Europe

The devotion linked to Medjugorje has been granted Papal approval; the abundant spiritual fruits received at the Sanctuary of the Queen of Peace are recognized, but no declaration is made on the supernatural character of the Marian apparitions

In view of the introduction of the euro, the country is upgrading its services and payment systems to align with the new currency, as indicated in the National Plan

The Barnier government appears to be far from the national unity that was promised by Emmanuel Macron as it is almost evenly split between Renaissance and the right-wing party; only Didier Migaud, in Justice, appears as a social-democratic figure

A new report lists Montenegro among the ten countries in the world where the fewest people separate household waste, along with Albania and Kosovo

As of 1 January 2025, lightweight plastic bags, typically found in rolls in the fruit and vegetable departments of shops or market stalls, will no longer be available for free

The biggest Czech festival of illustration and comics, LUSTR, started at the Holešovice market in Prague; it will last eight days and citizens will have the opportunity to visit exhibitions, presentations and meet illustrators and comic creators in person

The average pre-tax income increased by 6,3% between 2022 and 2023 - the highest annual increase in 30 years - according to data from Danmarks Statistik

Almost all Finnish companies have successfully exited the Russian market: only 0,9% are still in the process of withdrawing, but none of them is actively doing business, a recent survey by the Finnish Chambers of Commerce reveals

Controversial plan to introduce a hate speech law will be dropped as Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the 'hate speech' element of the bill 'does not have a consensus' and will be dealt with at a later date

Norway is the first country where more electric cars than petrol cars circulate, as announced by the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council on the basis of official car registration data: 754.303 registered cars are electric, 753.905 petrol

Primary electors of the Christian Democratic Union, the country's main conservative party, have chosen Friedrich Merz, the current leader of their national party, as their candidate for chancellor in the country's 2025 elections

180.000 new soldiers will be drafted into the Russian army, bringing to 1,5 million the total number of soldiers in service; if confirmed, the decision would make the Russian army the second largest in the world after the Chinese one