Europe

UK's Stock Exchange index FTSE 100 on the first trading session of 2026 ended higher than the 10.000 points mark for the first time, on a wave of optimism driven by AI boom lifting sentiment and global markets

Asterion Industrial Partners, a European investment firm for infrastructure, has informed Portugal’s Competition Authority of its acquisition plans for the PT Data Centre in Covilhã, belonging to Altice Portugal, at an expected price of €120 million

Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, 52, who in 2018 made public she’d been diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis, may need to undergo a lung transplant, for which the national hospital is preparing

Tax and price changes that came into force in 2026 affecting consumers, income taxation and social support include a rise in prices of tobacco, nicotine products, and alcohol, while minor relief is expected in food, fuel and medical costs

Despite political tensions sparked by corruption cases involving high profile personalities, the new chief of anti-graft prosecution in Albania announces a tough approach to guarantee that “no one is above the law”

According to Ticket – the largest private travel agency in the Nordics – the US is the only top-ten country where travel bookings are declining for 2026, -21% on 2025; figures could change ahead of this summer's planned World Cup in the country

The Order of the Falcon, Iceland's highest national honor established in 1921 and awarded twice a year, has been confered on fourteen Icelanders on New Year’s Day; for the first time the Office of the President announced number of recipients in advance

Dozens of patients were treated on New Year's Eve in Skopje for injuries sustained from accidents, falls, fireworks, alcohol and firearms, but no traffic accidents were recorded in town probably thanks to the Safe City system

New fares for public transport in Paris are taking effect today, impacting one of the most extensive and reliable networks; the average +2,3% hike includes Metro-Train-RER tickets, Bus-Tram tickets, airport tickets, the Navigo Week and Month passes

Despite concern pervading the business community in 2025, for reasons that include tariffs, increasing inflation, rising unemployment, higher pension contributions, warnings about profitability, sentiment for 2026 is resilient and even positive

The number of families waiting for social housing in Brussels Region has risen from 50.000 to over 59.000 in one year; waiting time for securing social housing in the capital ranges from nine to thirteen years, depending on the type of housing requested

Russia's main stock market index, the MOEX, rose to 2765 points on yesterday 30 December 2025; over the past month the index has climbed 2,92%, though it remains 2,23% lower than a year ago, according to benchmark index trackings from Russia