Asia Bahrain 394.000 visitors have been registered in state-run heritage sites in January-August 2026, with the Bahrain Fort accounting for 246.409, nearly two thirds of the total, and foreign visitors prevailed with the presence of 187.567 people
Africa Republic of the Congo The Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo are facing the worst flooding since 1961, caused by heavy seasonal rains reinforced by the effects of the climate emergency, with hundreds of casualties and millions of dollars' worth of damage
Africa Namibia The country criticised Germany's decision to intervene in favor of Israel before the ICJ; President Hage Geingob called for reconsideration of German involvement, citing the historical context of its 2021 recognition of the genocide in Namibia (1904-1908)
Europe Netherlands The country should aim for a total population of 19/20 million in 2050, thus having 'moderate growth', as Staatscommissie Demografische Ontwikkelingen believes this will allow to have enough housing, healthcare and education and to promote quality of life
Oceania Nauru The country has announced it is severing diplomatic relations with Taiwan and will recognise China, becoming Taipei's first diplomatic ally to switch to Beijing following the weekend's presidential election
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of Congo's ruling party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, headed by President Felix Tshisekedi, won a majority of seats in the December parliamentary elections and can therefore form a government
America Ecuador A state of emergency was declared in response to a prison crisis marked by the escape of narco leader "Fito", unleashing severe riots in six prisons; President Noboa has rejected negotiation with the "narcoterrorists" and has deployed military support
Africa Cape Verde The country has been declared malaria-free by WHO; PM Ulisses Correia e Silva welcomed this achievement, emphasising its importance for tourism as it removes a constraint on mobility, it eliminates a perception and it strengthens health confidence
Europe Moldova Over 5.500 books were donated by hundreds of people as part of the 'Library Under the Christmas Tree' initiative, launched by the government for the second year running; the donated books will reach kindergartens and school libraries across the country
Asia Kyrgyzstan A new bus station was inaugurated in Bishkek at the intersection of the ring road and Alma-Ata Street to relocate the eastern bus station; it is served by minibuses that transport citizens to the different regions
Oceania Nauru The island's main phosphate mines were closed in the 1980s, although phosphate mining and exports resumed in 2005; the government estimates that the secondary deposits have a remaining life of about 30 years, but the island's landscape has been devastated
America Brazil Western donors to the Amazon Fund have warned Brazil against using it to pave a major road in the rainforest; the German government, the fund's second-biggest donor, stated that supporting such a project is against the fund's rules
Asia Kuwait The Health Minister issued two decisions to add chemicals to the list of controlled drugs and psychotropic substances, as part of ongoing efforts to combat drug abuse and regulate their use and trafficking in accordance with international standards
Asia Qatar Delivery motorcycle riders not using the right lane of the road will be penalized or fined from today 15 January, 2024