Asia China The World Humanoid Robot Games, world's first Olympic-style event, took place in Beijing in a venue built for 2022 Olympics; in the opening ceremony robots danced and played music and 500 androids competed in 26 sports, from 400m sprint to table tennis
Oceania Samoa Ferry services between the islands resumed after halts due to bad weather that brought strong winds and high waves; many travellers between Upolu and Savaii were stranded for up to two days
Europe Belgium The Flemish regional government will fully reimburse the costs of asbestos removal in schools, announced Flemish Minister of Education Zuhal Demir
Europe Albania New regulations will allow Albanians living outside the country to cast postal ballots in the May parliamentary elections – a change long sought by most parties as well as called for by the diaspora
Africa Burundi 50 postgraduate students pursuing a master's degree at the University of Burundi were awarded a scholarship by the Chinese ambassadors, calling the initiative 'a strong sign of international solidarity and a strategic investment'.
Asia Georgia A fact-finding mission to Tbilisi will be conducted by the Assembly of Council of Europe on 14-16 Jan to assess Georgia's compliance with obligations and commitments as member state of Council of Europe upon political crisis and suspension of negotiations
Europe Andorra The start of negotiations on the Andorran Health Service (SAAS) collective agreement continues to be postponed due to the provisional situation of the SAAS works council, awaiting renovation; backlog at negotiating table already amounts to almost 2 months
America Dominican Republic Business unions express concern over Senate approval of an amendment to the Integrated Management and Co-Processing of Solid Waste Act, saying there was no adequate public consultation and fair representation in discussions by the productive sectors
Europe Poland After Poland granted Israel PM Netanyahu access to the 80th commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz, the EU called on all member states to cooperate with the International Criminal Court, which had issued an arrest warrant for war crimes
Europe Hungary 2024 was the second most successful year in the history of the Hungarian economy in terms of stimulating investment, with 4 trillion forints (€9,6 billion), announced the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Europe Belarus A ceremony presided by President Lukashenko marked the transition of Minsk's water supply system to underground artesian wells
Africa Comoros The reforms of the Comoros Broadcasting Office include measures on wages, redundancies and initiatives to improve working conditions; they have been outlined by the new Directorate General
America Barbados Barbados will face environmental and commercial risks if invasive pests infiltrate the island due to loopholes in import protocols, officials have warned; agriculture manager Michael James urged residents to follow the proper channels for importation
Europe Bulgaria Encroachments in Bulgarian forest areas decreased by over 60% in 2024 compared to 2023, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Food; 631.000 inspections were carried out in 2024