America Canada Canada Strong Fund, the first ever national sovereign wealth fund will be launched with an initial endowment of $25-billion (€15,5 billion); PM says the investment will ensure all Canadians reap the rewards of government support for major new projects
Europe Bulgaria Contracts for the use and transit of Russian natural gas will be terminated next year, with a complete exit from the Russian gas market planned by 2028, announced PM Rosen Zhelyazkov at UN Assembly, confirming that Bulgaria will align with EU decisions
Africa Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, with Morocco, ratified a landmark UN treaty to safeguard marine biodiversity on the high seas known as BBNJ which took over two decades to negotiate; with their vote, it has has met the 60 ratifications required for entry into force in 2026
Asia Turkmenistan President Berdimuhamedov took part in the official celebration for the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN at the Organisation’s headquarters in New York and in the following days he held strategic meeting with a number of foreign leaders
Oceania Tonga Motions proposed by the Practice Parliament for Women 2025 to the Tonga Legislative Assembly were met with resistance from the House, during its final sitting for the year, which Speaker Lord Fakafanua called "degrading and mocking terms towards women"
Asia Kyrgyzstan AI-integrated surveillance cameras have been introduced in test mode; capable of facial recognition and of detecting emergencies, can alert staff at 'situation centers' if they spot fire, frostbite or crowd gatherings
Africa Liberia The DayLight investigation "How a Family Smuggled Timber for over a Decade" has been recognized by Global Investigative Journalism Network GIJN as one of the best in Africa, highlighting illicit activities and impactful outcomes in Liberia
Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina Police agencies in Bosnia are increasingly using new technology with facial recognition capacity, such as drones and cameras, to fight crime; doubts are rising over the legal frame allowing their use
Asia Syria President Ahmed Al-Sharaa became the first representative of Syria to address world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in almost sixty years
Europe Lithuania 15 people have been charged in Lithuania over an alleged plan for arson attacks through courier services backed by Russian military intelligence service GRU; suspects include citizens from Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine
Asia Afghanistan 142 pneumonia deaths in a month have been reported by WHO, with over 68.000 new cases recorded across Afghanistan, alongside rising malaria, measles, and diarrheal cases; the agency also warned of worsening health threats nationwide
Africa Mozambique Two insurgents attacks in two weeks in Mocímboa da Praia can have ethnic grounds, as neighbourhood is largely inhabited by Makonde residents, from the interior of Cabo Delgado, who have historically had tense relations with native Mwani community
Asia Bahrain The Russian Film Festival was held at Reel Cinemas Bahrain, Marassi Galleria, as part of the Russian Seasons, and in cooperation with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, the Russian Ministry of Culture and ROSKINO
Asia Lebanon With the Litani River drying and Lake Qaraoun at record lows, rainfall drastically diminished, aid groups warn the crisis could spiral into a nationwide emergency as Lebanon faces its worst drought in 65 years