Asia Uzbekistan Senate approved an amendment allowing inmates to reduce their prison sentences by three days for each approved book they read and demonstrate comprehension of; The law, excluding life-sentenced prisoners, may benefit over 13.500 convicts annually
Europe Greece The government aims to strengthen national defence and address the shortage of military housing with new initiatives to be completed by 2030, while an anti-aircraft and anti-drone defence system should be operational by autumn 2026
Africa Malawi Malawi was chosen as host of the 2025 edition of the Africa Netball Championship during the Annual General Meeting of Africa Netball, held on the sidelines of this year's tournament in Swakopmund, Namibia
Africa Mauritius Deputy PM has hinted that negotiations with the UK over the Chagos Islands are being held up over the amount of money involved for the UK 99-year lease for Diego Garcia, home to a major UK-US military airbase as per the original October agreement
Europe Lithuania Lithuanian emigrants increasingly choose to return from abroad and settle in the country's less populated regions; the State Employment Service has created an interactive map with 50 indicators on housing, employment, education and other issues
Asia Afghanistan According to the World Bank, the country is grappling with a severe food security crisis, with 11,6 million people - around 25% of the population - experiencing food insecurity
Asia Bhutan Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter lit up Bhutan’s National Day, projecting dragons, tigers, prayer flags and more cultural symbols onto landmarks such as the Buddha Dordenma and Tiger’s Nest in a celebration of Bhutanese identity
Asia Georgia The European Higher Education Quality Assurance Registry suspended the registration of the National Centre for Quality Improvement in Education of Georgia due to violations dating back to 2023
Africa Liberia Empowerment Squared, together with its local and international partners, officially launched the Liberia Learning Centre in Paynesville, a $2 million state-of-the-art facility
Oceania Samoa Samoa started celebrating Christmas 13 days before the day itself; in these 13 days, government ministries and other congregations are invited to sing Christmas carols in their own style which are aired on TV
Europe Kosovo Kosovo's electoral commission has banned the country's main Serbian party, Lista Serba, from participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for next February
Asia Maldives Amendments to the Tobacco Control Act, which prohibit the import, sale, free distribution and use of vaping devices and electronic cigarettes in the Maldives, came into force on 15 December; already nine persons have been sanctioned
Asia Kyrgyzstan The Bishkek mayor's office has proposed a draft legislation on the introduction of restrictions on the driving hours of vehicles delivering goods to shops and bazaars, especially during peak hours
Europe Latvia The 77th long-awaited annual publication 'Latvian Statistical Yearbook, 2024' is now available free of charge in digital format in Latvian and English, published by the Central Statistical Office