Asia Malaysia Severe monsoon floods hit Malaysia and southern Thailand, with over 30 casualties and 150.000 displaced; hardest-hit areas include Kelantan and Terengganu, with entire towns submerged and thousands missing as six months’ worth of rain fell in five days
Asia Saudi Arabia Over 75% of the world's landmass is drying up permanently, according to a report released at the UN summit in Riyadh on combating desertification
Asia Israel Netanyahu, indicted in 2019, is Israel’s first sitting prime minister to be charged with a crime and must testify three times a week; he took the witness stand for the first time on 10 December 2024 in his long-running corruption trial, denying charges
Asia India Dockworkers have called for an indefinite strike starting on 17 December if the government fails to implement wage revisions and productivity schemes before 15; approximately 18.000 workers could potentially paralyse operations at the 12 state-owned ports
Asia Azerbaijan Another 48 families were relocated to the country’s liberated Shusha city as part of the Great Return State Program; around 30.000 people now live in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, mainly former internally displaced persons and workers in various sectors
Asia Bahrain The 20th IISS Manama Dialogue took place on 6–8 December 2024; promoted by the International Institute of Strategic Studies it brings together ministers, policy- and decision-makers to share the most pressing regional security issues and response policies
Asia Singapore Volunteers in Singapore distribute 28.000 loaves of surplus bread weekly to the needy through Food from the Heart’s Bread Run initiative; partnering with over 100 bakeries, the program reduces food waste and supports 5.500 beneficiaries
Asia Lebanon Two art galleries reopened after the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on 27 November: 'as long as we can work, we will,' said a spokesman for Sfeir-Semler Gallery
Asia Sri Lanka Sri Lanka has secured a place among the top ten countries that have shown the most progress in combating money laundering and terrorist financing, as evidenced by the 13th Basel AML/CFT Index 2024
Asia Oman All citizens and residents are asked to exchange obsolete banknotes before the 31 December deadline, in order to streamline the circulation of the national currency and align with updated monetary policies
Asia Tajikistan Over 35% of foreign trade is currently conducted with the 10 member countries of Economic Cooperation Organisation: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
Asia Syria An offensive by Syrian armed groups that started in Idlib province in the north of the country prompted other groups and individual civilians to rebel against Bashar al Assad's dictatorship, toppling it in just 11 days
Asia Armenia Sincerely interested in normalizing relations with Turkey, Armenia believes that this can positively affect the rapprochement processes with Azerbaijan as well, Deputy FM said at a panel discussion during the Manama Dialogue 2024 international forum