Europe Norway 100 years ago the name of the Norwegian capital was officially changed to the original 'Oslo', dating back to the end of the Viking Age and the foundation of the city in 1024; it had been renamed Christiania in 1624, then altered to Kristiania until 1925
Oceania Micronesia The FSM will receive the official visit of India's Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, from 14-21 January 2025
Oceania Samoa Ferry services between the islands resumed after halts due to bad weather that brought strong winds and high waves; many travellers between Upolu and Savaii were stranded for up to two days
Asia Saudi Arabia The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has launched an initiative to raise environmental awareness and showcase the reserve's biodiversity and achievements, especially to sports enthusiasts
Oceania Palau Faced with what law enforcement officials described as a drug crisis, President Surangel Whipps Jr. identified the fight against illegal drugs as a top priority, pledging to toughen penalties for related crimes and offenders
Africa Nigeria The nation's prolonged insecurity poses a serious threat to achieving the sustainable development goals of zero hunger in the country by 2030: USD 4,9 billion per year would be needed to do so
Asia Oman Royal directives have been issued for names of national and main roads in Oman; His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik also addresses nation on his Accession Day 11 January, the day he assumed power in the Sultanate in 2020
Africa Rwanda Rwanda's Minister of Infrastructure, Jimmy Gasore, announced the government's plan to phase out non-electric motorbikes in Kigali, as part of its efforts to promote environmental sustainability
Europe Romania 2024 was the hottest year in the history of Romania weather records, with an average annual temperature of 12,99 degrees Celsius, a thermal deviation of 2,71 degrees Celsius compared to the 1991-2020 average
America Saint Lucia The Taiwan Embassy is accepting applications for the 2025 MOFA and the 2025 Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund Scholarships that allow Saint Lucian students to pursue Undergraduate, Master’s, or Doctoral Degrees in Taiwan universities
Asia Qatar The Warif Academy has been launched: it is the first government academy of its kind for students with multiple disabilities in Qatar, upon initiative of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, in cooperation with the Qatar Foundation
Africa Republic of the Congo An avenue and six streets in Moungali, in the 4th arrondissement of Brazzaville, now bear the names of seven of the Red Devils, champions of Africa 1972, when, by beating Mali, the country won its first African soccer championship title
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC banned the satellite news network al-Jazeera because it made and broadcasted an interview with the leader of a rebel group that recently took over territory in the east of the country
Africa Seychelles It has been announced that the country's best male and female athletes who performed admirably during the 2024 sports season will receive their awards at a ceremony scheduled for Saturday, 15 February 2025