Europe Belgium Police seized 2 tons of cocaine in Borgerhout and Bowel, arresting 3 men; the case began with 9 kg found in Deurne in June 2025 and is the biggest blur to trafficking after the discovery of 1,5 tons of cocaine in Antwerp in March 2022
America Guatemala Guatemala received its first four deportation flights of 2025 from the US, carrying 522 people, following a record 61.680 deportations in 2024, as expectations rise for the new US administration's immigration policies
Europe Belarus In 2024, over 5.800 people were convicted in administrative political trials in Belarus, the Viasna Human Rights Defence Centre reported; independent analysts link this to the election campaign that began
Oceania Micronesia Representatives of the Federated States of Micronesia and the United States recently signed an extension of the Humanitarian Assistance Annex - FSM to the Military Use and Operational Rights Agreement until 30 September 2043
Africa Angola The country will host the African Men's and Women's Wheelchair Basketball Championships in January 2026, as confirmed by the Angolan Paralympic Committee
Africa Benin Pan-African activist and leader Kémi Séba has announced his candidature for presidential elections scheduled for April 2026; electoral code requires candidates to be sponsored by at least 28 elected officials, such as mayors or members of parliament
Africa Cameroon Locally produced maize, yam, cassava and plantain flours are now exempt from Value Added Tax under the new policy outlined in the Finance Act 2025 and confirmed by the Directorate General of Taxes to reduce the average impact of current VAT at 19,25%
America Costa Rica Costa Rica will implement regulations on deforestation-free products, aligning the productive sector with the EU Green Deal and developing sustainable strategies to comply with EUDR requirements, effective from December 2025
Asia Iran Over 900 people have been executed in Iran in 2024, of whom at least 31 women; most of the executions were linked to drug-related offences, but also to the mass protests of 2022 and included political dissidents, the UN human rights office reported
America Ecuador President Noboa has named for a second time a temporary vice president amid ongoing tensions with elected VP Verónica Abad, who disputes her suspension and argues that Noboa’s actions are unconstitutional and aimed at blocking her succession
America Bolivia Bolivia officially joined the BRICS as a partner state this 2025, with President Luis Arce highlighting the move as key to boosting energy, technology, trade, and sustainable finance amid global transitions
Asia Iraq Iraq tops the list of Arab countries in terms of the number of visitors to Turkey between January and the end of November 2024; figures have been released by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Africa Liberia Liberian entrepreneur Rose Martin-King has officially launched a new butcher's shop and farm shop in Joe Bar, Paynesville, featuring locally sourced organic meat products
Oceania Tonga The government has announced that it will continue in 'interim mode' under the leadership of the interim prime minister, Samiu Kuita Vaipulu, and the current cabinet ministers until a new cabinet is announced in a few weeks' time