Asia China 10 United States-based companies have been added to China's export control list, government procurement barred from 50 US companies two weeks after the Pentagon blacklisted some of China’s best-known companies for alleged ties to the Chinese military
America United States The construction of President Trump’s ballroom at the White House, for which a pavilion has been tore down, is once again under scrutiny as the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit aimed at stopping the project
America Venezuela A Venezuelan-linked oil tanker has been seized by US forces near the Caribbean coast, claiming it supported terrorist networks, prompting Venezuela to denounce the act as piracy and vow to defend its sovereignty internationally
Asia China China’s top leadership convened in Beijing from 10 to 11 December for the Central Economic Work Conference to determine the country’s economic direction for 2026, the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan
Africa Sierra Leone Africa No Filter awards celebrated African films that challenge stereotypes and reshape how global audiences understand the continent; this year the public was invited to nominate films and 300 submissions came from across the continent and its diaspora
Africa Tanzania Main opposition party Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo, banned from October's elections, is now calling for a transition government as a state of uncertainty spreads across Tanzania
America Suriname A national soil monitoring system, in collaboration with FAO and the Green Climate Fund, will support climate-smart agriculture aiming to combat land degradation and secure food supply amid growing urbanization and climate change impacts
Africa Kenya After Amnesty International made public that Kenyan women working as domestic laborers in Saudi Arabia face extreme exploitation bordering slavery, the New York Times set out to investigate, recently exposing a net of corruption and human trafficking
America Panama A 2025–2030 trade facilitation plan with five strategic pillars has been launched to modernize foreign trade, enhance digitalization, and strengthen Panama's position as a competitive regional logistics hub
Africa Mauritius The protection of agricultural land is a major focus of the Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, as agricultural land has been diverted to non-agricultural activities, creating increasing pressure on local food production
America Paraguay The world's best World Rally Championship event in 2025 was hosted in Paraguay, the FIA recognized, highlighting its ability to organize top-tier international motorsport competitions
Africa Ethiopia Copper cables, plastic tubes and metal components have been looted along an under-construction road in Addis Ababa, running from Edna Mall to Haya Hulet; thefts have occurred in full view, according to eyewitnesses
America Honduras Honduras has requested Interpol to enforce a 2023 arrest warrant against ex-president Juan Orlando Hernández, despite his recent pardon by Trump, over alleged embezzlement and money laundering tied to a 2013 campaign funding scandal
Asia India Lionel Messi's tour of India started from Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata: walked around the pitch waving to fans, he was surrounded by a large group of people and left within 20 minutes; in response, fans invaded the pitch throwing objects and equipment