good news here: Kyiv Post offers a 24 percent discount on a one-year online subscription in celebration of the newspaper’s 24th year. The discount brings the price down to $45 from the regular $60.
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