Europe Spain A massive counterfeit perfume factory has been dismantled; the plant produced tens of thousands of liters of counterfeit fragrances, imitations of around fifty luxury brands, to be marketed to the rest of Europe via France
Europe Belarus President Lukashenko has extended his congratulations to tennis player Aryna Sabalenka on her victory at the 2026 Brisbane International and her brilliant start to the new tennis season, BelTA reported from the head of state’s press service
Africa Algeria One million sheep will be imported for Eid al-Adha celebrations upon President's decision to support the national livestock market; the minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries will immediately take the necessary actions
Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina Despite the January 9 celebrations being ruled unconstitutional, the Bosnian Serb entity, Republika Srpska, again marked the day with a mass parade in Banja Luka
Africa Mali Redefining environmental decentralization, Malian government adopted two decrees transferring new powers to local authorities in the areas of sanitation, pollution control, and forest and wildlife resource management
Europe Kosovo An investigation into large-scale fraud at the Kosovo Insurance Bureau has resulted in the arrest of 39 people, including two former officials, over allegedly manipulated traffic accident compensation claims
Europe Germany Regional rail traffic was heavily disrupted in northern Germany and long-distance rail services fully suspended due to severe weather; services resumed about 24 hours later after trains were repositioned to their operating locations
Africa Mauritania Mauritania and Senegal signed a parliamentary cooperation protocol in Nouakchott, setting the frame of enhanced collaboration between the two legislative institutions
Asia Singapore Sea-borne robbery cases in the Straits of Malacca and around Singapore have reached their highest level since 2007, raising concerns over maritime security; Authorities warn that more organized gangs and rising ship traffic are often responsible
America Costa Rica A new call for the 2026 Trans-fórmate program has been launched; the initiative has provided free digital training to over 1.550 entrepreneurs and has aimed to boost 135 more small businesses through personalized support and certified courses
Europe Hungary Homeless people need to be taken care of in winter and local governments are in charge, PM Orbán stated, asking whether the Task Force was dealing with the issue and reminding there are plenty of places in homeless shelters
America Chile A high-level meeting to reinforce maritime decarbonization as a long-term State policy has been held, aiming to boost Chile's global leadership in low-emission shipping despite delays in international climate agreements
Asia Cambodia 150 ancient Khmer bronze antiquities will be lent to a travelling exhibition in Henan, China, where they’ll be shown at multiple venues to showcase Khmer artistic heritage; The loans aim to deepen ties with China and highlight Cambodia’s civilisation
Oceania Kiribati Concrete foundation for the Tarawa Kiribati Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was completed before the end of the year, and the work of installing the prefabricated modules is expected to begin in the next few weeks