Europe Spain A political and cultural dispute erupted over Basque regional government's formal request to host Pablo Picasso’s anti-war painting Guernica for 9 months; 2027 marks 90th anniversary of the first Basque government and of the bombing of the town Guernica
Asia South Korea Ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol remains barricaded in his official residence with the Presidential Security Service blocking attempts to arrest him on charges of insurrection and abuse of power; authorities are considering measures to enforce the warrant
America Suriname Suriname's Ministry of Health is set for major transformations in 2025, including a new building, ten more ambulances to enhance emergency response, and a focus on digitizing healthcare services for improved efficiency and accessibility
Asia Indonesia The relocation of civil servants to new capital Nusantara has been delayed due to incomplete housing and missing digital infrastructure; plans to move 12.000 workers by 2024 are postponed with no new timeline, but a full transition is set for 2029
Asia Jordan The volume of goods that entered Syria and Lebanon through Jordan has amounted to 214.000 tonnes in 2024, compared to 150.000 tonnes in 2023; the figure represents a 40% increase of trade activity in the Jordanian-Syrian Joint Free Zone
Asia Cambodia The Crane Rice initiative supports endangered sarus cranes by promoting eco-friendly farming; it reached 120 families and 132 hectares, offering farmers premium rice prices while creating safe crane habitats, balancing conservation and community welfare
America Canada Under growing pressure from his own party, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced he will step down and end his nine-year stretch as party leader when his Liberal Party will choose a new leader and that parliament would be prorogued until 24 March
Asia Nepal In Janakpur, southeast Nepal, many transgender individuals live in hijra gharanas, traditional communities led by a guru; they earn through ceremonial performance but face harassment, inadequate social inclusion, discrimination and limited healthcare
Europe Romania Romania's accession to the US Visa Waiver Program will be made official today, Friday 10 January, during a ceremony at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington
Asia Pakistan Under Pakistan’s Hajj Policy 2025, women can perform Hajj without a male guardian, but with previous written consent from a parent or spouse and in the company of trustworthy female companions
Africa Chad Succès Masra, the president of the opposition party Les Transformateurs, called for "a new transition" in Chad in the aftermath of elections marked by low turnout and accusations of fraud by the opposition
Asia Azerbaijan The Zangezur corridor must and will be opened, noted President Aliyev, and Armenia should not act as a geographical barrier between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, but as an element of peace and cooperation in the South Caucasus instead
Asia Philippines Baguio has launched the 2025 Panagbenga Festival, a month-long celebration showcasing the city’s rich floral heritage; the festival features the Grand Float Parade, street dancing, and “Session Road in Bloom” attracting local and international tourists
America Panama The number of migrants passing through Panama decreased by 42% in 2024, with 302.203 crossing the Darién Gap, down from 520.085 in 2023, attributed to stricter measures, though experts believe this won't address the root causes of migration