World Report

Syrian prisons used during the al Assad regime are being revisited by former detainees trying to process the cruel treatment they suffered there. In India the worlds largest religious festival is winding down in the city of Prayagraj, and in Denmark mink farming returns to the country after millions of animals were culled during the Covid pandemic.

In Tunisia human rights abuses have prompted a review of EU funding. In Australia it has been another exhausting week for firefighters battling wildfires in the state of Tasmania and in France wine producers are raising concerns about tariffs, climate change and lower consumption amoung young people.

In Togo, 14 people, including an Irish citizen, accused of taking part in demonstrations against the Togolese regime are sentenced to ten years in prison. In the UK a plan to phase out diesel/ petrol vehicles by 2030 has raised alarm in the automotive industry, and Nigeria's government increases telecommunications tariffs on calls and data to 50%.

The killing of an eight-year-old girl in Turkey last year became a national scandal, but her family members' trial, who were responsible, has disappointed many. India is refusing to comply with Bangladesh's request to extradite former Prime Minister Sheik Hasina. The German city of Chemnitz is celebrating as it becomes European Capital of Culture.

Indigenous communities in Honduras are coping with intense storms and hurricanes due to deforestation and climate change. In Denmark discussions are to take place with Donald Trump over the future of the Arctic region, and in Italy a priest in Bari could face manslaughter charges over the death of a newborn baby left at his church in early January.

Relations between Ukraine and Slovakia have deteriorated sharply in recent weeks, in a dispute over supplies of Russian gas to Central Europe. Along the Mexico-US border - migrant shelters are preparing for mass deportations ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump and in Australia a federal inquiry is examining the closure of live music venues.

Canada will soon have a new Prime Minister after the resignation of Justin Trudeau. A number of Nordic countries have begun creating domestic contingency plans in case of war, and in Italy authorities in Rome have drawn up plans to charge a fee for visiting the Trevi Fountain.

Donald Trump's idea of buying Greenland has stirred up questions on geopolitics, sovereignty, & the island’s future. In Argentina, President Javier Milei has brought radical change: slashing state spending by a third, and removing vital subsidies for energy costs, transport and groceries. In Mexico, researchers are trying to save rare salamanders.

Deadly turf wars and drive-by shootings linked to the drugs trade are spreading in France. In India an 81-year-old bridge is in the news because the Indian government has roped in the same British firm for maintenance which had designed it, and in Australia 94,000 Irish born people will be hoping for sunshine and clear skies for the festive season.

A recent attack on a military base in Chad, which resulted in the deaths of 40 soldiers, has been blamed on Boko Haram. In Estonia the government is moving to restrict non-citizens from voting in local elections. In Tenerife holidaymakers are being encouraged to look beyond the beaches… to visit the volcanic landscapes and UNESCO heritage sites.