Heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures have caused major transport disruptions in the Netherlands today. Roads and railways have been closed in many regions, and authorities are warning that the situation is likely to worsen during the day. According to the ANP news agency, more than 450 flights have been cancelled at Schiphol Airport.more

Staff at a major Swedish pharmacy chain are being given paid time off to spend with friends, as Sweden's government calls on businesses to help play a role in tackling loneliness.more

In Paris, from mid-January, foreigners from outside Europe will have to pay more for entrance tickets to the Louvre, the Opera, and the Saint-Chapelle. Similar increases will also be introduced at the Palace of Versailles near Paris and the Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley.more

Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined French aircraft in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS), the UK Ministry of Defence says. "Careful" intelligence analysis led officials to believe the facility was storing arms and explosives, the statement said, and was in mountains just north of Palmyra, an ancient site in central Syria.more

‘The United States has successfully carried out a large-scale attack on Venezuela and its leader Nicolás Maduro, who, along with his wife, has been captured and taken out of the country,’ US President Donald Trump wrote today on Truth Social.more

Around 40 people died and 115 were injured, many seriously, in a fire in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, according to Frederic Gisler, police chief of the canton of Valais, quoted by local media yesterday.more

France and the UK would be willing to send troops to Ukraine to oversee a potential ceasefire, even without an agreement from the UN or the EU. Both countries would be satisfied with an invitation from Kyiv, the German daily Die Welt reported.more

On Tuesday, the Portuguese government announced that it was suspending the implementation of the new Entry/Exit System (EES) at Lisbon Airport. According to the Portuguese authorities, the system, which had been in place since October, was causing frequent disruption to the capital's airport.more

The wealth of the world's 500 richest people increased by a record $2.2 trillion over the past year, reaching $11.9 trillion thanks to gains in the stock, metal, cryptocurrency and other asset markets, according to Bloomberg.more

With the arrival of 2026, Bulgaria became the 21st member of the eurozone, abandoning the lev, which had been in use since the end of the 19th century. Society was divided almost equally between supporters and opponents of this decision, while Bulgarian businesses viewed the change with optimism.more

The New Year's Eve celebrations in Times Square will be particularly festive tonight, according to local media reports. They will combine the traditional New Year's Eve show with the inauguration of the 250th anniversary celebrations of the United States.more

85 per cent of French people – the highest percentage among European countries – believe that the past year has been a bad one for their country. The French are also the most pessimistic about the coming year, with only 41 per cent believing that it will be better for them than 2025.more

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first new-generation obesity drug in tablet form, containing semaglutide. It is expected to go on sale in the US in January 2026. Another drug with a similar effect is expected to be approved in mid-2026.more

The weekly "Economist" cites the predictions of experts from Good Judgment, a company specializing in political and economic forecasts, for 2026. In their assessment, the probability that Russia's war against Ukraine will not end before January 1, 2027, is 74 percent.more

In 2026, the situation in the Ukrainian-Russian war will likely remain similar to what we have been observing for over three years: slow Russian territorial advances will come at the cost of heavy human losses. However, the question remains what next steps Moscow will take towards other countries.more

The U.S. president gets favorable views from only about a third of people who support the parties Trump wants to see win power in France and Germany.more

The Danish postal service PostNord will deliver its last letter today after 400 years of service. The dismantled red mailboxes are being auctioned off for charity.more

Brazil heads into the year’s final days under a blazing sky, as heat tightens its grip on major cities and small towns alike. The latest heatwave has turned the end of December into a stress test for Brazil’s infrastructure, public health systems and daily routines, with weather stations quietly logging numbers that would have sounded unthinkable just a decade ago.more

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke on Sunday evening with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump and European leaders, a spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office in Downing Street said.more

In Rome, where around one million tourists visit during the Christmas and New Year period, one of the biggest attractions is the new Colosseo metro station. The investment, which was completed after 13 years of construction, has been named an archaeo-station because it displays archaeological finds discovered during the works.more

Legendary French actress Brigitte Bardot has died at the age of 91, AFP reported today, citing a statement issued by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. The actress was hailed as an icon of femininity in the 1960s. In recent years, she was a staunch defender of animal rights.more

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hopes that during tomorrow's meeting in Florida with US President Donald Trump, he will convince him of his willingness to compromise on the peace plan, which is to secure American military and intelligence support, according to the Telegraph newspaper.more

The Italian Antitrust Authority has fined Ryanair over €255 million for "abusing its dominant position" in the market. The airline called the fine "bizarre and unfounded" and announced it would appeal.more

This year's Gift of the Year in Sweden is a toy for adults, which can be an advanced construction set, a coloring book or a collectible figurine, announced the Swedish Trade Analysis Institute (HUI).more

New York City sparkled with a record number of Christmas lights, new attractions, and spectacular premieres of festive installations. Almost the entire city transformed into a winter wonderland, delighting residents and numerous tourists.more