Asia Georgia The EU annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World noted “severely curtailed” human rights in Georgia, reduced bilateral political contacts and dialogue between Brussels and Tbilisi amid “significant democratic backsliding”
America Cuba The Cuban government announced the gradual release of 553 prisoners in response to a direct appeal by Pope Francis in a decision tied to the Catholic Church's Jubilee Year 2025
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 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
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
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
Africa Senegal French colonial names will be removed from public buildings, which will be renamed in honour of local historical figures, announced President Bassirou Diomaye Faye
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%
America Trinidad and Tobago Following a weekend of violence which took the islands’ murder total to 623 in a year, the Trinidad and Tobago authorities on 13 January extended the nationwide state of emergency for a further three months, with no curfew nor restrictions on gatherings
Africa South Sudan Following attacks on businesses and homes owned by people from Sudan, President Salva Kiir has called for calm and urged citizens not to take the law into their own hands; a nationwide night curfew was imposed to try to bring tensions under control
Africa Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré has banned the wearing of British and French colonial-style wigs by judges, a highly symbolic move that reflects the intention of decolonising Burkina Faos's judicial system
Europe Albania The country has given preliminary approval to one of Donald Trump's family's two major projects in the country: a luxury resort on Sazan Island; the project can proceed to the next stage, namely the environmental impact assessment
Asia China For months, over 500 self-driving taxis have been roaming the streets of the city of Wuhan, in what is the world's largest experiment with self-driving cars
Africa Nigeria Nigeria has been accepted as a BRICS partner country, becoming the ninth country to join it; the Brazilian government, which currently holds the bloc's rotating presidency, made the official announcement