America Colombia Abelardo De La Espriella has become the new president-elect of Colombia in a tight run-off; the far-right lawyer was openly backed by US President Trump
Europe Ireland Authorities are monitoring the passage of a Very Large Crude Carrier VLCC through Irish waters or EEZ; the ship, on its way to a Russian North Sea port, is being pursued by the US military as part of its crackdown on Venezuelan oil
America Peru Nine telecom projects worth 830 million dollars have been launched in Peru to expand fiber optic and internet access nationwide by 2030, aiming to boost digital inclusion in rural, Amazonian, and border areas
Europe Montenegro Police in Montenegro say AI is fuelling a rise in identity abuse, and celebrity endorsement sees a surge in case, but holding online fraudsters to account can be complicated
America Grenada Hunting Season for wildlife and game species has been closed on 1 January, effective to 30 September until further notice; hunting wildlife species as Tatou, Manicou, Ramier, Iguana and the Mona Monkey may be fined $1000 or 6 months in prison
Africa Seychelles The new director general of the Seychelles Intelligence Services, Sabry Khan, was sworn in in a ceremony presided by President Herminie following Khan's oath of allegiance and the signing of the official instrument of appointment
Africa Central African Republic Voting proceeded as planned in Central African Republic’s first-ever combined presidential, legislative, regional and municipal elections; ballot counting is complete, with results expected for 5 January, according to the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA
Europe Sweden According to Ticket – the largest private travel agency in the Nordics – the US is the only top-ten country where travel bookings are declining for 2026, -21% on 2025; figures could change ahead of this summer's planned World Cup in the country
America Paraguay Paraguay has condemned China’s large-scale live-fire military drills near Taiwan, calling them a threat to Indo-Pacific stability and expressing solidarity with the Taiwanese people
Asia Saudi Arabia Binding “Rules and standards for naming public facilities" have been issued; introducing unified standards, governance frameworks, clear religious and administrative restrictions they will come into force 120 days from publication on Umm Al-Qura Gazette
Europe Finland Tax and price changes that came into force in 2026 affecting consumers, income taxation and social support include a rise in prices of tobacco, nicotine products, and alcohol, while minor relief is expected in food, fuel and medical costs
America Uruguay Wildfires have ravaged over 2.000 hectares in Uruguay amid extreme heat and drought, prompting a large-scale emergency response involving military helicopters and local authorities to contain the flames
Europe Albania Despite political tensions sparked by corruption cases involving high profile personalities, the new chief of anti-graft prosecution in Albania announces a tough approach to guarantee that “no one is above the law”
Europe Norway Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, 52, who in 2018 made public she’d been diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis, may need to undergo a lung transplant, for which the national hospital is preparing