Europe France La Clef, a legendary arthouse cinema in Paris's Latin Quarter, reopened after years of closure a sit-in of its employees and a fundraising involving top directors; a collective of its supporters now runs it on a voluntary basis, with admission by donation
Europe Vatican City The Holy Door of St. Peter's, that Pope Leo closed last of four at the major papal basilicas, was sealed in a solemn rite presided over by Archpriest of St. Peter and the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations marking the last of the Jubilee rites
Europe Switzerland Following the Crans-Montana tragedy, the media coverage, its political relevance, the Swiss have decided to keep a low profile, cancelling some of the events and parties scheduled alongside the Winter Olympics at House of Switzerland in Milan and Cortina
Europe Sweden One of the largest solar storms in 20 years took place yesterday, making the northern lights visible on Earth further south than usual; reports and spectacular photos have been posted from the Gothenburg archipelago and southern Skåne
Europe Hungary With parliamentary elections scheduled for 12 April, latest polls forecast 39% preferences for Orbán’s party, Fidesz, and 51% for the opposition led by MEP Péter Magyar; Orbán involved the global far right in a controversial video advert
Europe Norway Nobel Institute issued a statement on the controversial fact that Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado had given her gold Nobel medal to US President Donald Trump; amid international uproar, the institution said prize and winner are 'inseparable'
Europe North Macedonia Cuts to North Macedonia’s rare diseases programme have alarmed patient organisations; the state program provides therapy for 430 patients, and is set to be cut from 24 million euros to 17,5 million euros in 2026
Europe Albania For many families in Tirana buying an apartment, a realistic goal up to a short time ago, is now unaffordable: wages haven't risen at pace with apartment prices surging up to 5.500 euros sq/m in a market that experts say is distorted by speculation
Europe Czech Republic 935.000 legal foreign workers, 360.000 from Ukraine, were employed in the Czech Republic in 2025, +11% on 2024; despite this, firms still face a shortfall, with the Chamber of Commerce estimating a need for around 250.000 more workers
Europe Malta Malta national waterpolo team players are being investigated for allegedly betting on their own matches at the European Championships; currently in Belgrade for finals, they are suspected of having bet on the goal difference of game against Montenegro
Europe Russia Two maritime patrol aircraft have made a 30-hour Arctic flight, including a mid-air tanking that would account a the first-ever North Pole aerial refueling; for the unique mission, the crews reportedly entered the Book of Records of the Armed Forces
Europe Croatia Political magazine Globus, admired in the 1990s and 2000s for its independent stance, published its last issue in 2025 and will not update its website in 2026; the Croatian weekly suffered shrinking advertising revenue and collapsing print sales
Europe Germany A record 1,4 million affordable apartments are currently lacking in Germany, according to latest study by the Pestel Institute; to correct this deficit by 2030, 400.000 units are needed to be built per year while 200.000 are likely to be built annually