Europe Kosovo For the first time ever, Kosovo and Serbia met in Brussels to discuss the fate of people who disappeared during the 1998-1999 Kosovo war; joint commission has been agreed within the framework of the Declaration on Missing Persons
Europe Russia The first prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine in 2025 took place: 25 Ukrainian civilians and military personnel and 25 Russian soldiers were freed
Asia South Korea SK’s space program, part of the Lunar Codex, is sending 11 traditional sijo poems, including Kim Dal-ho’s “Dream of a Meteor” and Koo Choong-hoe’s “To the Moon,” to the moon via Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander, set to reach the Mare Crisium in March
Africa Liberia The Minister of Finance and Development Planning described the World Bank as 'Liberia's largest multilateral partner', emphasising its key role in post-conflict recovery and ongoing development efforts
America Trinidad and Tobago As the dry season officially started on 14 January, Water and Sewerage Authority has reminded the public to be conservative in using water, saying it is crucial for citizens to adopt sustainable practices to ensure a reliable supply of pipe-borne water
Asia Bangladesh Local authorities opened criminal proceedings against British Treasury Minister Siddiq, allegedly abusing her position as an MP to gain influence and illegally acquire land together with her aunt Hasina, the ousted prime minister; Ms. Siddiq resigned
Africa Lesotho Major Bokang Melato, Defence Force Youth Development Programme coordinator, urged the government to invest in the armed forces to ensure the nation's progress
Asia Kazakhstan Although families continue to cherish marriage traditions, a recent survey from Kazakh Institute for Public Development show that expensive marriages and outdated practices, such as the abduction of brides, have decreased significantly
Asia Vietnam Sa Đéc’s Flower Festival in Đồng Tháp province celebrates its heritage with displays of flowers, ornamental plants, and local goods; open until January 21, the festival strengthens its identity as the “City of Flowers"
Asia Malaysia Kedah state will mandate the inclusion of Jawi script on all billboards, effective immediately, to preserve the traditional Malay-Arabic script, reflecting the state’s cultural heritage; businesses must incorporate Jawi alongside existing scripts
Europe Liechtenstein The new grid usage tariff model, effective from 1 January 2025, is already attracting criticism, with grid usage tariffs being described as 'a punishment' for owners of photovoltaic systems
Asia Singapore App stores must implement age verification by March 31 to block under-18 users from adult content, like dating platform; the decision comes amid growing global concerns over online safety, pushing stricter measures to protect minors from harmful content
Africa Mozambique Frelimo party candidate Daniel Chapo was sworn in as the new president during a ceremony in the capital, becoming the fifth president of Mozambique since the country's independence from Portugal in 1975
Europe Monaco The Centre Scientifique de Monaco officially appointed Sylvie Tambutté, a distinguished marine biologist known for groundbreaking research on coral calcification and the challenges they face in the era of climate change, as its new scientific director