Europe Serbia Chinese and Russian companies have contributed in drafting Serbia’s mining regulations, now adopted by Parliament, raising concerns among non-governmental organizations, citizens and experts that say the practice could hide concessions
America United States National Guard troops will not be deployed in Illinois following a Supreme Court decision that left in place a ruling by a federal judge in Chicago: the justices turned down government’s request in what is its second loss before a court in four days
Africa Sao Tome and Principe Women from various districts of São Tomé and Príncipe will be prepared to mediate tensions before the 2026 elections: they took part in a workshop dedicated to the prevention and management of conflicts during election periods
Africa Tunisia Tunisia has been included in the EU's provisionally approved list of safe countries that will allow fast-tracking asylum application rejections; critics from rights groups say it includes states accused of human rights abuses and political instability
America Belize A $500.000 fast-track residency program for foreign investors has been approved to attract capital and simplify bureaucracy, while maintaining its retirement visa scheme for older individuals with foreign income
Asia Yemen The International Committee of the Red Cross has welcomed the preliminary agreement reached between Yemen’s warring parties to release detainees held in connection with the conflict, while announcing its readiness to support and facilitate the process
America Bolivia Bolivia has authorized Starlink, OneWeb, and Kuiper to operate after years of restrictions, aiming to improve digital access and replace its outdated Chinese satellite amid efforts to attract tech investment and recover from an economic crisis
Europe Luxembourg Grand Duke Guillaume urges solidarity in his first Christmas address, paying tribute to Ukrainians, volunteers and frontline workers, calling for compassion amid rising living costs and global instability
Africa Madagascar Jirama, the state-owned national utility company, is strengthening health protection measures, as supply of drinking water in Antananarivo remains subject to multiple pressures, including climatic hazards, network fragility and uncontrolled urbanization
Europe Lithuania A man in Vilnius is imparting a life lesson to his children choosing the 'ugliest' Christmas tree from the market on Žirmūnų Street, wanting his sons to see that it is not always necessary to pick the shiniest or seemingly perfect option
Asia United Arab Emirates As Christmas approaches offices across the UAE enter the year-end slowdown, although Christmas Day is not listed among the official public holidays issued under the Cabinet resolution regulating holidays which came into force on 1 January 2025
America Chile National Space Center has been inaugurated to boost space technology research, satellite operations, and regional cooperation, marking a major step toward scientific autonomy and innovation since construction began in 2024
Africa Nigeria Christmas is one of the busiest travel periods in Nigeria: millions journey across the country to reunite with family and loved ones; this year, many met the same challenges: overcrowded stations, limited transport options, inflated fares, endless delays
Asia Azerbaijan 2nd Forum of Azerbaijani Religious Figures held in Baku was attended by over 100 leaders from various faiths, promoting constitutional values as secularism and freedom of conscience and discussing legal and cultural aspects of state-religion relations