Russia's military casualties in Ukraine have reached approximately 1.2 million, exceeding losses of any major power since World War II, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The report, released this week, stated that Russia has paid an "extraordinary price for minimal gains" in the conflict.
The CSIS report indicated that the 1.2 million figure includes both killed and wounded soldiers. The number is roughly equivalent to the population of Brussels.
In other news, India's logistics firm Shadowfax experienced a rocky market debut on Wednesday, with shares falling 9% from the initial offer price of ₹124 to ₹112.60. TechCrunch reported that investors were concerned about the company's reliance on a small number of large e-commerce clients. Shadowfax raised approximately ₹19.07 billion (about $208.24 million) in its IPO. The debut valued the Bengaluru-based company at roughly ₹64.7 billion (about $706.58 million), matching its last private valuation from early 2025. Founded in 2015, Shadowfax operates as a third-party logistics provider.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, hundreds of torchbearers gathered on the Shetland Islands on Tuesday for the Up Helly Aa festival, Europe's largest fire festival. Euronews reported that the participants, heavily disguised, marched through the town of Lerwick holding burning torches, culminating in the burning of a Viking-style galley. The festival, which originated in the 1880s, marks the end of the Yule season.
The eastern United States was gripped by bitter cold, with ice forming on rivers. On January 27, ice was seen floating along New York's East River, with snow-covered areas of the city providing a backdrop. According to Euronews, the New York City Ferry suspended its service on Tuesday afternoon due to thick layers of ice and warned that it may be closed for several days. The cold weather across the eastern half of the United States was expected to intensify on Friday, as the storm has killed at least 30 people.
In the tech world, an open-source AI assistant called Moltbot, formerly Clawdbot, has gained significant traction, reaching over 69,000 stars on GitHub in a month. Ars Technica reported that the tool, created by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger, allows users to run a personal AI assistant and control it through messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. While praised for its proactive communication, Moltbot currently poses serious security risks.
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