Rté - World Report

Countries in the Middle East are looking at Ukrainian startups that have been developing technologies to combat drone attacks. Just four months in, tech companies are already being investigated over the social media ban in Australia. And why India has one of the lowest organ donation rates in the world.

In Tunisia, more than a thousand civilian commercial vessels remain stranded north of the Strait of Hormuz; in France, the sitting socialist mayor of Marseille has fended off a strong challenge from the far-right; and in the UK, the next generation of banknotes from the Bank of England will feature images of wildlife

In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban is fighting his toughest election since returning to power in 2010; in Lebanon, we hear about the hardship civilians and medical workers are enduring amidst yet another war; and in Italy, a bottlenose dolphin is making waves in Venice.

In Lebanon, more than one million have been displaced due to Israeli air strikes and land incursions; In Laos, the Government is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a communist state; and in Vatican City, Michelangelo's masterpiece, The Last Judgement, is set to be cleaned for the first time in 30 years.

In Japan, restrictions may limit the first female Prime Minister; vigilance is required in Tenerife after a cluster of small earthquakes; and a notorious detention centre that housed thousands linked to the so-called Islamic State closes.

In Ukraine, Kharkiv marks the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion; in Cuba, fuel shortages, hyperinflation and mass emigration are placing enormous pressure on residents; and in Turkey, it's the first anniversary of the Kurdish insurgents' decision to abandon violence.

In India, a scourge of toxic air pollution has caused top athletes to withdraw from tournaments in Delhi; the planned refurbishment of the British Houses of Parliament could cost €18bn and force politicians to leave for 20 years; and thousands of Nigerian refugees are returning home from Cameroon.

In Venezuela, the promised release of political prisoners is being closely watched; there is consternation over Donald Trump's threat to prevent a new bridge in Canada; and a deadly police response to arriving migrant boats is making news in the French island of Mayotte

Russian strikes on energy infrastructure in Ukraine leave tens of thousands struggling in freezing winter. In Libya the assassination on Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the former Libyan leader. And an investigation into the murder of an investigative journalist in Slovakia.

In Denmark, Tom Carstensen reports on negotiations underway between the United States, Denmark and Greenland; Isabel Conway reports from the Alps, where the start of the year has seen an increasing number of fatal avalanches; And in Lebanon, Mary Fitzgerald tells us about the closure of the Beirut hotel

Australia's parliament voted for gun reforms and tougher action on hate speech While some European nations have already decided to join US president Donald Trump's controversial Board of Peace, others are still mulling it over A year on from the fall of the Assad regime in Syria the daily life of many Syrian people remains shaped by hardship

Canada plans to create a 300,000 strong civil defence force as the country worries about defense. Drug-related turf wars in Marseille has led to several deaths including some involving children. A setback for the British arms industry which was excluded from an EU financial assistance programme for countries to improve their defence capabilities.

Geopolitical tensions leave the leaders of Central Europe with a delicate balancing act. An uptick of online harassment and abuse against female journalists in Cameroon. Calls for an AI technology designed to protect elephants to be introduced throughout India.

Japan face increasing tensions with China over the status of Taiwan; The Nigerian public has a mixed reaction to an airstrike on their country launched by the US; and relations worsen between the US and Denmark over Greenland.

Thousands of refugees fleeing violence in Mali are sheltering in a makeshift camp in the desert of Mauritania. The UK is planning for at least 100 additional data centres to be constructed by 2030. 15 years on from the Arab spring, Tunisians are marching and even rioting once again.

The US's ICE agency cracks down on the famously liberal sanctuary city of Boston; In Italy, the court case that has captured the nation's attention; and after 14 years of investigations, the Hague is a step closer to bringing Libya's war criminals and human rights abusers to justice.

A year on from the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, questions remain over the country's future; The new prime minister of Czechia faces a difficult balancing act as his new coalition is formed tomorrow; With the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan fractured, India is poised to take advantage

How Kyiv keeps the lights on as the Ukrainian capital faces into a fourth winter of war; Tunisian authorities have recently detained several migrant women, including mothers and babies; and the French government has imposed strict new measures on retailer Shein

This weekend marks a full year of non-stop rallies against the ruling Georgian Dream party in Tbilisi; the centuries old Sarajevo Haggadah in Bosnia has recently become a subject of controversy for some; and major infrastructure projects are underway in Morocco in preparation for the 2030 World Cup

A new danish conscription law introduced this year places young women alongside young men in the military draft; Canada played host to a royal visit from the King and Queen of Sweden; Millions of letters and parcels are arriving late in the UK, as Royal Mail is struggling to meet its delivery targets;