Asia Iraq Over 600 pilgrims were briefly hospitalised with respiratory problems after inhaling chlorine resulting of a leak at a water treatment station on the route between the two Shia holy cities of Najaf and Karbala
Asia Syria An arrest warrant against ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad on suspicion of complicity in war crimes has been issued by two French examining magistrates; it's the second such move ever by French judicial authorities
Asia Israel Israel's military chief Lt Gen Herzi Halevi has resigned, admitting in a letter that the Israel Defense Forces had "failed in its mission to protect the citizens of Israel" on 7 October 2023, when Hamas carried out the attack that triggered the Gaza war
Africa Tanzania An outbreak of Marburg virus disease was declared after one case was confirmed and 25 more suspected cases identified in the Kagera region of north-western Tanzania
America Dominica Dominica is now mentioned in the BBC list of 25 places to visit in 2025 with a special focus on sustainable travel
Europe Bulgaria In December, registered unemployment in Bulgaria reached a record low, falling below 150.000 for the first time, marking a registered unemployment rate of 5,23%
Asia Azerbaijan The consortium led by Saudi Arabian ACWA Power has won the tender to build a seawater desalination plant in Baku, considered a major step forward for water security and infrastructure development
Africa Ivory Coast Construction work has begun on a new football technical center, fully funded by the International Football Federation's Forward Fund, to strengthen the base of Ivorian soccer
Asia Kazakhstan The country is among the most likely candidates to host the qualifying tournament for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, said the president of the International Weightlifting Federation
Europe Croatia In the face of sharply rising food prices, a grassroots movement is calling for a nationwide boycott of chain shops and supermarkets on Friday 24 January
Oceania Australia Tennis Australia has relied on animation to illustrate its Australian Open YouTube feed, replacing players with AI-powered animated avatars, a practice inaugurated in 2024
Europe Belgium According to a new report by the Belgium Court of Auditors, the Belgian court system's long-running project to digitize paper documents is not going as planned
Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development invested €213 million in 23 developing projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2024, with a focus on green energy, sustainability, and transport connectivity projects with neighboring countries
Africa Seychelles The Confucius Institute of the University of Seychelles hosted an afternoon celebration of the Chinese Spring Festival to welcome the lunar new year that will take place on January 29