Europe

There were almost twice as many reports of abuse of children under 14 in Oslo this year as last year, with 104 reports 2021 compared to 55 in 2020

The mayor of Budapest offers HUF 1 million - more than €2.500 - for any evidence of abuse in tenders for the sale of Budapest Municipality assets from his mayoral salary

Riga Zoo opens for annual night walks, allowing a stroll through the zoo, illuminated by hundreds of lights, until 9 pm

In the referendum on independence in New Caledonia, the no vote won again with 96,5%, but over half the voters did not go to the polls, a 50% abstention rate compared to the 14% in the last referendums

Schools in the country are benefiting from a number of ways to stay competitive, including computer programming courses for primary school and touchscreen-enabled laptops for older children

Between October and December, more than 1,5 million tonnes of beet are harvested, feeding a sugar production chain covering 80% of local needs and that is able to survive with massive state support

Aalto University's Startup Center received an honourable mention for its success in adapting to the pandemic at a UBI Global ceremony in Dubai

A man was arrested and then released pending the conclusion of the investigation because he was selling online a Covid kit for €33, so customers could get infected and obtain a green pass avoiding the vaccine

Report by the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture provides strong evidence of the Croatian police's violations against migrants, confirming what NGOs and journalists have long maintained and causing the President's furious reaction

An institute to track the 6 million casualties of World War II will now be officially created; according to government estimates, Germany owes it up to $1 trillion in reparations for the damage and losses it caused

14% of Czechs are completely determined to resist vaccination according to a survey by the STEM agency, with the largest group consisting of people who are not financially secure, with a primary education or in the 18-29 age group

In the South of the country, a reporter filmed a 'mountain of plastic' of Icelandic origin that was never recycled – although consumers and companies in Iceland had paid for it to be so and it probably dates back to 2016

The country's largest solar power plant will be built in the west, with an investment of €60 million; the plant could also become part of the project focusing on green hydrogen production