Europe Germany Local wine industry is facing its worst crisis in decades with -41% of domestic market share, even as growers say 2025 vintage is a harvest of exceptional quality: bulk wine prices are far below production costs and vineyards could be lost as a result
Europe Latvia 85 cruise ships with 115.500 passengers have docked in the Port of Riga in the 2025 cruise season, +43% more than last year; the cruise segment in the Port of Riga is expected to grow with 98 cruise ships registered for 2026 and over 100 in 2027
Europe Kosovo Voters in Kosovo go to the polls today 28 December for the second time in 2025, after ten months of stalemate in parliament – amid hopes that political parties are toning down the overt animosity
Europe Germany Churches are being decommissioned and repurposed as the number of church members in Germany is falling rapidly; in Berlin growing Orthodox Christian congregations have taken over buildings, but they are more often sold
Europe Belarus The Palace of Independence opened its doors to participants of the traditional New Year's Eve Ball for young people, part of the run up to 2026; the event saw the participation of over 350 young dancers and was attended by President Lukashenko
Europe North Macedonia A 100 million euros investment in energy sector has been signed; agreements plan the realization of photovoltaic power plant "Bitola 3" and revitalization of hydropower plants
Europe Austria Inheritances in cryptocurrencies are becoming more frequent and questions for heirs and notaries raise; it is estimated that about 300.000 people own cryptos in Austria, but data is difficult to find also due to very low tax compliance
Europe Luxembourg Grand Duke Guillaume urges solidarity in his first Christmas address, paying tribute to Ukrainians, volunteers and frontline workers, calling for compassion amid rising living costs and global instability
Europe Lithuania A man in Vilnius is imparting a life lesson to his children choosing the 'ugliest' Christmas tree from the market on Žirmūnų Street, wanting his sons to see that it is not always necessary to pick the shiniest or seemingly perfect option
Europe Russia In Tiksi, Yakutia, the thermometer dropped to -56°C, the lowest temperature currently recorded in a populated area, and it could drop further as a snowstorm has paralyzed the village for three days burying streets and house entrances
Europe Liechtenstein The Vaduz School Children's Council held its first meeting of the school year: commitment and responsibility of the youngest inhabitants of the capital were described as impressive
Europe Spain Small firms and self-employed workers will have additional time to adjust to the new Treasury-designed invoicing system Verifactu; under the revised timetable companies will have until 1 January 2027 to comply, while freelancers' deadline would be July
Europe Netherlands Dutch farmers are disappointed over the fact that they will not receive a new exemption from EU manure regulations; the request was denied after the Netherlands benefited for years from a special exemption on the amount of manure farmers could apply